SPONSORSHIP EXPECTATIONS 

Our first responsibility to a potential sponsee is to discuss our mutual expectations for the sponsorship.
If we discuss our mutual expectations at the beginning, the sponsorship will go more smoothly.
Our goal in interviewing a potential sponsee, it to determine how well we will work together.


SOME EXPECTATIONS TO CONSIDER IN SPONSORSHIP

1.              Ethics
2.              Confidentiality
3.              Mutual honesty
4.              Working the Steps
5.              Meeting attendance
6.              Sponsor availability
7.              Frequency of contact
8.              When and where to call
9.              Sponsor replacement
10.           Spirituality
 
Ethics:            Sponsorship is a sacred Trust
Confidentiality:           A sponsee’s confidence must never be broken
Mutual Honesty:         Recovery is based on the capacity to be honest
Working the Steps:     Starting the Steps is a priority for program newcomers
Meeting Attendence:   Speaker Meetings are especially good for newcomers
Sponsor Availability:   Characteristic of sponsorship style.  Discuss at 1st meeting.
Frequency of Contact:           Ninety calls in ninety days has many advantages for a newcomer.
When and Where to Call:       Set up ground rules for telephone calls from your sponsee
Sponsor Replacement:  Sponsees deserve to know they are free to change at anytime.      
Spirituality:  Sponsee should know a sponsors interpretation of God, or no-God at all.
 

QUESTIONS SPONSORS ASK ABOUT SPONSORSHIP

What is my primary purpose as a sponsor ?

What are the best suggestions I can offer my sponsees?

How do the responsibilities of a temporary sponsor differ from those of a primary sponsor?

What do I tell my sponsees when they ask if they have to go to meetings the rest of their lives?

How many sponsees is too many?
          The intensive work of sponsorship restricts the numbers of sponsees we can handle comfortably.

What are the warning signs of a slip?
           Be alert to the warning signs of a slip in your sponsees.
  
When is it appropriate for a sponsor to terminate a sponsorship relationship?
           Terminate any sponsorship relationship that is endangering your own recovery.
           Terminate any sponsorship relationship whenever it is in the best interests of your sponsee to do so.

How do I de-sponsor somebody?

What if I make a mistake?

How soon can I sponsor somebody?
            We earn the privilege of sponsoring someone after we have passed certain milestones.

How do I treat a high-profile sponsee such as a politician or an actor?

Should I offer to sponsor someone?

With whom can I discuss my sponsee’s problem?

Is it okay to assign readings to a sponsee for discussion?

Is it okay to give sponsees assignments other than readings?
         Temporary action assignments for sponsees can help them practice
          Twelve Step Principles

How far do I have to go to keep a sponsee in recovery?

When am I enabling my sponsee?

How do I handle relationships among my sponsees?

What can I recommend to a sponsee as a substitute for Twelve Step meeting?

What should I tell a newcomer sponsee about 13th stepping?
          Thirteenth stepping refers to making sexual advances toward someone inappropriate,
          such as a program newcomer.  Warn your sponsee about Thirteenth Stepping. 
          It is unacceptable behavior in Twelve Step programs.

What is the greatest danger in sponsorship?
           Posessiveness






                                                                The above text is from 12-Step Sponsorship, © Copyright 1996 by Hamilton B.