Why public relations is important to the NA member

The Narcotics Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live.” Our relations with the public enable us to share this message broadly so that those who might benefit from our program of recovery can find us. We perform public relations service to increase the awareness and credibility of the NA program. We share our message openly with the public at large, with prospective members, and with professionals. Maintaining an open, attractive attitude in these efforts helps us to create and improve relationships with those outside the fellowship. Establishing and maintaining a commitment to these relationships, can help us to further our primary purpose.

The spiritual principles of our steps, traditions, and concepts guide us in pursuing our public relations aims and our efforts to enhance NA’s public image and reputation. These principles apply to our community and service efforts as well as to the personal behavior and attitude of individual NA members.

The following points are goals we can strive for to make NA a visible and attractive choice for addicts:

1.       We clarify what services NA can and cannot provide to the community.
2.       We make NA members more aware of their role in NA’s public image.
3.       We aim for the public to recognize NA as a positive and reliable organization.
4.       We develop valuable relationships with professionals and the general public.

PR Basics: Contains material from the Public Relations Handbook which has been simplified. It was designed for members who are considering PR service and desire to gain a basic understanding of PR principles. English | Portuguese (Brazil) | Spanish | Swedish

Public Relations Handbook: A service tool encompassing various facets of NA public relations including planning, the media, criminal justice professionals, treatment, healthcare, phonelines, technology, event planning, Fellowship development, and government. English | Portuguese (Brazil) | Spanish

PR Handbook Resource Material: Much of the Public Relations Handbook’s support material is updated regularly to meet the changing needs of our public relations service efforts. The resource material includes:

Chapter 2: Core Public Relations Principles
Chapter 3: Effective Services
Chapter 4: Preparation and Training for Interacting with the Public
Chapter 5: Media
Chapter 6: Criminal Justice
Chapter 7: Treatment
Chapter 9: Phonelines
Chapter 10: Internet Technology
Chapter 11: Event Planning
Chapter 12: Fellowship Development

Area Planning Tool 

Phoneline Basics: A call to an NA phoneline, also known as a helpline, may be someone’s first interaction with Narcotics Anonymous. This resource outlines ways a service body can evaluate its resources, choose a helpline provider, train and prepare volunteers, and coordinate services in a way that makes local helplines more successful. English | Spanish

Planning Basics:  Planning for NA services asks us to think ahead and take time to develop action plans to reach identified goals. Opportunities for planning begin with identifying issues that affect our ability to provide consistently effective services. This booklet provides information on how to plan for services, including a facilitator’s outline and a service inventory.  English | Spanish

Hospitals & Institutions: Hospitals & Institutions committees carry the NA message to addicts who, due to incarceration or institutionalization, do not have full access to regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings. H&I is an important service in our public relations efforts in NA.

• H&I Basics: A simplified version of the information in the H&I Handbook, recently updated to reflect current service practices. – English | Portuguese (Brazil) | Spanish
• H&I Handbook: Developed based on extensive input from H&I subcommittees throughout the Fellowship, this handbook contains material and suggestions that will work in most H&I settings.
• Sample H&I Presentation in mp3 Format:  Side A | Side B
• Reaching Out: Quarterly newsletter of hope and inspiration for incarcerated NA members. The section “From the Inside” features letters from incarcerated members and provides a vital link to the NA Fellowship. “From the Outside” demonstrates that members who find NA inside can become responsible, productive members of society, showing criminal justice professionals that NA is a credible program of recovery.

NAWS Public Service Announcements are provided for download, free of charge. Local service committees have also developed and shared their own PSAs, which you can access here.

NA.ORG Video PSA package suitable for social media here.

Membership Survey: Contains the results of a biennial survey of 28,495 NA members. 

English | French | German | Hungarian | Indonesian | Italian |  Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish | Swedish 

English (European version) | Russian

Information about NA: Includes facts about the history of NA, organizational philosophy, and membership demographics.  English | Finnish | French | German | Greek | Hungarian | Indonesian | Italian | Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish | Slovenian | Swedish

NA: A Resource in Your Community: This pamphlet provides information about local NA services that may be available such as public service announcements, phonelines, literature sales, and NA presentations for health fairs, schools and professional conferences. English | French | Portuguese | Spanish

Narcotics Anonymous and Persons Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment: This pamphlet is intended for professionals who prescribe medication to treat drug addiction. The service pamphlet NA Groups and Medication contains a broader discussion of NA Members and other medications. English | Danish | Italian | Norwegian | Russian | Spanish | Swedish

Playlist of YouTube Videos describing Public Relations efforts by NA World Services and around the fellowship