Traditionally Apyco has only let heads of young people's services and their equivalents become members, but it now intends to widen its base in response to changes in the youth sector.

Full membership will be offered to people with top-level responsibility for youth work in their local authority. Associated membership will be offered to regional youth work advisers, government office leads for youth work and local authority youth work managers. Finally, affiliated membership will be available for representatives from groups such as the National Association of Connexions Partners, The National Youth Agency, the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers and the Association of Directors of Children's Services.

Susie Roberts, chief executive of Apyco, said: "We've been viewed as a bit of an old boys' club in the past and not really very open. Now we're trying to show that we're involved in the integrated model of working."