MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES

1. Membership Categories

Free Membership is open to Third Sector disability organisations and groups in Birmingham.

Organisations and groups can apply to become:-

  • Full Members

This category is for organisations and groups who meet all of the membership criteria set out below.

  • Associate Members

This category is for organisations and groups who are interested in joining the Network but who do not meet all the membership criteria set out below.

Further details about Membership are set out in our Constitution.

2. Membership Criteria

Organisations or groups wishing to join the Network as Full Membersmust meet the following criteria:

  • They should be Birmingham-based
  • They should be properly constituted third sector organisations and groups
  • They should have a good track record in supporting, representing and providing services to disabled people in Birmingham
  • They must have systems in place to communicate and consult with their service users

Organisations or groups wishing to join the Network as Associate Membersmust meet SOME of the criteria for Full Membership listed above.

Full Membersand Associate Members must agree to comply with the following reqirements of membsership:

  • Member organisations must be prepared to work within the Network’s terms of reference and constitution and to abide by its policies, procedures and working practices.
  • Member organisations must be prepared to comply with Nolan’s 7 principles of public life which are selflessness; integrity; objectivity; accountability; openness; honesty and leadership.
  • Member organizations must not have an intention to break any criminal or civil law or to commit any act that may bring the Network into disrepute

Once accepted into the Network, representatives from member organisations and groups must ensure that they:

  • Accept decisions of the Steering Group as binding
  • Do not misrepresent the Network or bring the Network into disrepute.
  • Represent the views of their organisation/group and/or their service users not their personal opinions (or declare the fact that they wish to express a personal point of view).
  • Only represent the Network’s opinion on issues once they have been agreed or determined.

3. What does being a Member mean?

As a registered Charity, the Birmingham Disability Network is duty bound to promote a membership scheme and to encourage members to join the organisation.

Organisations and groups who have been members for 6 months or more would also be eligible for election onto the Steering Group either through being co-opted or by formal election at the Annual General Meeting.

4. Membership Benefits

The benefits of joining the Network include:

  • Being part of a professional, independent Network and brand representing disability issues in Birmingham and recognised as such by the public sector
  • Having access to infrastructure and capacity building support for smaller organisations
  • Having access to timely policy and news briefings on disability issues
  • Having access to information and advice
  • Having access to free publicity on the Network’s website
  • Having access to peer group support and time banking
  • The opportunity to raise issues and express views
  • The opportunity to consult with public sector organisations and statutory service providers
  • The opportunity to influence their policies, procedures and decision making
  • The opportunity to work in partnership on commissioning and tendering

5. Rules & Conditions of Membership

  • Members must be prepared to abide by the Birmingham Disability Network Terms of Reference and Constitution and to abide by the Policies and Procedures and working practices at all times.
  • All Members must not have an intention to break any Criminal or Civil Law or bring the Network into disrepute.
  • Applications for membership shall be considered by the Steering Group / Trustees
  • The Steering Group may only refuse an application for membership if, acting reasonably and properly, they consider it to be in the best interests of the Charity to refuse the application.
  • The Steering Group must inform the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal within twenty-one days of the decision.
  • The Steering Group must consider any written representations the applicant may make about the decision. The Trustees’ decision following any written representations must be notified to the applicant in writing but shall be final.
  • Membership is not transferable.

6. Termination of Membership

Membership may be terminated if:

  • the member organisation or group ceases to exist;
  • the member organisation or group resigns by written notice to the Charity unless, after the resignation, there would be less than two members;
  • the representative of the member organisation or the group itself is removed from membership by a resolution of the Trustees that it is in the best interests of the Network that his or her membership is terminated. A resolution to remove a member from membership may only be passed if:

a. the member has been given at least twenty one days’ notice in writing of the meeting of the Trustees at which the resolution will be proposed and the reasons why it is to be proposed;

b. the member or, at the option of the member, the member’s representative (who need not be a member of the Network) has been allowed to make representations to the meeting.

7. Membership Application

Organisations and groups will need to complete an application form in order to join the Network.The application is available in a range of formats to ensure that no-one is excluded from applying.Support to complete the form is also available on request.

BDN complies with all data protection requirements. A register of members' names and address wil be kept by BDNbutmay need to bemade available to the Charity Commission or to our funders upon request. Otherwise, members' details will be treated as private and confidential and used for membership purposes only.

On-line Applications can be made by clicking HERE

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