1. What types of membership can SYCIL offer?
1.1. SYCIL has two types of membership: full membership and associate membership.
1.2. Full Membership: This is open to disabled people. It entitles people to vote at Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and to stand for election to become a SYCIL Trustee/Director.
1.3. A disabled person is someone who identifies themselves as such.
1.4. Associate Membership: This is open to individuals who do not identify themselves as disabled people. It is also open to properly constituted public bodies and not-for-profit organisations and companies who have an interest in Disability issues.
2. Who can become a member of SYCIL?
2.1. You can apply to become a full member of SYCIL if you meet all of the below criteria:
· You live and/ or work in South Yorkshire
· You are over the age of 18
· You support the aims and work of SYCIL
· You have not been employed by SYCIL in the past 3 years
· You identify yourself as being a Disabled Person
2.2. You can apply to become an associate member of SYCIL if you meet all of the below criteria:
· You are an individual or you are a properly constituted public body or a not-for-profit organisation based in South Yorkshire
2.3. Existing staff of SYCIL (or any associated companies) and staff who have been employed by SYCIL within the past three years are not eligible to join SYCIL as members.
2.4. Applications for membership are considered and approved by the SYCIL Board of Directors whose decisions on acceptance into membership are final.
3. On what basis and by what process could my membership of SYCIL be removed or suspended?
i) If you do not pay your membership fee after receiving a reminder that you need to do so.
ii) If you use discriminatory, threatening or abusive language or behaviour towards SYCIL staff or other members of SYCIL. This includes harassment and putting pressure on people to do anything which they have said they are not willing to do.
iii) If you disclose confidential information about the work of SYCIL or its members when it has been clearly stated that this information was shared with you in confidence.
iv) If you do something that brings SYCIL into disrepute. This includes criticising the organisation in the press, stealing from the organisation or sharing confidential information about its members or service users.
v) If SYCIL believes that you have contravened any of its membership rules, a member of staff and a sub-committee nominated by the Board of Directors will investigate this and make a recommendation to the full Board of Directors as to whether your membership will be suspended or cancelled. Your membership could be suspended during the investigation. The decision of the Board will be final. The Board may decide to suspend or cancel your membership permanently or for a specific period of time. You may also be informed that you cannot enter the SYCIL premises during an investigation and/ or whilst your membership is suspended or cancelled.
