YHA
Affiliate Membership
Scheme
Information Pack
13
Contents
Welcome to YHA / 31. About Affiliate Membership
1.1 Conditions of Affiliation / 4
1.2 Benefits of Affiliation / 4
1.3 Fundraising for YHA / 7
1.4 Booking accommodation / 8
1.5 Complaints / 8
1.6 Group conduct / 9
1.7 Who to contact at YHA / 9
2. About running your Group / 10
2.1 Liability insurance / 10
2.2 Promoting your Group / 13
2.3 Guidance for Groups with under 18 year old members / 16
2.4 Training and external sources of support / 17
2.5 Running your club or group / 18
2.6 Constitutions / 19
Welcome to YHA
Our Mission
“To inspire all, especially young people, to broaden their horizons, gaining knowledge and independence through experiences of adventure and discovery”.
Our vision
To reach out and enhance the lives of all young people: we aspire to double the number of young people who benefit from the YHA experience.
YHA is a charity and our charitable object is:
’To help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, and appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities, particularly by providing Youth Hostels or other accommodation for them in their travels, and thus to promote their health, recreation and education.’
Affiliate Membership will give your club or group the opportunity to enjoy over 200 superb town and country locations in youth hostels, bunkhouses and camping barns throughout England and Wales.
Your Affiliated Group membership means all your members will pay member prices when you stay as a group.
Affiliation to YHA is valid for a year and you’ll be sent a renewal reminder when it is about to expire. When you renew your membership please send us a current copy of your constitution and your insurance cover, along with the Affiliate Membership Form.
Affiliation gives lots of benefits and offers opportunities which we hope you will enjoy.
1.1 Conditions of affiliation
To be an Affiliate Member of YHA your group, club or society needs to have:
o A formal constitution
o Adequate insurance cover for your activities
o Submitted a signed Affiliate Membership Form
Your constitution does not have to mention YHA, what your group does and how it is organised is up to you and your members.
We do ask that, while you stay with YHA as a guest your group behaves appropriately and, if you market your group as being affiliate members of YHA that you think of and uphold YHA’s reputation.
When you renew your membership please send us a current copy of your constitution and your insurance cover, along with the Affiliate Membership Form.
If you would like to take advantage of the civil liability insurance package that YHA offers exclusively to Affiliate Members please let us know on your Affiliate Membership Form. There are further details in Section 2.
1.2 Benefits of affiliation
Group Benefits
YHA offers the following benefits to affiliate members:
o Members rates for everyone in your group *
o A range of discounts and offers from third party companies
o Listing of your group’s contact details on YHA’s website
o Promotion in YHA’s communications with members.
o Special offers and discounts on Hostel accommodation and packages
o Special YHA membership offers for members of your group.
o Special YHA accommodation discount for members of your group.
o Opportunities to contribute to YHA’s decision making, volunteer work and consultations
o Annual gathering with other Affiliated Groups for training, information sharing and socialising
o Delegate places at YHA’s AGM
o Use of ‘Affiliated to YHA’ logos on your marketing materials (subject to affiliate declaration)
o Optional use of YHA logo (subject to licensing agreement)
o Marketing toolkit – including downloadable posters, welcome packs and letterheads
*Members rate for everyone in your group
Members of YHA receive a discount of £3 per person per night (£1.50 for under 18’s). Your group membership means that all your members are treated as our members, whether or not they are individually members and will receive this discount when travelling as part of your group.
Third party discounts
YHA has a variety of Member Discounts online and at hostels. Full details are available on the YHA website and through the Contact Centre. Offers are provided by third parties and may be withdrawn or amended at any time without prior notification.
Group contact details on www.yha.org.uk
We will use the contact name, email and website information you provide on your Affiliate Membership Form for our website and all communication. All groups are listed in full so people can contact you if they are interested in becoming part of your group.
If during the year, you wish to change the contact information, please contact or phone 01629 592637, with your group’s full name, membership number and the information you would like to change. Please allow 5 working days for any required website amendments to be made.
Please note: We will only correspond with your lead contact about your membership (although other people may be responsible for making bookings with us). It is their responsibility to pass on information that may be of interest to members of the group e.g. special offers, advice or invitations to events. We usually send information by e-mail so please advise us if you would also like to receive information by post.
Promotion to YHA members
We often feature information about Affiliated Groups in our member newsletters and try to encourage people to join your groups. Local campaigns and advertising can also help boost your numbers as well as invitations to local events.
Special offers
We regularly have special group offers which will be on our web site and also in groups’ e-news. As a special benefit to Affiliated Groups we offer a 15% discount on group bookings made through the group reservation team. This excludes Escape to… bookings and bookings at Enterprise (franchised) hostels. Call 01629 592637 to find out more.
YHA membership offers
YHA offer special membership prices for members of your affiliate group, to enable them to join YHA and travel independently. You can choose an Individual membership - £5, Family membership - £10, Life Membership £175. To take advantage of these membership rates, please contact customer services team on 01629 592700.
Discounted stays for members of Affiliated Groups.
We recognise that members of Affiliate Groups may wish to stay with YHA independently of the group, therefore we have set up a promotional code for group members to use to receive a 15% discount on accommodation. Affiliate group leaders will have been provided with the special offer codes which they can provide to the members of their group.
