The Alateen is:

1. Part of Al-Anon
2. For teens affected by someone else's alcoholism

Alateen is NOT:

1. A program for teens seeking sobriety

What is Alateen?
It is a community of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18, whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking.

What is the purpose of Alateen Groups?
“Each Alateen Group has but one purpose: to help other teenage relatives of alcoholics. We do this by working the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, and by encouraging and understanding other members of our own families.”

5th Alateen Tradition

Each Alateen Group operates under the condition of having an Alateen godmother/godfather, responsible for the Alateen Group.

Alateen Godfathers and Godmothers:
Alateen Sponsors are responsible adult members of Al-Anon who share their experience of living with someone who has the disease of alcoholism, their strength gained through using our 12-step program, their knowledge of the 12 Traditions, and their hope for the future.

The 12 Traditions of Alateen

1. Our common welfare must come first; the personal progress of the greatest number of members depends on unity.
2. For our group purpose there is only one authority—a loving God who can manifest Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are only trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for membership is that there be an alcohol problem in a relative or friend. Teenage relatives of alcoholics, when they come together to help one another, may call themselves an Alateen group, provided that as a group they have no other affiliations.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other Al-Anon or Alateen Family Groups or AA as a whole.
5. Each Alateen Group has but one purpose: to help other teenage relatives of alcoholics. We do this by working the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, and by encouraging and understanding our own family members.
6. Alateen Groups should never endorse, finance, or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual purpose. Although a separate entity, we should always cooperate with Alcoholics Anonymous.
7. Each Group must be completely self-sufficient, refusing contributions from outside.
8. The work of the Twelfth Step of Alateen must always remain non-professional, but our service centers may employ specialized personnel.
9. Our groups, as such, should never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees, directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Alateen Groups do not opine on outside issues, therefore our name should never be involved in public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction, not promotion; we must always maintain personal anonymity in print, radio, television, and film. We must protect with the utmost care the anonymity of all Al-Anon and AA members.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, always reminding us to hold principles above personalities.