Criteria for membership

Membership of the Coalition is open to independent organisations that seek to match and support citizen/volunteer advocacy partnerships as either their sole purpose or as part of a range of activities.

Citizen/volunteer advocacy relationships are:

	one to one partnerships
	freely given and voluntary
	defined by the advocate and partner
	created to promote social inclusion and the protection of the rights of a person who is in a vulnerable position.

What is meant by independent?

By independent is meant separation from those agencies that provide or potentially might provide services to advocacy partners. This is essential if conflict of interest is to be avoided. Separation from carers, whose own needs could potentially conflict with the needs and interests of advocacy partners, is also important. In some circumstances, citizen advocacy groups are managed by other agencies - some national charities and some by local C.V.S. These groups have secured independence by having an autonomous Steering Group or Management Committee. The Coalition seeks to foster the development of groups that are committed to the principle of independence. Commitment to this principle and evidence of steps taken to achieve it will be sufficient to secure membership of the coalition. In such circumstances, it would be the local group and not its host or managing organisation that was eligible for membership. The Coalition will seek to ensure that assistance is offered to groups that wish to attain greater independence.