How to apply for membership
Prospective Forgebank tenants and leaseholders must have been accepted as members before they can sign their lease or tenancy contract. We recommend that you contact our Membership Team (MIST) and start the application process as soon as possible to make sure it doesn’t delay the contract. MIST’s role is to act as the main point of contact and support between people seriously interested in membership, and the community as a whole. We will guide you through the process aiming to ensure that you have a robust understanding about what it means to be part of this community and a realistic expectation that you will be able to contribute and thrive here.
How would I apply for membership?
If you are really interested in living here:
- Read all the info on the website about living here, and our commitments to each other
- Book on a tour
- Contact MIST join@lancastercohousing.org.uk to see if you can meet someone after the tour. Let them know what home you are considering. You can ask to be put on a waiting list
If you want to know more:
- Get to know us
MIST will answer any questions you may have, and assist you through the process.There are lots of ways we can help you to get a real feel for how we work together, and see if it's for you. For example, join us for a common meal or a monthly work party, come to socials and meetings. Pitch in and help cook a meal or clear up afterwards. Try to talk to as many of us as you can to get different perspectives (including probably some contradictory ones!). The more time we can spend getting to know each other, and exploring the idea and the practicalities of living here, the better. If you’re coming from far away, we may be able to arrange accommodation in the Guest Rooms.
- Let us get to know you
Send us a bio introducing everyone in your household (perhaps with a photo).
What would you like us to know about you? Your history? What’s important to you? What leads you to believe cohousing life is for you? What benefits and challenges do you feel you will experience? What do you feel you can contribute to the community? Your bio will be circulated, so members know a bit about you, and MIST will let members know when you’re coming so they can meet you
If you’re still seriously interested:
- Check you can live with our key agreements
Satisfy yourself (and us) that you have understood and are willing to abide by our community agreements. If you join, you will be signing up to them. Read Our Key Agreements which summarises the most significant of these and links through to the full text of the agreement documents. Please read the summary and the documents to make sure that you understand, support and are happy to abide by these agreements. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions. Much better to be clear and to check your assumptions before you’re committed!
- Book on an Integration event
We offer these 2-4 times a year as an opportunity to spend time and experience being here, meet some members, ask questions and raise any uncertainties you may be feeling. There will be a two-way Questions and Information session. If you’re coming from far away, we may be able to arrange accommodation. Ask lots of questions especially about what you think you may find challenging. Much better to explore it now!
- Buddy
At some point, you can ask for a buddy from the MIST team, who can guide you through the process and be someone you can direct questions to. They won’t necessarily know the answers but they can point you to someone who will.
- You need to attend at least:
* A common meal or social event
* A General Meeting (GM)
* One other Service Team meeting
- Car owners in leasehold Forgebank homes
If you are currently a car owner, and will be living in a leasehold Forgebank home, think how you will meet your travel needs without your own car. See Everyday Travel to and from Forgebank and learn about our Car Club. Some prospective members have found it difficult to imagine how they will manage their car, but do contact our Travel Service Team early on in your thinking. We’ve found that we can help you think through how to meet your travel needs, and have come to some very creative solutions! Only in very exceptional circumstances may a member living in Forgebank apply to keep a private car.
- How would you like to contribute to the essential community work?
- Complete and return an application form (available from join@lancastercohousing.org.uk).
What happens to your application?
Your application form is circulated to all members. You are matched up with a ‘buddy’ - a community member who can answer your questions. When you have completed all the steps, MIST present your application to a General Meeting (GM) for decision by all members. The decision will be coloured by their experience of how you have engaged with the community and with the application process. Do you seem realistic about the benefits and challenges of living at Forgebank? Do you share our aspirations? At least 2 members need to be in a position to ‘sponsor’ you - ie they have got to know you enough to feel confident that you have made a wise choice. Occasionally, we have delayed the decision and asked an applicant to spend longer getting to know us and finding out how the community works.
