Join ENIL

ENIL membership criteria

What is needed to become a member of ENIL?

Criteria for full organisational members

  • Works at the local, regional, national or European This means that they must be based in the Council of Europe area;

  • Supports ENIL’s vision and mission, as explained in ENIL’s Constitution;

  • Uses the social model approach to disability in their work;

  • Adheres to the Independent Living Philosophy and uses a Human Rights approach in their work. This means that they must promote the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through their activities;

  • Is controlled by disabled people, with at least 51% of board members being disabled people themselves. This must be demonstrated by the organisation’s Constitution or with another formal document;

  • Opposes institutionalized settings for disabled people, as defined in paragraph 16c of the General Comment No. 5. This means that organisations that run, advocate for or in other ways support segregated services for disabled people and other institutionalized settings, including large institutions, group homes or family-type homes, as well as sheltered employment or day care centers (unless they are fully inclusive/mainstream), cannot be full organisational members. This must be demonstrated by providing information about the type of activities undertaken by the organisation in the application form and by declaring that it complies with this criterion.

Criteria for associated organisational members

  • Works at local, regional, national, international or European level;

  • Supports ENIL’s vision and mission, as explained in ENIL’s Constitution;

  • Uses the social model approach to disability in their work;

  • Adheres to the Independent Living Philosophy and uses a Human Rights approach in their work. This means that they must promote the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through their activities;

  • Opposes institutionalized settings for disabled people, as defined in paragraph 16c of the General Comment No. 5. This means that organisations that run, advocate for or in other ways support segregated services for disabled people and other institutionalized settings, including large institutions, group homes or family-type homes, as well as sheltered employment or day care centers (unless they are fully inclusive/mainstream), cannot be associated organisational members. This must be demonstrated by providing information about the type of activities undertaken by the organisation in the application form and by declaring that it complies with this criterion.

Criteria for full individual members

  • Identifies as a disabled person, as defined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

  • Supports ENIL’s vision and mission, as explained in ENIL’s Constitution;

  • Supports the Independent Living philosophy and the rights-based approach, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

  • Lives in the Council of Europe area. For the list of countries, click here;

  • If the person is between the age of 18 and 35, they can also apply to join the ENIL Youth Network.

Criteria for associated individual members

  • Supports ENIL’s vision and mission, as explained in ENIL’s Constitution;

  • Supports the Independent Living philosophy and the rights-based approach, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

  • If the person is between the age of 18 and 35, they can also apply to join the ENIL Youth Network.

How to join

What is needed to become a member of ENIL?

Step 1

Please choose the type of membership that applies to your organisation/yourself;


Step 2

Apply using the following links:

Individual
membership

Organisational
membership


Step 3

All applications are first considered by the Membership Committee (consisting of three members of the Board) and then
approved by the entire Board. The evaluation of an application might take up to three months, as the Board meets four times
per year.

The difference

What is the difference between full and associated membership at ENIL

  • Full members (both organizational and individual) have the right to vote at ENIL General Assembly;

  • Associated members can take part in the ENIL General Assembly without having the right to vote;

  • All members receive the monthly Members’ Mailing and can take part in ENIL’s activities.

Membership fees

How much does it cost to be an ENIL member?

Membership is free, but ENIL welcomes donations from those organisations and individuals able to contribute financially. ENIL is working hard on becoming less dependent on funding from the European Commission and diversifying its funding sources. This is important for our independence and also means we can carry out more activities. It also means that we can keep our membership free of charge.

Any donation – whether it is 5 EUR or 100 EUR – helps. You can make a donation via Paypal or bank transfer, just follow this link. Thank you for your support!