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--- policies:membership [2022/12/31 15:42] – created matt
+++ policies:membership [2025/11/23 21:57] (current) – matt
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-====== Membership Guide ======
+====== Membership Policy ======
-==== Becoming a Member ====
+==== Who Can Be a Member? ====
-To become a member, you need to:
+Bristol Hackspace is a diverse and inclusive organisation where membership is open to everyone, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, or disability, and provided it is safe and legal. On the grounds of safety we do not accept membership from those under 18.
-  * Visit the Hackspace on a Thursday open evening, to have a look round our space meet some of our members.
-  * Fill in our application form with your details (name, address, email, photo) and accept our Terms and Conditions.
-  * Set up a monthly standing order to our bank account for your membership fee (£15 p/m recommended), and a one-off payment (£5) for your keycard.
-  * Return to Hackspace on the next social evening, with valid photo ID.
-When you return, we will check your application form, your ID, and that your payments have arrived. If everything is in order, congratulations! You are a Hackspace member. We will then:
+Memberships are issued for named individuals only. We do not currently offer corporate, shared, or family memberships. We are happy to accept members whose memberships are paid by a sponsoring organisation, but these memberships are still solely for the use of the named individual. Members are welcome to bring [[manual:guests|guests]] to the Hackspace, including children.
-  * Issue you a keycard.
-  * Give you an General Induction.
-  * Add you to our Google Group.
-==== Accessing the Hackspace ====
+We aim for new memberships to always be available for those interested, but should demand exceed capacity, membership will be limited by way of waiting list. Membership opportunities will then be offered on a solely first-come-first-served basis, with no other selection or qualifying criteria in place.
-Your keycard grants you 24/7 access to Hackspace.
-We charge a £5 issuance fee per keycard, including replacements. If your card is lost of stolen, please tell us as soon as you can so we can cancel it.
-If your membership payments fall into arrears, we may deactivate your card until this is remedied.
-Please don't mark your keycard with "Hackspace" or the address, as this makes it very easy to break in if you drop it in the surrounding streets.
 ==== Your Membership Fee ====
+Your membership payment is paid monthly by Direct Debit. We do not accept payment in goods or services, or in cash. We have a minimum membership payment of £5pcm, and a suggested membership payment of £15pcm (consisting on a £5 membership fee and a £10 top-up donation). £5pcm is not reflective of the true costs of running the space, and offering this as a minimum is not possible without the majority of members opting for the top-up donation to our suggested payment of £15pcm or more.
-Your membership is a rolling monthly subscription, paid by standing order (or other form of direct bank transfer). The amount you pay is your choice, relative to the amount of use feel you get from the space. Our suggested payment is £15 per month.
+Bristol Hackspace aims to be accessible to as many people as possible, including those with reduced or irregular incomes. If you need to discuss the affordability of membership, please get in touch.
-Bristol Hackspace aims to be accessible to as many people as possible, including those with reduced or irregular incomes. If you need to discuss affordability, contact the directors.
+Your monthly membership fee, and any additional donation recieved as part of your regular monthly payment, is treated as unrestricted funds and used towards the aims of Bristol Open Technology Lab, which include the provision, upkeep, and improvement of the Hackspace and it's equipment.
-We do not accept payment in services or by any means other than monthly direct bank transfers.
+As a member of Bristol Hackspace, we also ask that you donate some of your time towards the upkeep and improvement of the Space, proportionate to your use. This community involvement is how we are able to keep our membership fees low.
-==== Who Can Be a Member? ====
+==== Becoming a Member ====
-Anyone who is 18 or over can be a member of the Hackspace, unless they have previously be banned.
+To become a member, you need to:
+  * Visit the Hackspace on one of our joining events, usually run on Thursday evenings.
-Memberships are issued for named individuals only, we do not offer corporate, shared, or family memberships. You can bring your friends and family members as guests, please see our [[botlab:policies:guests_and_children|Guests and Children Guide]].
+  * Fill in our application form with your details, accept our Terms and Conditions, and provide valid proof of address and identity.
+  * Set up a membership Direct Debit, and make a one-off payment (£5) for your keycard.
+  * Complete an onboarding session explaining how to use the space safely.
-We are happy to accept members whose memberships are paid by a sponsoring organisation, but these memberships are still solely for the use of the named individual.
 ==== Ending Your Membership ====
 To end your membership, you need to:
-  * Inform the directors.
+  * Inform the Hackspace.
-  * Cancel your standing order.
+  * Cancel your payments.
-  * Return your door card.
+  * Return your keycard.
-Your membership will expire exactly one month after your last payment was received. Please remember to take any project materials you have stored at Hackspace away with you.
+Your membership will expire exactly one month after your last payment was received. Please remember to take anything you have stored at Hackspace away with you.
 ==== Termination of Membership ====
-The directors can terminate your membership if they decide your continued participation is harmful, or likely to be harmful, to Hackspace. This may be made as a result of:
+The directors can terminate your membership if they decide your continued participation is harmful, or likely to be harmful, to the Hackspace or other members. This may be as a result of:
   * An investigation into formal complaints made against you.
   * You failing to respond to multiple requests to settle a significant debt to Hackspace.
   * Your membership payments having stopped.
-A resolution to terminate a membership must have the support of a strict majority of the directors to pass.
+The directors will give at least 21 days' notice of a meeting where sanctions such as terminating your membership is up for discussion. This is to allow you reasonable opportunity to make representations in advance. In exceptional circumstances the directors may ask that you do not use the Hackspace until a decision has been made.
-Termination takes immediate effect, unless by the grace of the directors.
-The directors will give at least 14 days notice of a meeting where sanctions such as terminating your membership is up for discussion. This is to allow you reasonable opportunity to make representations in advance. In exceptional circumstances the directors may ask that you do not use Hackspace until the decision has been made.
+A resolution to terminate a membership must have the support of a strict majority of directors to pass. Termination takes immediate effect, unless by the grace of the directors.
-For more information about termination of membership, see our [[botlab:policies:complaints|Complaints Policy]].
+A person who has previously had their membership terminated may re-join as a member only with written permission of the directors. Notice of a decision on such a request will be given within 21 days of the request being received by the directors.
+For more information about termination of membership, see our [[policies:complaints|Complaints Policy]].
 ==== Members’ Rights and Liability ====
-By becoming a member of Bristol Hackspace you become a voting member of Bristol Open Technology Lab C.I.C., the incorporated entity that controls Hackspace. This gives you the legal right to vote at general meetings and other rights in accordance with our policies, for example putting forward or supporting purchase proposals.
+By becoming a member of Bristol Hackspace you become a voting member of Bristol Open Technology Lab, the incorporated entity that controls Hackspace. This gives you the legal right to vote at general meetings and other rights in accordance with our policies, for example putting forward or supporting purchase proposals.
-As Bristol Open Technology Lab C.I.C. is a company limited by guarantee without share capital all members, and persons who have ceased to be a member within one year, carry a financial liability in the unlikely event the company is wound up due to insolvency. The amount of this liability is a maximum of £1 (one GBP) per member, if demanded by the administrator of Bristol Open Technology Lab C.I.C.
+In the unlikely event the organisation is wound up due to insolvency, members (and members who's membership has ceased within the least ten years) are personally liable for any outstanding debt Bristol Open Technology Lab may have up to a maximum sum of £1 per member.