Constitution

Section 1:TITLE

The name of the body shall be the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR YOUTH JUSTICE.

Section 2:INTERPRETATION

The following expressions shall have the meanings respectively assigned to
them:-

'NAYJ' or the 'The Association' shall mean the National Association for
Youth Justice.
"Regions" shall mean the areas as defined by the National Committee.
"Regional Organisations" shall mean those bodies in membership of the
Association as defined by the National Committee.
"Members and Associate Members" shall mean those individuals in membership
of the Association as defined in Section 5(b).

Section 3:STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of the NAYJ is to promote the rights of, and justice for,
children in trouble.
The NAYJ will campaign for the development and the implementation of
policies and practice that are consistent with this purpose.

Section 4:OBJECTIVES

To promote the welfare and interests of young people within the Youth
Justice System.
To promote anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices throughout
the Youth Justice System.
To promote and develop community-based methods of working with young
people in trouble.
To promote the use of non-institutional Care.
To prevent the inappropriate displacement of young people from custodial
to other restrictive systems.
To promote and represent the interests of those working with young people
in trouble.
To publicise examples of effective policy and practice, consistent with
the purpose and objectives of the Association.
To provide information and training, with the aim of improving the quality
of work with young people in trouble.
To campaign for changes in legislation, policy and practice and thereby
bring about the reform of the Youth Justice System and promote the interests
of young people.

Section 5:MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to everyone who is in agreement with the Statement of
Purpose and Objectives of the Association.
Membership will be either as:-
1. FULL MEMBERSHIP
  1. A full member will be a member of both the appropriate regional group
    and the national organisation. (S)he will have full voting and membership
    rights at both levels and will also receive the journal of the national
    organisation.
  2. Membership is subject to completion of an application form and payment
    of the annual subscription.
2. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
  1. Anyone opting to become a member only of his or her regional
    organisation (see Sect.6) will be deemed to be an associate member of the
    National Organisation. Associate members will have no voting rights at
    national level and will not receive the national journal.
3. GROUP MEMBERSHIP
  1. Group membership will be available to three or more individual team
    members of any organisation supporting the Statement of Purpose of the
    Association.
  2. Each Group member will be a member of the appropriate regional
    organisation and a full member of the Association. She or he
    will have full voting and membership rights at both levels.
  3. Membership is subject to completion of a group membership application
    form for three or more members and payment of a group subscription at a
    rate of 75% of the current subscription fee for each member.
4. LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP
  1. Library membership is available for the sole purpose of obtaining the
    Association?s publications.
  2. Membership is subject to completion of a library membership form and
    payment of an annual subscription fee equal to the minimum group
    membership i.e. 3 members at the rate of 75% of the current subscription
    fee for each member.
  3. Library membership will entitle the organisation to 3 copies of the
    association?s publications at the same cost to full
    members.
The annual subscription rate for waged and un-waged full membership will
be determined by the national committee and ratified at the Annual General
Meeting.
1. Subscriptions to run from 1 September to 31 August each year. Persons
  taking up full membership during the course of the year to pay a
  proportionately reduced fee.
2. Any changes in subscription to apply from the first renewal date
  following the Annual General Meeting.
3. The membership of an individual shall be considered terminated if a
  subscription is not paid within three months of the due date.
Regional organisations shall from the 2nd year of operation pay an
appropriate subscription determined by the national committee and ratified at
the Annual General Meeting.

Section 6:REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Membership of the Association shall be open to any regional organisation
(see Sect.2 (b)) provided:-
1. that there shall be only one organisation within each region; and
2. that the organisation shall subscribe to the Statement of Intent and
  Objectives of the Association; and
3. that the organisation shall be open to participation by anyone within
  its region who is in agreement with the Statement of Intent and Objectives
  of the Association.
4. that the organisation pays the appropriate fee. (see Sect.5.c.).
The Association shall determine the eligibility for membership of any
organisation seeking to join the Association.
The Association, may, on receiving an application from an alternative
organisation wishing to represent a region, take such action as may be
necessary to determine which organisation shall be recognised in accordance
with Sect. 6(a) for the purpose of membership of the Association.
The Association may make a starter grant to a newly formed regional
organisation of an amount determined by the national committee. Other grants
or financial under-writing to regional organisations may be agreed by
negotiation with the national committee.

Section 7:COMMITTEE

The committee shall comprise a balance of full Members directly elected at
the Annual General Meeting together with representatives nominated by regional
groups (one per region).
The Committee shall elect the following officers:-
- Chair
- Deputy Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Membership Secretary
- Deputy Chair Training and Conference
- Deputy Chair Policy, Practice & Campaigns
- Deputy Chair Regions
- Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator
Where the elected Chair,
Deputy, Treasurer or Secretary is the representative of a Regional
Organisation, that Region shall be invited to nominate a replacement. The
officer shall then cease to be the Regional representative.
It shall be the responsibility of the Committee to encourage the
membership and participation of black people and of women at all levels of the
NAYJ and in particular in the work of the Committee itself. The committee
shall have a duty to co-opt additional NAYJ members to the Committee in order
to fulfil this responsibility.
The Committee shall:-
1. As a whole, hold the executive role within the Association.
2. Have the power to co-opt full members to the Committee at its
  discretion.
3. Draw up standing orders to govern the functioning of the committee as
  required.
4. At its discretion, form standing sub-committees from within its
  membership.
5. Have power to raise and administer such funds as may be necessary to
  cover the running expenses of the Association and any other projects
  organised by it.
6. At its discretion appoint from itself or the general membership,
  representatives to other organisations or bodies. The representatives to
  have only authority specified by the committee with regard to each
  appointment.
7. Have the power to appoint and manage employees to further the Statement
  of Purpose and Objectives of the Association.
The Committee shall have discretion to offer observer status at its
meetings to any organisation or individual relevant to the Aims and Objectives
of the NAYJ.

