Joining SACLC

This page will tell you all you need to know about becoming a member of the Sydney Autism Community Lions Club, as well as what to expect, and what is expected of you, as a member.

It’s important for you to know from the outset that you don’t need to be a member of our Club in order to be involved! Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings and participate in our public activities without ever formally joining us. We believe in inclusion and therefore would never require membership as a prerequisite to participation.

However, if you want to take your dedication to our Club to the next level, or if you are interested in serving on our Club Board (for which membership is a requirement by Lions convention and NSW incorporated associations law), then please read on!

How to become a member?

Membership in the Sydney Autism Community Lions Club is, like all other service clubs affiliated with Lions Clubs International, by invitation only. What this means is that the current members of the Club decide if you can become a member. Simply paying a membership fee will not make you a member.

In the interests of maintaining social cohesion amongst our membership, we need to ensure that you will be a good fit for our Club, that you will vibe with us. This is why we take membership by invitation seriously.

To be considered for membership, you will need an existing member to sponsor you. Typically, the sponsor is your friend who will be able to vouch for you to the rest of the membership. If you don’t have a friend (yet) who is a member – don’t worry! Just come along to our monthly meetings or service activities and get to know the members that way. It’s the best way to learn about what we do, and to see if what we’re about interests you. You will get to know us, we will get to know you, and – if we vibe with each other – you should have no trouble finding someone to sponsor you. Also, your application to join us has a far greater chance of succeeding if we all know you already.

You also need to consider if you have enough free time to participate in Club activities. Be assured that we will never ask you to impale yourself on your commitments to the Club. In Lions, your family, your work, your study, your other friends – they always come first! Having said this, you will need to allocate at least some of your time and priority to the Club. The Club cannot function if members don’t find any time for their Club!

Once you have decided that formally joining our Club is what you want to do, this is what will happen:

  1. You will express your desire to join, to your sponsor.
  2. Current members will get together to discuss your application. If your application is accepted, you will proceed to Step 3. If your application is rejected, we will provide a brief statement as to why it was rejected.
  3. You will be given an online form to fill in, where you will provide us with all the necessary contact details.
  4. You will be asked to pay the membership fee, which, by default, is currently AUD 150 for 12 months of Active membership, but depending on your circumstances can be adjusted.
  5. At the next monthly meeting, you will agree to abide by the Lions Code of Ethics and Purposes, and take an oath of membership.
  6. Congratulations – you are now a member of our Club 🙂

What is expected of you as a member?

Now that you’re a member of the Club, you are now obliged to attend our monthly meetings. If you are unable to attend a monthly meeting, please be courteous to your fellow members and send your apologies.

You are expected to help out with our service activities and projects.

You are encouraged to come up with ideas for service activities and projects, and to take a leading role in implementing them.

You are expected to treat your fellow members with your utmost respect and courtesy, as well as to support your fellow members.

What to expect?

Expect to be treated with utmost respect and courtesy.

Expect to be supported by your fellow members.

Expect to feel a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment from providing service to your community and making a difference.

Expect to HAVE FUN 😀