Get Involved and Be Of Service
What is Intergroup?
“…Intergroup is a group of local groups, which meet together to discuss mutual problems and work with one another for the common good of all.”
(See the complete Intergroup Guidelines following position descriptions)
Intergroup Chair:
Email: intergroupchair@gatoronto.ca
Prepares and coordinates agenda for the monthly meetings. Maintains order during meetings and ensures that the agenda is achieved. Maintains a decision log of all decisions made by Intergroup, and regularly distributes to Intergroup members. Requires 2 years of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Intergroup Co-Chair:
Email: intergroupchair@gatoronto.ca
In the absence of the Chairperson, prepares and coordinates agenda for the monthly meetings. Presides over the Intergroup meetings and coordinates activities involving other Intergroup officers, group representatives and committees. Requires 2 years of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Announcements/Meetings Chair:
Email: announcements@gatoronto.ca
OR
Email: meetings@gatoronto.ca
Responsible for receiving and responding to any correspondence received, collecting a list of GA announcements and events, sending out regular email updates of announcements to GA members, maintaining the GA email distribution list and delivering a monthly report to Intergroup.
AND
To coordinate, record and assist in-person, virtual (zoom) and phone meeting representatives with establishing new meetings and/or acting as an intermediary between the meeting representatives and Intergroup. Responsible for informing ISO [isomain@gamblersanonymous.org] about current meetings, new meetings and any changes to meetings to update information on the ISO website. To maintain a contact list of at least one reliable member for each meeting (e.g. Trusted Servant, Zoom or phone meeting host, meeting secretary, meeting treasurer, etc.)
Responsible for communicating with the Website Chair, Telephone (RingCentral Helpline Volunteers) Chair and the Announcements Chair all new meetings and/or changes to existing meetings (times, locations, etc.).
Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Public Relations Chair:
Email: pr@gatoronto.ca
To coordinate public relations activities. To quickly deal with all inquiries from the telephone, mail, and email. To Get The Word Out through PR & outreach activities on both traditional and digital platforms including, but not limited to, TV, Radio, newspaper ads, posters, internet, social media. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Treasurer:
Email: treasurer@gatoronto.ca
To collect, record and prepare for disbursement all funds from the groups. To prepare a monthly statement of finances. Work with the supply coordinator. Requires 2 years of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Supplies Chair:
Email: store@gatoronto.ca
To order and distribute supplies for Toronto Intergroup. To work with the treasurer and ensure that all supplies and literature are readily available, including a supply of new member packets and meeting lists. To deliver supplies to Groups, as requested. Collects monies and delivers same to Treasurer. Requires 2 years of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Recording Secretary:
Email: secretary@gatoronto.ca
To record the minutes of Intergroup meetings and distribute them to Intergroup members no more than 7 days after the Intergroup meeting. To make all necessary changes to the "Toronto Intergroup By-Laws"(date of last change to be indicated) as voted upon by the Toronto Intergroup. Shall maintain an updated list of Intergroup Member names, telephone numbers and email addresses and distribute via email and hard-copy upon changes. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Telephone Chair (RingCentral /Helpline Volunteers Coordinator):
Email: phone@gatoronto.ca
To act as a liaison between the ISO, RingCentral and the Toronto Intergroup. Responsible for configuration of the RingCentral system. To arrange for complete and continual coverage of the telephone service. To expedite responses to all inquiries, in particular calls for assistance. To compile statistics relating to the number of calls received and their disposition, and to report that information at the monthly Intergroup meeting. To manage a volunteer pool responsible for handling inbound telephone calls for assistance. To assemble and maintain a Toronto-area telephone list. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Website Chair (Website Administrator):
Email: website@gatoronto.ca
To maintain an updated website, providing information about Gamblers Anonymous, meetings in Toronto and Ontario, and about events, via the World Wide Web to Compulsive Gamblers and others. Responsible for keeping the Gamblers Anonymous Toronto website up to date with announcements, events, meeting changes and other information as required. Responsible for driving traffic to the Gamblers Anonymous Toronto website through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google Ads or other mechanisms. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Pressure Relief Group Chair:
Email: prgm@gatoronto.ca
The PRGM Coordinator must have at least 2 years of recovery from gambling, be in regular attendance at GA meetings and be available to coordinate and be involved in the basic activities of the PRGM committee. No special financial or employment expertise is required.
The PRGM committee shows the compulsive Gambler (and his/her significant other) that through abstinence from gambling and honesty, one can achieve a gambling-free lifestyle. The PRGM addresses various pressures that the gambler experiences – financial, employment and personal. This assistance is available to any member of the GA Fellowship in Ontario who has abstained from gambling a minimum of 6 weeks and is in regular attendance at GA meetings. The purpose of the PRGM committee is to minimize financial, employment and personal pressures with which a GA member is struggling so that they are then able to work the GA 12 Step Recovery program with the help of other GA members and learn to incorporate these principles of recovery into their daily affairs.