Section 8:COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The committee shall decide upon and implement activities, which lie within
the Statement of Intent and Objectives of the Association. In particular the
Committee shall carry out the resolutions and instructions voted upon by the
membership at General Meetings.
The Committee shall meet not less than once every three months; notice of
such meetings shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all Committee
Members not less than 28 days in advance.
Such meetings shall be governed by standing orders which shall be drawn up
by the Committee as required.
Not less than one third of regional representatives and one third of
directly elected members shall, together constitute a quorum.
The Chair or in his/her absence, the Deputy Chair shall preside at all
meetings of the committee. In the absence of the Chair and Deputy Chair
members present shall appoint one of their numbers to preside for that meeting
only.
The Chair shall have a deliberative but not casting vote. In the case of
equality of the votes cast for and against the status quo shall prevail.
The Secretary shall call a special meeting of the Committee upon receiving
a written request from 10 members of the Committee. Notice of such meetings
shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all Committee Members no less
than 28 days in advance of the meeting.

Section 9:REGIONAL REPRESENTATION

The Secretary of each regional organisation shall notify the Secretary of
the National Committee of their appointed representative not less than 28 days
in advance of the Annual General Meeting.
Casual vacancies on the National Committee may be filled by an appointee
from the regional organisation concerned for a period up to the next Annual
General Meeting. No such person may take up appointment until notice in
writing from the Secretary of the regional organisation, has been received by
the Secretary of the National Committee.
Each Regional Organisation may nominate a duly authorised substitute for
all meetings except the Annual General meeting in the nominated persons
inability to attend. Notice of such a substitution must reach the secretary of
the National Committee 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

Section 10:ELECTION OF FULL MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE

The Membership shall elect the required number of full members to the
Committee at the Annual General Meeting. This number will be equal to the
number of Regional Organisations in Membership, or the number of Officer posts
whichever is the greater.
Nominations for election, duly seconded must be submitted to the Secretary
by 10 a.m. of the day of the Annual General Meeting.
The Committee shall appoint a returning officer for the purpose of
conducting the election.
The election shall be by secret ballot. The candidates receiving the most
votes in the ballot shall be elected. The returning officer shall declare the
results during the Annual General Meeting.
Any vacancies arising on the Committee may be filled by co-options with
the approval of 50% of the Committee Members present. The duration of this
position will be for the remaining term of the vacancy.

Section 11:ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The committee will convene an Annual General Meeting open to all members
of the Association. This meeting will be held within fourteen calendar months
of the previous Annual General Meeting.
Members of the Association will receive at least sixty days notification
of the Annual General Meeting.
Items for the Annual General Meeting agenda should be submitted to the
Secretary of the Committee at least thirty days before the Annual General
Meeting.
The Committee shall preside over the Annual General Meeting which
shall:
1. receive the outgoing chair's report
2. receive the audited accounts of the Association and the Treasurers
  report
3. receive the Membership Secretary's report
4. receive a report on behalf of Regions and any Sub-Committees.
The Annual General Meeting shall have the opportunity to consider matters
relating to the Statement of Intent Objectives and activities of the
Association and pass resolutions duly proposed and recorded regarding these.
For all business other than amendments to the Constitution (as Sect. 13
below) a motion duly proposed and seconded, will be considered carried by a
simple majority of all members present and eligible to vote; in the ease of
equal votes, a second count shall be taken. and in the event of a continuing
equality of votes the status quo shall prevail.

Section 12:EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

A special general meeting may be convened at any time by a resolution of
the committee, or upon a request signed by 5% or 25 of the full members,
whichever is the smaller and stating the purpose of the meeting.
At least thirty days notice of the meeting shall be given to the members.
The conduct of the meeting will be in accordance with 11(f) above and
Section 13 below.

Section 13:AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Committee or any
Full Member and be considered at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary
General Meetings. (In accordance with Section 11 and 12 above).
A proposal to amend the Constitution shall require the approval of a
two-thirds majority of the votes cast for and against at a Quorate General
Meeting.
A Quorum shall consist of 5% of the membership, or 25 full members,
whichever is the smaller.

Section 14:FINANCE

All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to
further the Statement of Purpose and Objectives of the Association.
The Treasurer shall ensure that all monies raised are paid into the
Association's bank account(s).
The Treasurer shall ensure that proper accounts are kept and shall arrange
for the accounts to be audited annually. The audited accounts shall be
presented to the Annual General Meeting (see Sect. 11 (d)(ii) above).
All cheques shall be signed by any two of four designated Committee
members, one of whom shall be the Treasurer. In the event of the
incapacitation of the Treasurer the Committee may nominate an alternative
signatory. The Committee may additionally authorise an agent of the
Association to draw funds in appropriate circumstances.
The Committee shall have access to the accounts at all times and may
arrange an immediate audit.

Section 15:DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

The Association may at any time be dissolved by a resolution approved
according to the same procedures, as those required for amending the
Constitution as set out in Sect. 13.
If any such resolution is passed, the Committee shall have power (subject
to any other special resolutions) to dispose of any surplus assets held by, or
in the name of the Association to such other organisations whose aims are the
same or similar to that of the Association.

Last amended at the AGM on 19th September 2000.

National Association for Youth Justice.

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