September 8-10, 2023
Theme: Solving, Sharing and Scaling Solutions
The 2023 NAATW Workshop committee is excited to present an immersive experience in-person at the Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA and online via Zoom
The workshop will kick off at 5 p.m. on Friday Eastern time and ends mid afternoon on Sunday – plan your travel accordingly
About the workshop:
The Workshop is an annual event where those interested in using technology in service to Alcoholics Anonymous gather to share experience. It provides a place to share ideas, connect with other A.A.s interested in technology, and bring these ideas back to our respective local areas. Sessions are suggested and presented by our members who submit ideas for sessions.
Format:
Please share information about the 2023 NAATW Workshop with those you think might be interested.
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The workshop will kick off at 5:00 PM on Friday, September 8th (registration for in-person attendance starts at 4:00 PM) and will run until mid-day Sunday, September 11th.
Refund policy:
All registrations (online and in person) are fully transferable.
Online registrations are non-refundable.
In person registrations may be refunded up to one month prior to the event.
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Event location:
Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia
Stimpson Auditorium and nearby breakout rooms
Ground Transportation:
Transportation to and from Dulles airport will be provided free of charge.
Accommodations
We’ve negotiated a special rate of $139/night at two local hotels situated within walking distance to Shenandoah University.
Hilton Garden Inn Winchester
120 Wingate Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
Direct NAATW booking link.
Hampton Inn Winchester-University/Mall Area
640 E Jubal Early Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
Direct NAATW booking link.
For booking assistance contact the hotel directly. Dial (540)667-8011, then press 0 to reach the front desk.
Stay with a Local
We’ll be coordinating a “Stay with a Local” program this year. If you’re interested, use the form below to contact the the host committee. They will attempt to match you with a local AA who is interested in hosting. Rather than paying for a hotel room, you’ll pay the host’s registration fee for the workshop. We can’t guarantee you’ll be matched, so please make hotel reservations to be sure. If you are matched, you can cancel the reservation.
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Sneak Preview!
NAATW 2023 Presentation Topics
The Workshop is an annual event where those interested in using technology in service to Alcoholics Anonymous gather to share experience.
Below are some of the topics confirmed for presentation at this year’s hybrid event.
- Helping Online Intergroup Manage a Meeting Directory at Scale. (Josh R. Mountain View, CA)
- Solving Our Common Problems: A Technology Update from TIAA. (Joel G. Houston, TX and Scott F. Bethlehem, PA)
- Virtual Meetings: Best Practices (Royce E., Freehold Township, NJ)
- AI in AA – Bringing New Depth to the Meeting List (Matthew L., Long Beach)
- AI in AA – The Potential for Generative AI to Enhance and Support AA Activities and Content (Lois L., St. Louis, MO)
- The Pressing Need for Pre-Production Planning in Hybrid and Virtual Events (Laura S, St. Louis, MO)
- DIY Usability Testing for Better AA Websites (Melissa E., Durham NC)
- How Australia is Dancing the Digital 12 Step (Lachlan B., Sydney, Australia)
- How to Most Effectively Use AA Approved Literature in a Virtual Setting. (Lisa R., Albany, CA)
- “Off the Shelf Solutions” for Technology in AA including C4R, TSML and the Meeting Guide. (Doug G. and Larry W., VA)
- What’s New – 2023 Technology Update from AAWS and Grapevine
- AA’s 12th Concept: Bringing Spiritual Guidance to Our Technology Community (Buck R., Lewes, DE)
- And back by popular demand: Blasts from the Past, Birds of a Feather, and more!
Event features:
- Preferred rate of $139/night at 2 nearby hotels
- Stay with a local program (subject to local participant availability)
- Free transportation to and from Dulles airport
- One dinner and two lunches included with in-person ticket price
- Dual track serving different experience levels and interests
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Q & A – ABOUT THE 2023 NAATW WORKSHOP
Q: As a first time attendee, what should I know first?
This is a Technology Workshop. We encourage you to use technology as a means of communication during and after the Workshop sessions. Bring your smartphones, tablets, and laptops! They will be used during the Workshop.
All sessions will be streamed and recorded with the intention of being available over the Internet. Please respect anonymity.
Q: Is it ok to have my computer or phone open during the sessions?
Yes. This is a Technology Workshop. We are using technology in ways we have never done before — to connect, communicate, and share. Multitasking can sometimes make people less productive and less present but there is always a balance to this.
A channel has been created on Discord to facilitate conversation and sharing of ideas with other participants, questions to the committee or to a speaker along with general comments. Link to follow.
For help using Discord visit this article: Getting Started with Discord
Note that NAATW does not endorse any particular platform.
Q: How do I get the 2023 NAATW Workshop Report?
We do not create a Workshop Report. Please collaborate with other attendees to create a crowd-sourced report together. Details on how to collaborate are found in the will be provided on the communication channel.
A google doc will be created for such sharing. Anyone with the link can add or edit the document.
It is understand that there are anonymity concerns with the use of such Google documents. So if you do not wish to participate in the collaboration, please post comments in the Discord channel and ask someone to add it to the report.
A PDF of the document will be generated for distribution to all registered participants approximately one week after the Conference.
Q: How do I get the Session Media?
Anonymized recordings will be made available through our website. We will not show faces or last names.
Q: You are recording, what about anonymity?
The following statement will be read at the beginning of every meeting: “Please help us honor our Tradition of Anonymity by using first names only. We remind you especially to do so when speaking from the floor microphone during all question and answer periods. Should you hear a full name during this session, please write down the time and room where this occurred and share this with the taper immediately after the session or even better drop this information in the Workshop chat platform channel.”
Q: Where and when do we eat?
A box lunch and a buffet dinner will be provided on Saturday and a box lunch will be provided on Sunday. Meals are included with the in-person registration fee.
Q: What’s happening on Sunday?
For starters, the NAATW Chair will share their experience, strength, and hope in the form of our annual report.
Bids for 2024 will be presented.
The proposed slate of officers for the 2024 Conference year will be approved.
Nominations will be received and elections for any open Steering Committee positions (if applicable) will be held. Service experience is desired.
We’ll have a closing session in the final hour where we celebrate this year’s Workshop, exchange information on how to stay connected, and share on what went well and what can be improved upon.
Q: What’s the dress for the Workshop?
Wear what you would normally wear to an AA meeting. Most people will be in jeans and a T-shirt, some in shorts, some in Business or Business casual.
Q: There’s a survey?
Yes there will be a survey. Link will be provided during the event.
Q & A – ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Q: What is TIAA? How are NAATW and TIAA related?
TIAA is the Technology in AA online Forums. TIAA was started after our second Conference by members who attended the Conference.
It is a different organization from NAATW. Yet we are closely related. Our membership overlaps.
We have formed a sub committee that is in active discussions on how the two organizations can best serve our membership and work with each other.
Q: Who is a member of NAATW?
You are!
The only requirement to be a voting member of NAATW is to be present at our annual members meeting on Sunday.
Q: How do I get involved in service within NAATW?
Attend the members meeting on Sunday (that goes without saying).
Stand for one of the open Steering Committee positions.
Send an email to info@naatw.org and tell us that you’d like to help. Or just talk to any Steering Committee member.
Q: How do I bid to host a future Workshop?
See http://naatw.org/bidding-for-future-workshops
We try to move the Workshop around geographically. Ideally we’d follow a schedule that goes somewhere in the middle of the country every other year and to each coast every fourth year. In practicality, we go wherever someone is willing to host.
Talk to any Steering Committee Member to let us know your intention, or just send an email to chair@naatw.org.
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