Become a member

The 425 member organisations of Emmaus International have a common goal: tackling the causes of extreme poverty and driving social change by enabling the poorest to take charge of their own lives.

Being a member of Emmaus, what does it mean ?

• Upholding the same values of welcoming others, solidarity, openness, respect, and sharing, in very different social, economic, and political circumstances.
• Sharing the same struggles and running campaigns and advocacy work on access to fundamental rights by and for the most excluded, to combat poverty and inequality, to protect our planet.
• Putting solidarity and sharing at the heart of our movement to pool our resources.
• Participating in collective spaces and general assemblies at different levels to jointly define the movement’s guidelines and discuss our practices.
• Knowing and putting into practice the five founding texts of the Emmaus movement. These texts form a basis which every member organisation should use to set its aims and objectives, guide its action and inspire its daily life.
• Fulfilling its obligations as a member. To put our words and decisions into action we must strengthen our movement. Each group must pay a subscription fee and contribute, according to its capacity, to our common funds for international solidarity.

How can we join the movement as a member organisation?

When an organisation wishes to join the Emmaus movement, it must apply to join both Emmaus International and the relevant regional organisation (Emmaus Africa for an organisation based in Africa, Emmaus Americas for an organisation based in the Americas, etc.).

For a smoother integration into Emmaus International, all applicants will be supported by a full member group of Emmaus International, in order to learn about Emmaus and adapt their statutes, rules and practices. In addition to this support, an applicant group receives provisional and probationary approval of its membership application, and then becomes a trial member of Emmaus International. This trial period lasts between a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years. It should enable the group to progressively integrate into the movement. The trial member is then invited to the movement’s national, regional and world assemblies as an observer.

After this period, the trial member may apply for full membership.

During these different stages, the applicant group will be supported and monitored by the national organisation in their country (if there is one) or the regional organisation to which they belong (Emmaus Africa, Emmaus Americas, Emmaus Asia or Emmaus Europe). This body will be responsible for providing information on the steps to be taken, in conjunction with Emmaus International.

Would you like to join the Emmaus movement? Download the trial member handbook* or complete our contact form below.

*This trial membership handbook for applicant groups serves as a guide to help you in the process of joining the Emmaus movement. It aims to guide you through the various stages of making a trial membership application to Emmaus International.