Social Chair:
Email: social@gatoronto.ca
To plan and organize events for Gamblers Anonymous members, and perhaps their families, with the primary purpose of bringing people together and promoting Unity within the Fellowship. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Prison Group Chair:
Email: prison@gatoronto.ca
To manage relationships with Prisons and Institutions helping arrange and coordinate meetings, assisting in getting literature and meeting lists to the Institutions, helping to get volunteers, facilitators, speakers, etc. and acting as a liaison between Toronto Intergroup and the Institutions. Requires 1 year of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
2025 Conference (formerly: Marathon) Chair:
Email: conference@gatoronto.ca
Responsible to assemble and chair a committee responsible for the planning and execution of the Toronto Intergroup yearly Conference (formerly Marathon). Requires 2 years of abstinence and regular attendance at GA meetings.
Article X – Intergroup Guidelines
Section 1:
An Intergroup is a group of local groups, which meet together to discuss mutual problems and work with one another for the common good of all.
Section 2:
All groups in a geographical area should belong to the Intergroup, but no group can be expelled from an Intergroup without approval of the Board of Trustees.
Section 3:
Trusted servants to carry the workload of the Intergroup shall be elected in a manner selected by the groups comprising the Intergroup. However, it is suggested that the term of office be for the calendar year.
Section 4:
All Gamblers Anonymous literature, books and service pins should be purchased from Gamblers Anonymous through the International Service Office (I.S.O.), except when otherwise approved by the Board of Trustees.
Section 5:
Functions of Intergroup:
To disseminate Gamblers Anonymous information and disseminate or sell approved Gamblers Anonymous literature to any group or individual requesting same.
The Intergroup shall be answerable to those groups that it represents and the Board of Trustees where it affects Gamblers Anonymous as a whole.
The Intergroup shall, if it so desires, publish a bulletin or newsletter at regular intervals.
Any newly formed Gamblers Anonymous group shall be able to participate but not vote in the business portion of the Intergroup meeting until being in existence for a period of no less than three (3) months, assuming, of course, that the group meets all requirements of a Gamblers Anonymous group. It is the responsibility of each group to send a representative to their local Intergroup meeting in order to ensure that their group has input on every vote and that the majority of groups are represented.
Boston ’12
Intergroup meetings should be held at least once per month and copies of the minutes should be forwarded to all member groups and the International Service Office (I.S.O.).
Each group shall have the right to elect representatives and alternates equal to the number of representative and alternates of any other group.
The order of business of the Intergroup shall be conducted by the trusted servants in accordance with the Guidance Code.
The Intergroup should be supported financially by the member groups.
The trusted servants of Intergroup are accountable for the responsible use, record keeping, reconciliation and reporting of all financial transactions, including but not limited to funds received, disbursed and generated through all Intergroup bank accounts used for any activity or event approved by or benefiting the Intergroup.
Trusted servants of the Intergroup should consist of a CHAIRMAN, ASSISTANT CHAIRMAN, TREASURER, PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE, RECORDING SECRETARY, PRESSURE RELIEF GROUP CHAIRMAN, and any other trusted servants deemed necessary by the Intergroup.
Duties of the CHAIRMAN shall be to conduct the meeting in an orderly fashion, to prepare the agenda, with assistance of other trusted servants.
Duties of the ASSISTANT CHAIRMAN should be to perform the Chairman’s duties when the Chairman is absent, keep an accurate record of group representatives and take the Intergroup attendance.
Duties of the RECORDING SECRETARY shall be to take minutes of all meetings and notify all groups of meeting dates of Intergroup Open Meetings and changes, additions and deletions of any current group meeting, and mail the minutes to all parties as outlined in Paragraph 5.
Duties of the TREASURER are to collect, record and prepare for disbursement all funds collected from the groups, to prepare monthly statement of finances, to see that pins and literature are available to groups upon request and should be one of two signatures required on checks.
Duties of the PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE shall be to disseminate information, inform Regional Service Office and International Service Office (I.S.O.) of any public relations effort, and be responsible for creating public relations activities in the Intergroup area within the framework of the Guidance Code.
Duties of the PRESSURE RELIEF GROUP CHAIRMAN shall be to be responsible for educating the groups on pressure relief, maintaining updated forms and giving assistance to groups where needed.
The Intergroup should publish a meeting list for the area, and should send a copy to the International Service Office (I.S.O.) every time there is a revision.
Wherever possible, the Intergroup should hold the election for the Trustees that are to be selected from their area, and they should include other groups not members of the Intergroup who fall within the Trustees’ geographic area.
No trusted servant of the Intergroup shall receive compensation for service rendered as a trusted servant of the Intergroup.
All information posted on any Gamblers Anonymous Websites shall be in compliance with the 12 Steps of Recovery and the 12 Steps of Unity.
An Intergroup does not have the right to set stricter requirements and responsibilities, pertaining to the election of Trustees, other than those which are contained in either the Guidance Code or the Responsibilities of International Trustees of Gamblers Anonymous, as listed in the Gamblers Anonymous Information Packet.