Join Us

Learning and Innovating Together

EPR’s mission is to build the capacity of its members to provide sustainable, high-quality services through mutual learning and training.

Discover our objectives, activities and services below, or download our A4 leaflet here; and a trifold brochure here, for printing.

Our members

EPR is a community of service providers to people with disabilities committed to high-quality service delivery. We have two types of membership: Observer and Full member. Observer membership is for a period of a year at 50% of the full fee. It includes access to all our services except voting rights at the General Assembly. Permanent Observer members may be from outside Europe or be active in the field of disability, but are not service provider-related organisations. Full membership have access to all our services including voting rights at the General Assembly for a full fee. All our members are private not-for-profit organisations or public organisations in Europe delivering services to people with disabilities, or that support organisations that deliver such services.

Full and temporary observer members are organisations that:

• Are known for providing high quality services;
• Engage in actions for continuous development, improvement and innovation;
• Have a high level of expertise in relevant fields for the other EPR members and capacity to share this expertise with peer organisations and with the entire EPR network and to engage in a minimum of EPR activities;
• Capacity to engage in international co-operation and EPR network, including the capacity to effectively bring contributions;
• Are registered in Europe;
• Are committed to the quality principles underpinning the EQUASS system[1] and to the implementation of the UNCRPD;
• Have a good reputation and a solid governance and financial structure.
  
  

The organisation or institution should bring value to the network and meet the following membership criteria (from the statutes). They should:

• Engage in actions for continuous development, improvement and innovation;
• Have a high level of expertise in relevant fields for the other EPR members and capacity to share this expertise with peer organisations and with the entire EPR network
• Are committed to the quality principles underpinning the EQUASS system and to the implementation of the UNCRPD;
• Have a good reputation and a solid governance and financial structure.

Permanent observer members are organisations that are:

• Based outside Europe
• In Europe, but are neither service providers or organisations that support service providers, however, they should either/or
• Carry out research that links to provision of services for people with a disability
• Fund services for people with a disability

If you are interested in joining our network and benefitting from our activities and services, as outlined below, please contact our Secretary General Alicia Gómez Campos at agomezcampos@epr.eu for more information.

How we calculate our membership fees: there are five fee levels, dependent on the GDP of the country in which an organisation is based. Observer membership is 50% of the regular fee. Guest membership allows short-term participation in activities in order to discover what we offer.

Our strategic objectives

• EPR enables Innovation in Service Provision;
• EPR is a consistently growing, stable and sustainable network;
• EPR promotes technology as an enabler of effective and efficient services that ensure inclusion, independent living, and rehabilitation;
• EPR demonstrates leadership in supporting transitions in education, employment, independent living, and rehabilitation;
• EPR is a point of reference for Quality Standards across Social Services of Excellence for persons with disabilities;
• EPR grows its policy influence through targeted contributions and strategic partnerships.

Our Activities

Guided by our strategic objectives, our annual activities are developed through individual consultations with each of our members, outlining what EPR offers members that year. EPR is a “matchmaker” in helping members to identify mutual learning possibilities and supporting the development of tailor-made exchange and training activities both in-person and online. Most activities are completely free for members of the network and there are activities aimed at both managers and professionals. More information about the types of activities and services we offer are found below.

TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS

• Gain insight into how to address and harness trends through briefings and expert input
• Take part in pilots of innovative approaches
• Contribute to comparative research into emerging practices
• Learn about and implement the latest methodologies in service provision

MUTUAL LEARNING AND TRAINING

• Improve the skills and effectiveness of professionals working on the ground
• Compare and analyse how to improve services and assess progress over time
• Join site-study visits to leading practitioners and product developers

NETWORKING AND STRATEGY

• Build connections with leading service providers from across Europe
• Be part of a community of like-minded professionals
• Take part in exchanges and training on organisational development, strategy and management

POLICY

• Benefit from analysis of key initiatives and legislation and understand how they might impact your work
• Engage in national awareness-raising events raising your profile and influencing decision-making
• Feed into key EU processes relevant to the disability service sector

PROJECTS

• Receive help to find project partners and join projects developed by EPR
• Get support in writing EU project applications
• Participate in training sessions on accessing EU funding opportunities

Areas of Expertise:

• Vocational Education and Training
• Employment
• Mental Health
• Independent Living
• Quality and Quality of Life
• Outcome Measurement
• Empowerment and Co-production
• ICT and Assistive Technology

We also facilitate exchanges between members on many other topics. For more information see the What we do section of the website.

Additional services available

In addition to the mentioned activities, EPR can support its members to organise international events and provides personalised, tailor-made training or other activities for an individual member.