Category: Turning 16

Membership for residents between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. Subtopic of Membership, long-term guests, relocation & unit allocation

Membership guide – becoming a member

1.  Who can apply for membership

  • Minimum Age for membership: 16 years old

2.  Four categories of applicants

Long-Term Guests
  • Live in Woodsworth
  • Approved by the Board as a Long-Term Guest
  • Long-Term Guest Agreement signed by all household members and witnessed by Management
  • May apply for membership at any time
  • Membership is optional
  • All co-op members in the household must agree to the membership application. This is important because, by supporting the application, the current household members are agreeing to extend equal membership rights and responsibilities to the new applicant if they are approved for membership.
Turning 16s (youth aged 16-19)
  • Live in Woodsworth
  • Lived in Woodsworth before turning 16
  • No Long-Term Guest Agreement required
  • Simplified membership process
  • Those who miss the age window or did not live at Woodsworth before turning 16 years old may apply through the Long-Term Guest process.
  • All co-op members in the household must agree to the membership application. This is important because, if the application is approved, the new member will have the same rights and responsibilities as the current household members.
Returning Members
  • Former members of the co-op who do not currently live in Woodsworth
  • Normally attend the annual internal information session (with LTGs)
  • Have special privileges when applying for membership (see Special Rules)
External Applicants

3.  Members’ rights and responsibilities

Once approved as members by the Board of Directors, applicants:

  • Share equal rights and responsibilities for the unit
  • Live at Woodsworth and use common facilities
  • Vote at members’ meetings *
  • Run in elections (Board positions require age 18+) *
  • Participate in governance (committees, Board, other activities) *
  • Apply for their own unit after 2 years of membership (applies to LTGs and Turning Sixteens) 
    * These rights apply to applicants after they have moved into Woodsworth.

    4.  The membership process

This document focuses primarily on people who live in Woodsworth and on returning members.

A. Attend the Information Session

This is mandatory for all applicants.

The session is held once a year for long-term guests, Turning 16s, and Returning Members only by the Membership Committee.

Note: Information sessions for external applicants are scheduled only when the external waiting list has been reduced to a manageable size. Because of this, there may be extended periods when no external information sessions are offered.

You must bring to the information session:
Proofs of residency for Long-term Guests and Turning 16’s

⚠️ Without these documents, attendance is not permitted.

What you must bring these documents to the information session

Applicant Type

What to Bring

Notes
LTG Signed LTG agreement (witnessed by staff), 2 proofs of residency, photo ID Talk to staff if issues with documents
Youth (16–19) 2 proofs of residency, photo ID No LTG agreement needed
Returning Member Proof of at least 2 year residency as member. Photo ID and proof of address. Attend internal session. Submit proof of residency ahead of session
External Applicant Proofs listed in invitation Invited only when waitlists are low

B. Apply for membership

  • At the session, you will receive an application form with a tracking number linked to your name.
  • Applications must be submitted to Management within 3 months.
  • All current household members must co-sign the form, confirming shared rights and responsibilities.

C. Review and interviews

What happens

  • Two committee members interview adult applicants.
  • Applicants aged 16–19 have an informal conversation instead of a formal interview.
  • Management conducts the required financial checks.
  • The Membership Committee recommends whether to approve the application.
  • The Board receives the application package.

Membership Committee responsibilities

  • Update the tracking document.
  • Complete the interview report part of the tracking  document.
  • Forward the recommendation to Management using  the tracking form.
  • Forward the completed application form to Management for the official  files.

Management responsibilities

  • Complete financial and income verification.
  • Update the tracking document.
  • Forward the applicants’ tracking documents to the Board for a board meeting approval.

D. Board decision

The Board evaluates applications using the membership criteria in Article 2.2 of the Membership Bylaw.

The Board may:

  • approve the application
  • request additional information
  • deny the application

Applicants are notified of the decision by Management.

Appeals may be made under Article 3.3 of the Membership Bylaw.

