Young People’s Groups in Alcoholics Anonymous began appearing around 1945 in Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, and now they can be found all across North America. In 1958, a meeting of young AA’s from across the U.S. and Canada started what is now the International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA), and it has met on an annual basis ever since. At the 1960 AA Convention, Bill W. noted that the age of new members was much lower than when he and Dr. Bob founded AA 25 years earlier. In a letter to ICYPAA dated June 15, 1969, Bill wrote “… in recent years I have found nothing for greater inspiration than the knowledge that A.A. of tomorrow will be safe, and certainly magnificent, in the keeping of you who are the younger generation of A.A. today.”

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FCYPAA was founded for the purpose of providing a setting for an annual celebration of sobriety among young people in AA. Since its inception, a growing group of people, who at first would not consider themselves as “young people,” has become regular attendees. The number of young people suffering from alcoholism who turn to AA for help is growing, and FCYPAA helps to carry AA’s message of recovery to alcoholics of all ages. This meeting provides an opportunity for young AA’s from all over the world to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope as members of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA members who attend FCYPAA return home better prepared to receive young people who come to AA looking for a better way of life.