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What does membership entitle me to?


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Membership Criteria
To decide if this is relevant for you, please read the membership criteria.

Community Development Learning and Training providers
Specifically we are encouraging the sharing of learning and training opportunities. We actively promote any courses that have been endorsed by the English Standards Board (ESB). We encourage courses to be endorsed by ESB, but if you are running a course that is not endorsed by ESB, we require that you provide learning opportunities that reflect the Community Development National Occupational Standards and that you provide support and access appropriate to meet the needs of the learners. Furthermore there are added benefits for students of learning and training providers, as the students of any courses relevant to Community Development Learning & Practice will be able to get discounts on any publications, conferences and events run by FCDL.

FCDL News
You will receive our bi-annual (6 monthly) newsletter, FCDL News. It is your opportunity to contribute to information sharing amongst FCDL members, partners and allies, as well as gaining information on topics relevant to the field of Community Development Learning & Practice.

FCDL up-date (email bulletin)
You will receive our monthly email bulletin, which contains an up-date on FCDL work, funding opportunities, training opportunities, events, as well as featuring any relevant topic or events that you want us to promote about your activities, group or organisation.

FCDL conferences and events
You will receive a reduction on any payable fees for FCDL events, as well as having priority over non-members. Normally each group or organisation can have two spaces at our events, if more spaces are required they will be on our waiting list. This is to ensure that we have a wide range of our membership represented at our events.

Participating in the work of the FCDL
You will be entitled to play an active role in directing the work of FCDL through participating in and voting at General Meetings. Both Full (Community & Voluntary Organisations & Networks) and Associate members have voting rights, though our voting system is weighted in favour of the Full membership. Members can also get involved in the FCDL Management Group.

When joining we will make contact and ensure that we are aware of what type of work that you do and how we can best support you from our organisational position. We will endvour to ensure that we are able to suggest other key members to share knowledge with and develop opportunities for networking.

Shape and influence policy responses
We are committed to responding to policy initiatives that affect the field of community development. Being a member of FCDL you will have an opportunity to point out relevant policy initiatives, which you think that FCDL should respond to. Furthermore you are in a position to help shape and influence responses that FCDL submit from an organisational point of view.

Being part of a wider network
We endeavour to work with a wide range of groups, communities, organisations, agencies and allies to ensure that our members can best be heard. This network is beneficial when we are trying to address change or best identify support for our members.

Associates
We are committed to the values and principles of Community Development and Community Development learning, as reflected in our aims. We actively seek funds which support these and often it allows us to work directly with our members. As a member of FCDL you may have the opportunity to become an associate and may have the opportunity to work directly on the projects we receive funding for.