The Auxiliary Boards were created in April 1954 by Shoghi Effendi to assist the Hands of the Cause.[14] The first group of Auxiliary Board members were organized on a continental basis, similar to the Hands themselves. The first boards continued focusing on teaching work and a second set of boards were created in October 1957 to focus on the job of 'protection', that is, maintaining unity and responding to attacks by enemies of the Baháʼís.[15]