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CONSTITUTION FOR THE DUBLIN SOUTH ARCH CLUB
(SOCIAL / YOUTH CLUB FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS)
1.
NAME
1.1 The club shall be known as the Dublin
South Arch Club (the Club).
2.
MEMBERSHIP
AND SUBSCRIPTION
2.1 Members of the
Club shall be comprised of the following:-
(a) children
with special needs in South Dublin and adjoining areas aged 5 to 13 (the Junior Members);
(b) young
people with special needs in South Dublin and adjoining areas aged 14 to 17
(the Senior Members) (collectively the Participating Members); and
(c) the
parents, guardians, carers and other direct relatives of Junior Members or
Senior Members (the Managing Members).
2.2 Siblings of
Participating Members shall be deemed to be Associate Members of the Club
and may, at the invitation of the Junior Committee
or the Senior Committee (as appropriate), be entitled to participate in
Club activities.
2.3 Applications for
membership of the Club shall be made in writing to the Committee and are
subject to the approval of the Committee having regard to such numerical
and other limits on membership (including balancing gender, age and special
needs) that the Committee may from time to time in its absolute discretion
determine.
2.4 The Committee shall be entitled to
operate a waiting list for membership.
2.5 All Members with Downs Syndrome are
required as a condition of membership to have medical clearance in respect
of Atlanto-Axial Instability
2.6 In the absence of stated reason
notified to the Committee, membership may, at the discretion of the
Committee, lapse if the Member does not attend 8 consecutive meetings of
the Club and the Committee shall be entitled to fill any vacancy created
thereby.
2.7 There shall be a subscription fee
payable annually in two instalments, by the end of September and January. The subscription shall be reviewed
annually i.e. at AGM. Only one
subscription fee payable by Members in the same family. Any Member whose subscription is not paid
within two months of the due date shall have their membership cancelled.
2.8 The Committee shall, acting reasonably
and having regard to principles of natural justice, have the authority to
decide on all disputes involving Members that arise for whatever reason.
3.
AIMS
3.1 To provide recreational and social
facilities for Participating Members in a safe and secure environment.
3.2 To advance personal development of
Participating Members through greater leisure opportunities, by promoting
personal choice and independence and encouraging their full participation,
integration and involvement in the club and community.
3.3 To raise awareness of special needs in
the community.
3.4 To provide support for Managing Members
through support nights and related activities.
3.5 To provide information on related
issues to Managing Members where possible.
3.6 To liaise with other groups involved in
the area of special needs where similar interests exists.
4.
MEETINGS
OF THE CLUB
4.1 The aims of the Club shall be primarily
achieved by the holding of events and activities in a suitable location or
outings.
4.2
Events and activities will be organised
based on the ages and capabilities of the Participating Members with Junior
Members participating in the section known as the Junior Club and Senior
Members participating in the section known as the Senior Club (collectively
the Clubs).
4.3 Junior Members, aged 12 and upwards may, at the invitation of
the Senior Committee, be entitled to participate in the activities of the
Senior Club.
4.4 Senior Members
may continue as Senior Members, at the discretion of the Senior Committee,
notwithstanding the fact that they have reached the age of 18.
4.5 No event or
activity of the Junior Club will take place unless a minimum of 4 Managing
Members are present and no event or activity of the Senior Club will take
place unless a minimum of
2 Managing Members are present.
4.6 All Managing
Members attending events or activities of the Club shall comply with any
applicable codes of good practice for child protection for the youth work
sector.
5.
MANAGING
MEMBERS
5.1 Managing Members
will be expected to participate and actively volunteer in the activities of
the Club.
5.2 The activities
of the Club are dependent on the participation of Managing Members and
their duties will be outlined in rosters provided by the Committee from
time to time.
5.3 Rosters will be
set with the aim of ensuring that both male and female Managing Members are
always rostered in accordance with Clause 4.6.
6. COMMITTEE
6.1 There shall be one Committee for the
Club which shall be elected each year at the annual general meeting (the
AGM) and which shall comprise only of Managing Members. The Committee shall be comprised of the
Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer (the Officers) together with the
Junior Club Officer, the Senior Club Officer and such further number of
persons (the Ordinary Members) (collectively the Committee or
Committee Members) as the Managing Members shall determine provided
however that the total membership of the Committee shall not be less than
6.
