The ESTSS aims to encourage as wide a membership as possible in order to further the mission of the Society:
- to ensure that clinical research and policy practices in the field of psychotraumatology are informed by evidence systematically gathered and publicly scrutinised
- to ensure continued prominence is given to all aspects of traumatic stress and its many repercussions
- to promote networking between individuals and organisations within the field of psychotraumatology.
Types of Membership
In order to maximise the membership of the Society, the ESTSS offers the following three categories of membership:
- Member of a Member societies
- Member of an Affiliated societies
- Individual members
A. Member societies
Since the ESTSS aims to become a coordinating organisation, that brings together groups of people who share similar interests, we consider it ideal if already existing societies, who share the aims of the ESTSS, join ESTSS together. These organisations are known as member societies which are defined as:
Member societies are local, regional or language based traumatic stress societies. A Member society should have:
- Objectives consistent with those of ESTSS
- more than 20 members
- membership open to all professional groups
- formal agreement that the entire membership of the Member society will become members of ESTSS
- their own secretariat through which ESTSS information is passed on to their members
ESTSS acknowledges that in some countries and regions there are no societies which meet the ESTSS Member society criteria (as above), e.g. objectives are partially consistent with those of ESTSS, or membership is not open to all professional groups. Where this is the case ESTSS will allow other traumatic stress societies to become Member societies after agreement from the executive board.
All members of Member societies are automatically a member of ESTSS and thus get all the benefits of ESTSS membership.
Societies interested in joining ESTSS can apply as a member society by contacting the ESTSS president or executive board or the ESTSS secretariat. Members of those societies do not need to apply individually since they are automatically member of ESTSS.
Societies can apply for being a Member society by contacting the ESTSS president or the ESTSS secretariat. The standard agreement for a Member society can be found here. It states for instance that the ESTSS and the member society will inform their members about each others main events or other relevant issues.
B. Affiliated societies
There is no fee for societies that wish to affiliate! The aim is to collaborate more closely and offer individuals from affiliated societies reduced fees for ESTSS membership if they wish to join.
ESTSS understand that in some cases, organisations that share the aims of ESTSS, may not be in a position to join ESTSS together. In such cases, ESTSS encourage these organizations to affiliate to ESTSS which allows individual members of the affiliated organisation to join ESTSS at a reduced rate. An affiliated society is defined as:
Affiliated societies can be Europe-wide, international, national and regional societies which have:
- objectives are at least partially consistent with those of ESTSS.
- more than 20 members
- their own secretariat through which ESTSS information is passed on to their members
Members of Affiliated societies apply as individuals and are entitled to a reduced fee for a full ESTSS membership. Once they have joined ESTSS they too get the benefits of ESTSS membership.
Societies can apply for Affiliated membership by contacting the ESTSS president or the ESTSS secretariat. The standard agreement for affiliation can be found here. It states for instance that the ESTSS and the member society will inform their members about each others main events or other relevant issues.
Members of Affiliated societies apply for ESTSS membership by submitting the membership form on the website and indicating of which Affiliated society they are member.
C. Individual members
ESTSS also recognises that some individuals are not in the position of being able to join other organisations who might apply to become ESTSS Member or Affiliated societies. Therefore ESTSS welcomes individuals who are not members of either a Member society or Affiliated society to join ESTSS themselves. Because there is more administration involved in dealing with individuals, the annual subscription fee is higher for individual members than it is for those who join from an Affiliated society. Individual members also get all the benefits of ESTSS membership.
To apply for Individual membership please submit the membership form on the website.
In cases where there is doubt as to whether an individual or group should be allowed to join ESTSS, the executive board will consider the application and decide.