Become a Member
Cohousing Communities Ireland is a not for profit organisation, and to-date has been operating on a voluntary basis. The three original founders are now actively supported by members of local groups.
You will be kept in the loop about all the latest developments, updates on local communities, invitations to webinars via our quarterly newsletter and mailings. To register, simply complete the below short form.
There is a one-off registration fee of €25. As a not for profit organisation, our membership fees are our sole source of income and helps us meet our basic operational and communication costs.
Once you register, you will be sent a Welcome Letter (check your spam if you don’t receive it). If you wish to proceed further and join one of the three local groups (see details below) click on the link in the letter.
Become a Registered Member
Become a Local Group Member
At the moment we have three active local groups - Dublin 6-8, Cork and Westport. We aim to add one or two other areas to that list over the next year.
If you want to join a local group, you need to have registered first as a National Member (see above). Use the link in the Welcome Letter to join or contact us at hello@cohousingcommunites.ie
Setting up a Local Group
We currently adopt the following approach to setting up a new local group.
Forming a group: If there are sufficient numbers of registered members in a particular area AND if someone is happy to volunteer to be a local Convenor - we can start the process:
Introduction Webinar: We organise an initial webinar to provide people with more detailed information and to help them decide whether cohousing is for them.
Follow Up Webinar: This is a more focused exploration of what is involved and is aimed at addressing people's queries and concerns.
In-person half day meeting: This meeting is for people who believe that cohousing is for them and are willing to invest time and energy in forging a community group and exploring what is possible in the area. At this meeting, which we facilitate, the group develops a more detailed understanding of the community they want to create and they appoint an organising committee and chair.
Next Stage: We provide the local group with guidance of how to progress the project - forging a shared understanding of the community they want to develop, criteria for a suitable site, targeting specific areas, agreement on level of shared amenities and much more.
Committed Buyer Member
There comes a point at which the members of the Local Group have sufficient certainty about making it happen. Others may decide it is not for them or are not ready to commit yet.
At that stage, those who want to make the community happen, form a Committed Buyers Group. They are now the decision makers for the future design and development of their community - everything from finding a suitable site, signing off on the design of the development and making key decisions regarding the number of housing units, shared facilities and much else.
Committed Buyers Group Members pay an initial €1k towards early costs such as professional fees, feasibility study and planning consultations. This payment ensures that they have an early choice of accommodation as it becomes available.