6.2 At least 3 Committee Members shall be
parents, guardians, carers and other direct relatives of Junior Members.
6.3 The Committee shall elect the Officers
from among their number at the first meeting of the Committee following the
AGM
6.4 The Committee shall also establish,
appoint Managing Members to and fix the terms of reference and review the
proceedings of the Junior Committee which shall have responsibility for the
day to day management of the Junior Club and the Senior Committee which
shall have responsibility for the day to day management of the Senior Club.
6.5 The Junior Club Officer shall act as
Chairman of the Junior Committee and the Senior Club Officer shall act as
Chairman of the Senior Committee.
6.6 Both the Junior Committee and Senior Committee
shall have as one of its members, a designated child protection officer.
6.7 No Officer shall hold the same office
for more than 3 consecutive terms, save in circumstances where no member of
the Committee has indicated a willingness to assume such office and the
Committee has been unable to fill the vacancy in accordance with Clause
6.11.
6.8 The Committee shall have the authority
to invite Managing Members or other persons participate in their work, if
this is thought desirable. However,
such Managing Members or other persons may not hold office or be entitled
to vote.
6.9 The Committee shall be required to meet
on at least 4 occasions in each year and the quorum for meetings of the
Committee shall be 2 persons provided however that one such person in an
Officer.
6.10 If a Committee member misses three
consecutive meetings without apologies, he/she shall be deemed to have
resigned from the Committee or his/her Office if the Committee member is an
Officer.
6.11 The Committee shall be entitled to fill
any Officer or Ordinary Member vacancy from among its members, by election
if necessary.
6.12 The Committee shall have all powers
necessary for the full and efficient conduct of the operation of the Club
(save as otherwise provided by this Constitution) and may do all acts or
things in fulfilment of the aims of the Club.
7. DISCIPLINE
7.1 The Committee shall adopt, and keep up
to date, a code of behaviour for the operation of the Club which shall
include, inter alia, a requirement that a nominated Committee Member be in
attendance at all Club events and activities and that that person be designated the Member in Charge.
7.2 In the case where a Participating Member's behaviour which is
antisocial or detrimental to another Member or to a Club activity
(unacceptable behaviour), the procedures set out below shall apply.
(a)
On a first
occurrence, a verbal warning will be given by the Member in Charge and the
Participating Members parent/guardian will be informed. Details of the incident will be recorded
in the attendance book and signed by 2 Managing Members on duty.
(b)
On a second
occurrence, the procedure set out at Clause 7.2 (a) will apply.
(c) On a third
occurrence, the Participating Members parent/guardian will be contacted by
phone by the Member in Charge and requested to come and remove the
Participating Member from the Club.
Details of the incident and action will be recorded in the
attendance book and signed by 2 Managing Members on duty. Details of the incident will also be
reported to the Committee who are then empowered, on the recommendation of
the Junior Committee or the Senior Committee (as applicable), to suspend
the Participating Member by notice in writing to the Participating Members
parent/guardian.
7.3 When
the Participating Member who is a Junior Member returns to the Club after a
suspension pursuant to Clause 7.2 (c), the Junior
Members parent/guardian must stay with the Junior Member for the next two
activities they attend.
7.4 If
the Participating Member engages in further unacceptable behaviour, the
procedure at Clause 7.1 (c) and 7.2 will apply
and any period of suspension applied under that Clause will be doubled.
7.5 If any further incidences of unacceptable behaviour are
reported, the Committee, on the recommendation of the Junior Committee or
the Senior Committee (as applicable), are then empowered to cancel the
membership the Participating Member by notice in writing to the
Participating Members parent/guardian.
7.6 The membership of Managing Members and, as a consequence,
the membership of their related Participating Members may be cancelled if
the Managing Members concerned:-
(a)
act in a manner
prejudicial to the best interests of the Club; or
(b)
no longer actively participates
in a volunteering capacity in the activities of the Club.
