What does ENUSP do?
ENUSP is an umbrella organisation – that is, most of its members are organisations rather than individuals. Although ENUSP has been limited by a lack of funding, other resources from its member organisations – energy, knowledge, ideas, and a lot of volunteer time –have enabled ENUSP to become an influential organisation. ENUSP supports users/survivorsby challenging human rights abuses and discrimination, encouraging the development of user/survivor initiatives at grassroots level, and lobbying law and policymakers – for example, during the drafting of the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (UN CRPD). We also provide an information network connecting user/survivor organisations all over Europe through our events and publications.
Can anyone become a member?
There are two types of membership:
1. For organisations-organisations of (ex-) users/survivors, or mixed organisations which have a considerable number of (ex-)users and survivors in addition to other members.
At our General Assembly held every two or three years, member organisations can nominate one representative (this person must be a user or survivor) to vote for them. Before the General Assembly, the ENUSP members from each country should decide together on 3 delegates from each country who may vote.
2. For individual users, ex-users, or survivors in countries where there are no organisations which belong to ENUSP. In other exceptional cases, individuals may explain their reasons for wanting individual membership in their application form. You can use the ENUSP website to find out whether there are any ENUSP member organisations in your country. You may even find that you are already a member through your local or national organisation! Or you may, through ENUSP, find others in your country with whom you can form your own organisation.
1. For organisations-organisations of (ex-) users/survivors, or mixed organisations which have a considerable number of (ex-)users and survivors in addition to other members.
At our General Assembly held every two or three years, member organisations can nominate one representative (this person must be a user or survivor) to vote for them. Before the General Assembly, the ENUSP members from each country should decide together on 3 delegates from each country who may vote.
2. For individual users, ex-users, or survivors in countries where there are no organisations which belong to ENUSP. In other exceptional cases, individuals may explain their reasons for wanting individual membership in their application form. You can use the ENUSP website to find out whether there are any ENUSP member organisations in your country. You may even find that you are already a member through your local or national organisation! Or you may, through ENUSP, find others in your country with whom you can form your own organisation.
What does membership give to my organisation?
- Networking opportunities What could your organisation achieve through drawing on knowledge and experience from other user/survivor organisations in Europe?
What could they learn from you? - Information
You will receive our bulletins and Advocacy Update in electronic form for distribution to your members. These publications feature the latest user/survivor events and human rights developments across Europe. - Visibility
We list our member organisations on the website. If you wish, you can also describe your activities and services on the website, and contribute to our bulletins and Advocacy Update newsletter. - Being part of something bigger
Isolation, exclusion, and discrimination are common experiences for users and survivors across the globe. Being part of a European user/survivor organisation can increase motivation, improve an organisation’s local or national standing, and increase its influence on law and policymakers both nationally and internationally.