Applications are evaluated against the co-op’s membership criteria (Membership Bylaw Article 2.2):

E. Sign the Occupancy Agreement

  • Successful internal applicants are requested to visit the office with the members of their household to sign the new or updated occupancy agreement.
  • Once the Occupancy Agreement is signed, the applicant becomes a member with full rights and responsibilities
  • Keep a copy — this is your proof of membership
  • Returning  members and external applicants only sign the Occupancy Agreement when they accept a specific unit in Woodsworth.

5. Special rules & internal waiting list

  • Two-year rule: New members who joined as LTGs or Turning 16s must wait 2 years before joining the internal waiting list or taking over a unit without members in residence
  • One-year exception: Members who were already on the list before Sept 26, 2023 (the date of the bylaw approval) had to wait only 1 year after signing the Occupancy Agreement.
  • Returning Members may join the internal waiting list once approved by the Board.
  • External Applicants: Placed on the external waiting list upon Board approval. (Applicants should confirm unit size requests based on the occupancy standards.)
  • Explainer about the internal waiting list

6.  Who does what

  • Membership Committee
    • Runs info sessions
    • Interviews applicants
    • Recommends membership decisions to the Board
  • Board of Directors
    • Approves Long-Term Guest status
    • Approves membership applications
  • Management
    • Handles LTG requests and paperwork
    • Tracks approvals and membership status
    • Conducts credit checks and financial reviews
    • Prepares Occupancy Agreements
    • Manages unit allocation (per the Membership Bylaw)

7.  What the Membership Committee does

A committee member creates tracking forms for each attendee at the information session. At checkin for the info session, committee members update the applicants’  tracking documents. to show that they have provided the required documentation.

The Committee’s presentation at the Information Session should explain the requirements for membership, with a focus on the co-op’s bylaws and the role of members in the governance of the co-op. It should emphasize the co-op’s democratic structure and introduce Woodsworth’s history and the worldwide co-operative movement. The presentation should also direct applicants to key sources of information, including the Weekly newsletter, the bylaws, other resources available on the co-op’s website, the management office, and the co-op’s committees as information sources and as opportunities for participation.

8.  More Information

Main page for membership issues:  Membership, long-term guests, relocation & unit allocation

Woodsworth teens, become a member when you turn 16!

✅ Eligibility for “Turning Sixteen” Membership Process

You may apply for membership through the “Turning Sixteen” process if:

  • You are between 16 and 19 years old, and

  • You grew up in Woodsworth, meaning you lived here before you turned 16, with your parents or guardian, and

  • You are a child of a member or a member is your guardian, and Woodsworth is your principal residence

  • If you move in after your 16th birthday, you follow the regular long-term guest process for membership.
Membership criteria

Applicants should have:

(a) An understanding of co-operative principles and member participation

(b) A positive attitude towards living in a community with people from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds and have a commitment to treating other members with respect

(c) An interest in contributing to the operation and life of the co-operative

(d) A willingness to accept their responsibilities as co-operative members

(e) Indication of permanency or long-term commitment to the co-operative

📝 Turning Sixteen Application Process (Special Process)

  • Attend an information session (watch for the announcement in the Weekly or email: woodsworthmembership@gmail.com)

  • Bring proof that Woodsworth is your main home

  • What else must you bring these documents to the information session

    –  Photo ID        – No LTG agreement needed

  • Application must be co-signed by the other members in your unit

  • Board approval is required, but:

    • No formal interview

    • No credit check or income verification

    • No long-term guest agreement needed

Once approved, you become a full member with:

  • The right to vote in general meetings

  • The right to run in most elections (must be 18+ to run for Board)

  • The right to apply for your own unit after 2 years of being a member

🚫 If You Don’t Apply

  • You automatically become a Long-Term Guest (LTG)

  • LTGs do not have voting rights or membership privileges.

  • If your family moves out, you must also leave.

❗️What If You’re Already 20 years old?

  • If you lived in Woodsworth before you turned 16, you can still apply, but not through the Turning Sixteen process

    • No need for a long-term guest agreement

  • If you moved in after age 16, you can apply for membership through the regular adult process, but: