Hybrid Meeting Guide

Since March of this year, our Cape Atlantic Intergroup membership has been presented with some tough decisions, and we are all doing the best we can to make the most out of this difficult situation. As we transition to more relaxed guidelines, meetings in Cape Atlantic Intergroup are in the midst of deciding whether or not to:

1. Go back to indoor meetings only

2. Continue  with a virtual platform only

3. Start to have a virtual and indoor meeting simultaneously

4. Have a hybrid meeting where some of the members are in-person at their meeting space, and others are still at home, but they can all be at one meeting together

At Cape Atlantic Intergroup, we are encouraging each group to make the best decision based on their group conscience. We have put together a handy guide if you decide to go to in-person meetings only. You can read that here! 

The main idea of a Hybrid meeting is to allow people to join together safely when possible, while also including those who can not attend an in-person gathering. This method can help groups more effectively carry the message to those who would otherwise be left out. Tradition one, our common welfare comes first. Personal recovery depends upon AA unity.

In this scenario, someone at the in-person meeting will set up the equipment and log into a virtual meeting. The members at home will log into the same virtual meeting. All the people at the in-person meeting will see and hear the people who are at home, and the people at home will be able to see and hear everyone at the in-person meeting.

If you want more information on whether a hybrid meeting is right for your group, below we have listed the required equipment and a few helpful best practices for a successful hybrid meeting. 

Please note****Having a hybrid meeting requires the right equipment and someone who attends the physical meeting that knows how to set it up. 

Equipment required:

Stable Internet Connection at the in-person meeting

An account with a virtual meeting platform (Such as Zoom, GoToMeeting or Skype)

A laptop computer

Omnidirectional microphone

Speakers (more than just your laptop’s)

Swivel USB camera
A secondary monitor if in-person attendees would like to see virtual attendees
Extension cables, if needed for audio, video, USB and power
Helpful Best Practices:
1. In your group conscience, we would suggest deciding if you adapt the meeting format for
in-person and virtual sharing.
2. Submit an updated meeting sheet to let us know that the meeting Is now using a hybrid
format.
3. Do a practice run to ensure everything is set up correctly before each meeting.
4. Set up the laptop, camera, speakers and microphone in a stationary place where
everybody at the in-person meeting can see, hear, and be heard while practicing social
distancing. Avoid a situation where attendees will be passing around a microphone, or
sitting close together to be included with the hybrid setup.
5. Designate one member to facilitate the online meeting. Some responsibilities could
include adjusting the speakers and microphone volume during the meeting, looking out
for zoom bombers, attending to any technical issues, muting virtual participants when
someone at the in-person meeting is sharing, and informing the meeting chair when
someone at the virtual meeting wants to share.