7.7 Where the Committee has cancelled the membership of a Member
pursuant to Clause 7.4 or Clause 7.5, they will have the discretion to
reinstate that persons membership of the Club at any time.
7.8 An appeal against cancellation of membership may be made by
a Managing Member or the
parent/guardian of the Participating Member to an Appeals Committee
which shall comprise not less than 3 persons provided that such appeal is
made, in writing, within 14 days of the date of receipt of the letter from
the Committee informing them of the cancellation of membership.
7.9 In cases concerning the cancellation of membership of a
Junior Member or a related Managing Member, the Appeals Committee shall be
comprised solely of at least 3 Senior Committee Members. Where a Senior
Committee Member holds an Officer position, that member shall be on the
Appeals Committee. (or where Senior Committee
Members are not available, former Committee Members may take their place on
the Appeals Committee).
7.10 In cases concerning the cancellation of membership of a Senior
Member or a related Managing Member, the Appeals Committee shall be
comprised solely of at least 3 Junior Committee Members. Where a Junior Committee
Member holds an officer position, that member shall be on the
Appeals Committee. (or where Junior Committee
Members are not available, former Committee Members may take their place on
the Appeals Committee).
7.11 The
Appeals Committee shall be composed with a view to avoiding conflicts of
interest.
8. ANNUAL/EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 The Club shall hold an AGM in each year
in the month of January or as soon as possible thereafter.
8.2 The business of the AGM shall be as
follows:-
(i)
Approval of Minutes of previous AGM;
(ii)
Chairmans Report;
(iii)
Treasurers Report;
(iv)
Secretary's Report
(v)
Junior Club Officers Report;
(vi) Junior
Club Child Protection Officers Report;
(vii)
Senior Club Officers Report;
(viii)
Senior Club Child Protection Officers
Report;
(ix)
Approval of Accounts;
(x)
Election of Committee for forthcoming
year; and
(xi)
Any other business
8.3 At least two weeks notice of the AGM
must be given to all Managing Members who are entitled to attend and vote
at all AGMs and extraordinary general meetings (EGMs)
of the Club.
8.4 An EGM may be called by the giving to
all Managing Members of at least three weeks notice. An EGM may be convened by the Committee
or by the giving of notice by 5 Managing Members.
9. AFFILIATIONS
9.1 The Club shall be affiliated to the
National Federation of Arch Clubs and whatever other association deemed
necessary.
10. FINANCES AND ACCOUNTS
10.1 The Club shall raise
funds by whatever legal means are decided by the elected committee and such
funds shall be used to further the aims of the Club.
10.2 The Committee shall maintain proper books
of account and shall report on the financial position of the Club at the
AGM.
10.3 A bank account or accounts shall be held
in a local branch and the signatures of any two of three members of the
Committee (one of whom must be the Treasurer) on the account form will be
required at all times on cheques and withdrawal slips from current and
deposit accounts.
10.4 At no times shall a current account be
overdrawn if funds in a deposit account are not sufficient to cover such
overdraft.
10.5 All expenditure in excess of 500 shall
be subject to the approval of any two Officers and shall be ratified at the
next following meeting of the Committee.
11. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUBS
11.1 The Club may be only dissolved by
resolution passed by a 75% majority of those Managing Members present and
voting at a properly convened AGM or EGM of the Club.
11.2 Upon a dissolution of the Club, any
assets that remains after the satisfaction of all it debts and liabilities
shall not be paid to or distributed among the Members or the Managing
Member but shall be given or transferred to some other charitable
institution or institutions having aims similar to the aims of the Club for
their charitable purposes.
12. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
12.1 Changes
to the constitution may be made at an AGM or an EGM subject to the
following:
(i)
the secretary shall furnish to each Managing Member
(in accordance with the notice requirements for an AGM or and EGM) notice
of the time and place of such meeting and of the changes to the
constitution, which it is proposed to be discussed; and
(ii)
resolutions passed at such
meetings may only be passed by a 75% majority of those Managing Members
present and voting at a properly convened AGM or EGM of the Club.
Certified
as a true copy as adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the Club held on
23.1. 2010.
WF-2144656-v3
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