Aims and Objectives
As a User Led Organisation (ULO), Camden Disability Action
- Actively promotes the social model principle by working to remove the barriers and disability discrimination faced by people with impairments, long term health condition, learning difficulty and or mental health problem
- Actively demonstrates commitment to disabled people by employing disabled staff and volunteers whenever possible
Organisation
- The combined number of individual and ULO members must constitute 70% of the total membership.
- The combined number of individual and ULO Trustees must constitute 70% of Board Members.
- The Board of Trustees must set up a Membership Sub Committee to scrutinise and approve applications, subject to a veto by not fewer than 51% of the Board of trustees. The Board must nominate 3 of its members to the Sub Committee, plus one individual and one ULO member.
Membership criteria
All members must support the aims and objectives of CDA and actively support the social model of disability. Applications must be to one of the three categories
1. Individual deaf or disabled member
Criteria:
- A deaf or disabled person as defined by the 2010 Equality Act. This includes people with learning difficulties, mental health issues, long term health conditions and/or those with a physical and sensory impairment.
- Must live or work in the borough of Camden.
Rights
Full voting rights including:-
- Nominations of candidates for election to Board of Trustees
- Standing for election to the Board
- Standing for election to Membership Sub committee
- Proposing, seconding and voting motions at the AGM
1a Informal carers who are caring for disabled people living in Camden
Rights
Voting rights including:-
- Nominations of candidates for election to Board of Trustees
- Proposing, seconding and voting motions at the AGM
2 User Led Disabled Persons Organisation Member (ULO)
Criteria
A Camden based organisation which is:-
- Led and controlled by disabled people and have a minimum membership of 75 per cent of disabled people on their board
- Actively demonstrates commitment to disabled people by employing disabled staff and volunteers
- Actively demonstrates their commitment to the Social Model of Disability.
(This definition comes from Office for Disability Issues – see http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide36/understanding/what.asp)
Voting Rights
Full voting rights including:-
- Nominations of candidates for election to Board of Trustees
- Standing for election to the Board of trustees
- Standing for election to Membership Sub committee
- Proposing, seconding and voting on motions at the AGM
2a. Organisation which represents the interests of informal carers in the Borough of Camden
Note: This category is to recognise that informal family carers and disabled people have common interests as users of Camden Adult Social Services
Voting Rights
Full voting rights including:-
- Nominations of candidates for election to Board of Trustees
- Standing for election to the Board of trustees
- Standing for election to Membership Sub committee
- Proposing, seconding and voting on motions at the AGM
3. Affiliate Organisations
Criteria
Any organisation working with disabled people in the borough of Camden that supports the ethos, aims and objectives of CDA
Voting Rights
- Attendance at AGM but not eligible to propose, second or votes on motions at the AGM
- Can put forward a candidate to be co-optee of the Board, which the Board has absolute discretion to accept or decline.
Application Process
Applicants for individual membership must sign a declaration that they meet the definition of a disabled person in the 2010 Equality Act. The Board reserves the power to request evidence of meeting definition.
Applicants for ULO membership must sign a declaration that they are constituted as specified by the ODA. The Board reserves the power to request evidence of this.
February 2016
