Founding a non-profit organization is highly dependent on national rules and laws. However, there are some basic steps that will be similar in all countries:

1. Find out
   • what the conditions for non-profit organisations are in your legislation. In some countries, organisation are founded as companies in other countries there are specific bodies for associations and non-profit organizations
   • where you have to register your non-profit organisation and what the process is
2. Find colleagues who share your passion, are dedicated enough to work as proponents on founding the organization, and are willing to put unpaid work into the non-profit and even put in some money for the founding process.
3. Define the rules for your organisation as required by the national laws for non-profit organizations, d.g. what the purpose and focus of your organization is and how you will implement those, how many members the board will have, who are the members of your organization, how often you will have Council meetings  etc. You will have to write up bylaws (also called statues or memorandum).
4. Seek help from a solicitor if necessary! In some countries, setting up an organization may be a complicated process that includes a lot of language that lay persons cannot easily understand!
5. Submit the paperwork, make the necessary payments, and wait until your organization is registered!

Becoming an organizational member requires an approval process as the member organizations are shaping ASI-ASI's structure and actions. Member organizations are represented in the Council by one Delegate (and an additional observer, if requested). Each country has one vote in the Council (i.e., if there is more than one organization from one country, they have to share the vote).

We have created and objective, unbiased double review process by two independent reviewers who come up with a recommendation about the membership for EXCO.

Hot Tipp:

Make sure that your application is complete before you submit it! Incomplete applications will not be processed until all the requested documents are provided.

Proposed guidelines for building expertise in ASI include the following:

• Instructors are experienced OTs with acknowledged training in SI.
• Curricula are rigorous and research-based
• Development of SI theory by Ayres and her successors, including the neuro-physiological bases
• SI specific clinical reasoning based on knowledge of assessment and interpretation of the results
• Intervention approach as described by the ASI Fidelity Measure (Parham et al., 2011)
• Relationship between sensation, engagement in needed and desired occupations, and participation in life
• Based on empirical research and evidence, from Ayres’ research to current studies
• Emphasis on the OT perspective (i.e., strongly linking sensory integrative processes to health and participation via engagement in daily life occupations)
• Four levels of entry into the process of developing expertise in ASI (see table)
• Length and style of courses may vary depending on the program
• Individual mentorship and hands-on experience are highly recommended

Our Directors of Membership Approval, Katya Eysink, and Program Accreditation, are here for you to answer your questions and advise you on your journey to become a member of ICE-ASI or to submit your own ASI training program for accreditation. 

Please write to applications@ice-asi.org with your full name, a succinct explanation of your situation, and clearly stated questions. Please note that we are not attorneys or tax accountants, so we cannot give you any legal or financial advice.  We can, however, help you identifiy the next steps you need to take to become a member or submit your program!