Constitution


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Constitution 

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  1. Name.
    2.
  2. Objects.
  3. Membership.
  4. Entitlements.
  5. Structure.
  6. Meetings.
  7. Constitutional Changes.
  8. Finance.
  9. Relations with other Organisations (including Negotiations).
  10. Standing Orders.

  1. NAME

    1. The name of the Association shall be Amity Reading Clubs.

  2. OBJECTS

    1. To advance the education of the public, in particular by the promotion of adult literacy.

    2. In furtherance of this object but not otherwise, the Association shall have the following powers:-

    3. To organise literacy provision for adults with special needs.

    4. To provide Volunteers to give individual tuition in an informal club setting.

    5. To utilise all available resources and to act in co-ordination with bodies established for similar purposes.

    6. To do all such other things as may be necessary to further the above objects.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

    1. Clubs:

      1. Students referred and admitted for help with special difficulties with reading and writing, together with the Voluntary Tutors and Supervising Tutor.

    2. Management Committee:

      1. Supervising Tutors responsible for Clubs. Co-opted members (in the ratio of not more than 33% of the total Committee). Coordinator and Founding Organisers, one of whom will Chair.

  4. ENTITLEMENT

    1. Students shall be entitled to:-

      1. Autonomy in their literacy aims.

      2. Tuition in fulfilment of their aims.

      3. Association, by way of the coffee-break and other activities, with other Students, Volunteers and visitors to the Club.

      4. Support, including referral to other agencies, in problems associated with their special difficulties.

      5. Befriending and Counselling aimed at widening their horizons.

    2. Voluntary Tutors shall be entitled to:-

      1. Responsibility for the tuition of their Students individually, subject to the aims of the Student and the overall responsibility of the Supervising Tutor, and for support of a befriending nature to the Student.

      2. Support from the Supervising Tutor in their teaching and counselling roles, whether the need is for specific suggestions or for a wider perspective.

      3. Association with Students and other Volunteers in the Club, and with Volunteers of other Clubs.

      4. Invitation or co-option to the Management Committee if sponsored by their Supervising Tutor.

      5. Attendance at the Annual General Meeting.

      6. Candidature for Supervising Tutor, if sponsored by their own Tutor, or by a Member of the Management Committee.

      7. Support, specifically testimonials, in their applications for employment or courses of study.

    3. Supervising Tutors shall be entitled to:-

      1. Conduct their Club sessions in accordance with the aims of the Association.

      2. Support of the Association in so doing.

      3. A seat on the Management Committee.

      4. Association and support of their own development of the social and professional skills necessary to their work as Supervising Tutors.

    4. Co-ordinator and Founding Organisers shall be entitled to:-

      1. Sit on the Management Committee.

      2. Implement the policies of the Association.

      3. Initiate policy, subject to ratification by the Management Committee.

  5. STRUCTURE

    1. Clubs

      1. Usually not more than 12 couples (Student and Volunteer Tutor) in the care of one or more Supervising Tutors, dependent on need, responsible to the Management Committee.

    2. Management Committee

      1. Constituted as above, meeting quarterly, and responsible for the policy and conduct of the Association, including appointment of Supervising Tutors.

    3. Executive Committee

      1. Co-ordinator and Founding Organisers. Responsible for the day-to-day management of Central Organisation, including relations with other organisations. Meetings "ad-hoc" but not less than once a month.

      2. Co-ordinator

        1. Responsible for the maintenance of existing Clubs and the development of new ones, for communication within and outside the Association and for implementing and initiating policy.

      3. Founding Organisers

        1. Gladys Zonena Glascoe and Philip Glascoe.

    4. Annual General Meeting

      1. Annually. An opportunity for all members and friends of the Association to meet together and receive a report on the work of the Association during the preceding year.

  6. MEETINGS

    1. As in Structure (Section 5), i.e. Clubs weekly, Executive "ad-hoc" not less than monthly, Management Committee quarterly, Association annually.

    2. Notice for Management Committee

      1. 10 days before meeting, business to be notified to the Co-ordinator a week prior to that date.

    3. Annual General Meeting

      1. To be held within six months of the end of the financial year or within fifteen months of the previous meeting, whichever is the sooner.

    4. Meetings of Volunteers

      1. About once a month, to be chaired by the Co-ordinator or one of the Organisers.

  7. CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

    1. Proposals, after due notice, to be put to the Management Committee. Subject to a two-thirds majority, to be put forward to the Annual General meeting for ratification.

    2. No amendment may be made to Clause 2 or to this Clause.

  8. FINANCE

    1. The Financial Year shall run from 1 April to 31 March. The Treasurer, appointed by the Management Committee shall be responsible for receiving and disbursing all monies and be responsible for the keeping of all documents necessary to satisfy the Auditors (2) appointed by the Management Committee.

    2. Bank Account. The maintenance of the Association’s Bank Account shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer. Cheques drawn on this account shall bear the signatures of two of the following; Treasurer, Founding Organisers.

  9. RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
    (Including Negotiations)

    1. It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee to ensure adequately documented information to the Supervising Tutors so that the aims and mode of operation of the Association may be clearly communicated within the Clubs as well as in contact with other organisations and organisations.

    2. It is the responsibility of Supervising Tutors to express our aims and mode of operation and/or to refer enquiry to the Executive.

  10. STANDING ORDERS

    1. Management Committee Meetings to be held in rotation at Clubs on Club night.

    2. Management Committee Meetings to run usually for not more than 90 minutes, to be followed by opportunity for informal discussion in a social context.

    3. Agenda to afford opportunity for reports from all officers and Supervising Tutors.

    4. Chairman to support the principle of discussion and consensus.

    5. Chairman to sum up decisions for minuting.

    6. Chairman, in the event of controversy, to apply the rules of formal debate.

Adopted May 1978
Revised and approved by the
Annual General Meeting
Held on 6 July 1996

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