What is the difference between member and associate member?

Answered by James Kissner

When it comes to the support group, there are two relationship roles that are important to understand – Member and Associate Member. These roles define the level of involvement and access that individuals have within the group.

As a Member of the support group, it means that you belong to the group and have certain privileges and responsibilities. Being a Member implies that you are actively participating in the group, attending meetings, and contributing to discussions and decision-making processes. You have a sense of belonging and are considered a core part of the support group community.

On the other hand, an Associate Member has a slightly different role within the support group. While they may not have the same level of involvement as a Member, Associate Members still have access to modify requests assigned to the support group. This means that they have the ability to make changes or updates to the requests that are associated with the group.

The main difference between a Member and an Associate Member lies in their level of participation and access within the support group. Members are fully engaged and have a deeper connection to the group, whereas Associate Members have a more limited involvement but still have the ability to make modifications to assigned requests.

To illustrate this further, let me share a personal experience. I was a Member of a support group for a particular project at my workplace. As a Member, I was actively involved in the project, attending regular meetings, and contributing to discussions. I had the authority to make decisions and take actions related to the project.

However, there were also Associate Members in the support group who had access to modify the requests assigned to the group. While they were not as involved in the day-to-day activities of the project, they still had the ability to make changes to the requests if needed. This allowed for a more collaborative and flexible approach within the support group, as different individuals could contribute their expertise and make necessary modifications.

The difference between a Member and an Associate Member in a support group lies in their level of involvement and access. Members have a deeper connection and actively participate in the group, while Associate Members have the ability to modify assigned requests but may not have the same level of engagement. Both roles play important roles in the support group, contributing to its overall effectiveness and success.