History of the How It Works Group Conscience

The How It Works Group began in December 1990, in Vancouver, B.C., because of a Group Conscience meeting. Using the same format, the Palm Springs group was started on October 10, 1991. At the initial meeting of each of these HIW groups, a vote was taken to determine how many meetings would be held each day, the meeting times, the meeting format, the rotating committee members, and voluntary service positions. Those internal processes, principles, and practices of the HIW group have evolved over time and have been voted upon at formal Group Conscience meetings of the past.

Prior to its formal creation, most of the founding members of the HIW Group had been attending a series of Big Book study meetings, which included the use of audio tapes and "step sheets." The study meetings had been initiated in 1988 by a member from Canada. His story is critical to understanding the importance placed on Group Conscience meetings by the How It Works groups.

Like many alcoholics, his rather casual initial choice of which A.A. meetings to attend was made upon a recommendation from a friend. In this case, a friend of his mother's suggested the St. Vital Group in Winnipeg, Canada. Our friend met a man who had gone blind two weeks after he had sobered up. From this humble man he learned much about the A.A. program. Our friend also found that even though hopeless alcoholics seeking help were streaming in the front door of the St. Vital Group, just as many were pouring out the back door. For a variety of reasons, the group did not offer a program of action that held their attention long enough to help them find the A.A. solution to their problem of alcoholism. His experience led him to seek alternatives to the approach taken by the St.Vital Group.

In 1979, he was involved in a Group Conscience process that resulted in the creations of the First Step Group of Winnipeg, Canada. His experience there helped lead the Palm Springs members to create the How It WorksGroup by holding their own Group Conscience meeting. As explained above, those early members took a vote on everything that went into the formation of the group. The criterion for all suggestions was whether it was helpful to the newcomer. All the guidelines and suggestions of the How It Works Group program of recovery is based on providing the newcomer with a solid answer to their alcoholism.

The purpose of the Group Conscience process was to create unity in the group. The How It Works process allows all the members working together to accomplish what they could not do alone. It also expands usefulness of the group and its members to newcomers

The Group Conscience is the result of decades of experience listening to members, discussing ideas, and deciding upon all elements of the HIW Group Program. These internal processes, principles, and practices that make up the HIW Group Program have evolved over time and have all been voted upon at formal Group Conscience meetings. It is the collective Group Conscience that decided, precisely, what constitutes a “How It Works Group Meeting.” This is set in stone and cannot be changed. The Group Conscience lives on as to what makes an HIW Group meeting an HIW Group meeting. Issues that arise in each HIW Group meeting such as administrative and operational items, expenses, schedules, reps, etc., are decided by each HIW Group meeting separately and autonomously through its Business Meetings.