Participate
Become a member of County Wicklow PPN and let the voice of your community be represented and heard.
Why should your group join County Wicklow PPN?
- To keep informed of plans and decisions for your area
- To feed into plans and shape local & national policy
- To be part of a strong collective voice for communities
- To network, raise your profile, share experiences and support each other
- Find out about funding opportunities, training and other supports
- Avail of discounted insurance premium
- And It’s Free to Join!
Who can join County Wicklow PPN?
All volunteer led, not-for-profit community groups active within County Wicklow are encouraged to become members of the PPN.
The national guidelines define the types of groups that can register for the PPN structure as follows:
- Environmental â Organisations whose primary activities are environmental protection and/or environmental sustainability.
- Social Inclusion â Organisations involved in working to improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society; those living in poverty; or those in unemployment using community development approaches to build sustainable communities. Examples of organisations in this College include Traveller groups, groups supporting new communities, people with disabilities, mental health and suicide awareness groups, Womenâs groups and so on.
- Community & Voluntary â Any organisation whose primary activities are other than those listed above belong in this category.
General Criteria for Membership
- Groups should have at least Five registered members.
- Member Organisations must align themselves with the aims, objectives and principles of County Wicklow PPN (see Constitution)
- Member Organisations must be volunteer-led (organisation may have paid staff but must be under voluntary control).
- Member Organisations must carry out their activities in an open and transparent manner.
- Member Organisations must have a base in and/or be active in the County
- Member Organisations must complete and return a membership application form.
- Because of the separation of the functions of public representatives and the PPN, councillors, TDs, Senators, and MEPs should not be the primary PPN contact point for member organisations.
- An organisationâs membership of the PPN may be reviewed by the County Wicklow Public Participation Network Secretariat if at any time the organisation claims to speak on behalf of/or represent the PPN without mandate.
A member organisation shall cease to be a member of the PPN if the organisation no longer qualifies under the conditions laid down for membership.
Full Membership Additional Criteria
For full membership groups must be in existence for at least one year, have a committee, a governing document and hold an AGM.
Group must submit a copy of their governing document and minutes of their most recent AGM to the PPN.
Associate Membership
Organisations, which at the time of application, meet all the general criteria for membership.
Plus, the following list of specified organisations:
- Organisations that are based Outside the county but active in it.
- Organisations with a National Remit only (local branches can apply for full membership).
- Local Development Agencies
- Organisations where the governance documents expressly provide for nominees to the Board/Committee by Wicklow County Council of either staff or elected representatives.
Newly formed and other groups or organisations who do not meet these criteria at the time of application can apply for Associate Membership. Associate members cannot nominate PPN representatives to sit on boards or committees or vote in PPN elections.
The following are not eligible for membership of County Wicklow PPN:
- State or semi-state bodies
- Political Parties
- Groups who have representation through other pillars of social partnerhsip e.g., trade unions, farming and business organisations.
Become a County Wicklow PPN Representative
One of the main functions of the PPN is to ensure that the voice of the local community is represented on county policy and decision-making bodies. PPN Representatives elected to these committees bring the voice of the community to these committees/bodies within the County.
What does a PPN Community Representative do?
- Represent the views of all members of the Network/Linkage Groups
- Bring issues relevant from the decision-making body to the policy making arena
- Meeting and reporting back to the linkage groups, electoral colleges, secretariat, plenary on the outcomes of policy making meetings and issues being raised regularly
- Attending and participating at all decision-making bodies meeting
- Taking direction from the Linkage group on the position they are to take on particular issues
- Reporting to the Secretariat and Resource Worker from decision making body meeting
How can I become a PPN Community Representative?
PPN Representatives are nominated and elected by Full member groups of the PPN
- PPN staff email correspondence on vacant representative positions as they arise
- The criteria for election will be outline in the email and in each specific representative nomination form
- The Criteria for a PPN Representative position may relate to a specific Municipal District or to a specific PPN Pillar (Community, Environment or Social Inclusion).
- Full member groups in the eligible Municipal District and/or PPN Pillar can make a nomination and vote in the election.
- In the event that only one nomination in received by the deadline the nominee takes the seat.
- In the event of more nominations are received that seats available and election will be held. Elections are held electronically or at a physical Plenary. The nominee who receives the most votes takes the seat.
- All nominations and elected representatives will be presented to the Plenary and the secretariat for validation.
To find out more about the Role of the PPN Representative visit our Finance & Governance.