Take part in YHA decision making and volunteer work
Affiliated Groups are entitled to elect 5 representatives to attend and vote at YHA’s AGM. This nomination is done at the Groups Annual Meeting and also by e-mail. It’s an important part of affiliation to be involved in the decision making at YHA and we are very keen to get you involved.
Affiliated Groups are welcome to take part in volunteering activities for YHA. As individuals you are free to apply for any of the opportunities we offer and as a group it is possible for you to arrange a Hostel work party as part of your group’s activities. Volunteering offers many opportunities and different options call 01629 592562 or email to find out more.
Groups Annual Meeting
Every year there’s an opportunity for all our Affiliated Groups to come together and share information and ideas. You’ll be sent a ‘save the day’ in good time and we try and pick a central location that has good transport links. You are strongly encouraged to come along – the days are interactive and informative and, we hope, worthwhile.
Use of ‘Affiliated to YHA’ logos
As an Affiliated Group you’re able to use the ‘Affiliated to YHA’ logos on your publicity materials, including websites and letterheads, so people know you’re part of YHA.
The logo is available in different formats for different uses but these same guidelines apply to them all:
o Must notbe displayed larger thana maximum of80mm wide, and never less than25mm wide
o Must not be re-drawn, altered or distorted
o Can be used in different formats for print andelectronically. Any variation of the logo can be used electronically or if you are having your publication printed
o If the logo is to be photocopied, use the black and white logo not thelogo with the grey box.
o Can be used on any colour background.
These logos are available electronically for you to use.
Please remember that to use these logos you need to be a current Affiliated Group Member. YHA reserves the right to withdraw your use of the logo if conduct of the group damages YHA’s reputation.
If you would like to receive the ‘Affiliated to YHA’ logos electronically please email or phone 01629 592700.
Use of the YHA green logo
If you would like to use the YHA trademarked green triangle logo you need to sign a licensing agreement. The license explains that YHA is the owner of the logo and how it can be used; for example it cannot be incorporated into another logo.
The license is also available to groups who wish to call themselves a ‘YHA’ group e.g. ‘Friendly YHA Outdoor Group’ and use that name in promotion.
1.3 Fundraising for YHA
Fundraising is vitally important to YHA and we hope that your group will consider organising some fundraising activities.
There’s many ways to raise money for our fantastic charity. From trekking and cycling challenges to selling cakes or bag-packing. The money raised can help YHA in a number of ways like paying for building work at small Hostels and helping young people who are facing huge challenges by giving them the chance to experience an activity-packed stay with us.
There are some laws governing the way that fundraising events and collections are operated and you can check with the fundraising department on 01629 592600 for the latest guidelines.
We also have a leaflet packed with ideas on how to get started, please call 01629 592600 and ask for the fundraising team.
1.4 Booking accommodation
It’s easier for everyone if you have a nominated bookings person within your group. This is usually the Secretary or Events Coordinator. By doing this it will ensure information is sent to one point of contact and any about changes or special offers will go to the right person.
Making a Group Booking
a) When making a new booking for your group please contact our Group Reservations Team on 01629 592637. If your group booking is for 15 people or less you can make your booking via our website www.yha.org.uk you will still be able to receive your 15% discount if you book via the website but you MUST enter the promotional code your group has been supplied with prior to confirming this booking. The 15% discount is only available by calling our Group Reservations Team on the number listed above or through the website, should you book directly with a hostel the discount will not be applicable.
b) Camping Barn bookings can only be made by telephoning the YHA Contact Centre on 01629 592 700.
c) All bookings made by telephone, fax or other forms of distance communication are made subject to terms and conditions and the person placing the booking warrants that he/she has the full authority to do so on behalf of all the persons they are making a booking for, and confirms that all such persons are aware of, and accept, these conditions.
d) Before your booking is confirmed and the Contract comes into force, YHA reserves the right to increase or decrease prices PROVIDED THAT we notify you in writing in good time prior to delivery of such price increases/decreases. You may cancel your order within 7 working days of this notice if you are unhappy with the price increases/decreases.
e) All bookings are subject to availability and YHA reserves the right to decline any booking at its discretion.
f) Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings made with YHA, please see our website www.yha.org.uk/terms-and-conditions-content for the full booking and cancellation terms and conditions.
1.5 Complaints
If you have a complaint about any of our services please contact us in order that we can investigate, and let you know what went wrong and what we are doing to put things right.
By phone: please ring 01629 592700 or 0800 0191 700 and speak to one of our Customer Services Team.
By email:
By letter: Customer Care Team, YHA National Office, Trevelyan House, Dimple Road, Matlock, DE4 3YH
1.6 Group conduct
Your conduct as Affiliate Members of YHA is more than just about your behaviour when you are staying at a Hostel, when staff or volunteers will be on hand to help deal with any situations that arise.
As you can promote yourselves as Affiliate Members of YHA and, subject to license, use our recognisable green triangle logo, we trust that your group or club will always consider the reputation of YHA in the conduct of the group and its members.
If conduct of an Affiliate Member is deemed to bring (or potentially bring) YHA into disrepute, YHA reserves the right to terminate your group’s membership and to withdraw rights to use the ‘Affiliated to YHA’ logos.