Groups and organisations can join Children’s Quarter as Co-operative Members for £25/year. Individuals and small groups can be Supporters for just £10.
Children’s Quarter is a Cooperative. Its Members are groups or organisations delivering services of any kind for children, young people and their families. Membership of Children’s Quarter does not restrict how organisations function – they carry on with their existing operational, legal and governance structure. Members must, however, be committed to the idea of inclusion for ALL children and young people. Our Members shape and share the vision, mission, values and principles that define the cooperative.
Benefits of Belonging
Members benefit from: consortium bids and cooperative fundraising; access to shared staff and resources; a louder voice and campaigning influence in issues of shared concern; and the support and opportunities for informal learning that comes from being part of the club. In the last 2 years, Children’s Quarter has raised and distributed more than £750,000 in funding to Members who have participated in consortium projects, including:
We have campaigned on inclusive childcare; and for a better local offer for SEND children. We are working with parents and Members to research community provision for disabled children; to look into the benefits of adventure play for disabled and vulnerable children and young people; and to develop better provision for disabled and vulnerable young adults.
More about the benefits of belonging.
Why the name, Children’s Quarter?
We got our name because, in the city of Birmingham, England, where Children’s Quarter was set up in 2017:
one quarter of citizens are children and young people
one quarter of children and young people are disabled or vulnerable in one of the ways specified by England’s Children’s Commissioner.
We want to make the point that children and young people and families with children matter, because they often seem to be left out of decision making. And we want to make the point that ALL children, young people and families matter – not just the ones with money or who live in the right postcode areas. Our children are the people of the future – who will tackle climate change; who will make the world happier and more peaceful; who will be tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, teachers, artists and athletes. We would be mad to exclude them?
Groups and Organisations
Charities, schools, local authorities and public agencies, non-profit organisations and associations, NGOs, trusts, community groups, branches of national and international non-profits, community interest companies, businesses with a social conscience and, of course, other cooperatives, anywhere in the world, can join Children’s Quarter as Members so long as your group or organisation:
- aspires to, advocates for and commits to social inclusion for ALL children and young people
- wants to collaborate with others to achieve it.
Membership costs £25 a year which is due every April. The Rules of the Coop can be downloaded here Download / read Children’s Quarter Rules. Note that membership is confirmed by the CQ Board.
You can apply to join using the form at the foot of the page. or by email.
Individuals
Individuals can join CQ:
- as Supporters in their own right (Supporters can attend and speak at meetings, get involved in the work of the coop and serve on the CQ Board etc, but they do not get a vote in any decisions made by the coop Members)
- as a representative of a small, unconstituted group that wants to become a Member. (If you are a small group which is not yet legally constituted, get one of your members to join as a Supporter).
The supporter’s fee is £10 a year which is due every April. You can either apply using the form at the foot of the page, or sign up as a Supporter today online.
Membership fees
Membership fees can be paid by cheque sent to the address above or by BACS sent to Children’s Quarter at Unity Bank; Sort code 60-83-01 Account number 20387787 (add ‘Member’ or ‘Supporter’ as the reference.)