Membership of Waterford Public Participation Network is open to any community and voluntary group or club, environmental group and any organisation addressing issues of social exclusion, working on a voluntary, co-operative or not-for- profit basis for the benefit of the community within Waterford City & County.

PPNs are inclusive of the full and diverse range of volunteer-led organisations in their Local Authority area. Waterford PPN is committed to working from an inclusive, social justice and anti-racist perspective and will not collaborate with or admit any group or individual who promotes the exclusion of, or demeans any other ethnicity, culture, belief, orientation or capacity.

Membership is open to groups which:

• Are active and with a postal address in Waterford. (The PPN will validate the identity of its Member Groups)

• Are in existence for at least THREE months.

• Operate on a not-for profit basis.

• Are volunteer-led (organisations may have paid staff, but must be under voluntary control).

• Are independent, and this can include local and regional branches of national organisations.

• Have at least 3 members and are open to new members.

• Have an appropriate governance structure e.g. set of rules / constitution

• Meet regularly.

• Are non-party political.

Associate Member Organisations are also welcome as members of Waterford PPN they will receive information and access training etc But do NOT have the power to make nominations, or have voting rights, however they can put forward motions.

Examples of these would be:

• State or semi-state bodies;

• Local development agencies;

• Elected representatives, people who have declared to run for elected office, or those who have served as councillors, TDs, senators or MEPs within the previous year;

• Groups who have representation through other pillars of social partnership e.g. trade unions, farming and business organisations.