 Constitution
1. Name The name of the Association shall be "Association
of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists" hereafter "the
Association".
2. Aims The association shall be a professional organisation
that seeks to promote biodynamic massage, encourage high standards in its
practice, and support its members in establishing and maintaining
appropriate practices in the UK.
3. Objectives
3.1 to hold regular meetings for members and to be a forum for sharing
ideas, feelings and talking about issues that arise in practice; to invite
speakers to meetings; to organise discussions; to provide a supportive
network for members
3.2 to produce a newsletter
3.3 to make available good value insurance
3.4 to provide information to the general public and to relevant
professionals (doctors, psychotherapists etc) about the physiological and
psychological benefits of biodynamic massage, to organise working parties
and other initiatives to promote biodynamic massage, to support the use of
biodynamic massage in private practice, in complementary health centres,
in the community and in general health care, in the voluntary sector and
in the NHS
3.5 to maintain a register of members working as qualified biodynamic
massage therapists
3.6 to encourage high standards in the practice of massage and to uphold
the Code of Ethics and to have a Complaints Procedure
3.7 to send representatives to national bodies such as the British
Complementary Medical Association (BCMA), and others; to participate in
debates on the formal accreditation of massage; to take any necessary
steps to ensure that members can practice legally when the expected EC
regulations are introduced
3.8 to proved information on biodynamic massage training courses which
meet BMTC standards
3.9 to update and develop biodynamic massage and encourage research
programmes exploring its value.
4. Membership Membership of the association shall be open to
women and men, training or trained in biodynamic massage at training
organisations which meet BCMA standards and maintain regular formal
contact with the Association. Members shall be welcomed without
discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, race or ethnic origin or
physical disability. Members shall be expected to practice massage in
accordance with the Code of Ethics, to follow the procedures of and abide
by any sanctions arising from the use of the Complaints Procedure, to
actively support the aims of the Association; to comply with BCMA
post-graduate training requirements and those of their training
organisation.
There shall be four categories of membership, defined as follows:
a. Full membership
b. Associate/Student membership
c. Honorary membership - from time to time the executive committee
may confer honorary membership on senior members in recognition of the
advice and help they give the association and their consultative role.
Non-fee paying.
d. Affiliated membership for any member of the public who is
interested in our work, whether qualified or not.
Membership is renewable annually before the AGM on payment of
subscription. Failure to pay subscription or to meet post-graduate
requirements may result in membership not being renewed. Three months
notice of non-renewal to be given if subscriptions are not paid. Only full
members may vote.
5. Management The management of the training organisation shall
be committed to an Executive Committee.
5.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of a minimum of four members,
who shall be full members of the association
5.2 The Executive Committee shall include an honorary Chairperson, a
Secretary, a Treasurer (the officers) and others, who shall all be elected
to their respective positions at an AGM
5.3 A quorum of the Executive shall be one half of the members, including
two of the officers.
5.4 The term of office of members of the Executive Committee shall be one
year.
5.5 The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt up to three persons
to serve on the Executive Committee in a non-voting capacity for a fixed
term not exceeding the period up to the following AGM.
5.6 The Executive Committee shall meet at least four times a year. At
least ten days' notice of a meeting shall be given.
5.7 Questions arising at any meeting, if put to the vote, shall be decided
by a simple majority. Chairperson of any such meeting shall have no vote
except a casting vote in the case of a tie.
5.8 The Executive Committee shall cause proper minutes to be made of all
proceedings. The minutes shall be signed by the Chairperson of the
succeeding meeting, with the consent of that meeting, as being a true
record.
6. Relationship with training organisations
6.1 The association will recognise and accept as members anybody who has
been trained by a Biodynamic Massage Training Organisation which complies
with BCMA standards. The executive committee will take steps annually to
satisfy themselves that the Training Organisations are continuing to meet
BCMA standards.
6.2 It shall be the responsibility of the executive committee to maintain
regular and effective communication with the training organisations and
with BCMA and other professional bodies.
6.3 The association may organise discussions, invite speakers and arrange
relevant workshops from time to time but they will not run training
events.
6.4 The association is not responsible for providing supervision, further
training or revision days. Members are required to make their own
arrangements for supervision and any further training that is necessary.
Functions of Officers
The Chairperson shall:
a. ensure that the work of the association is carried on in accordance
with its aims and objectives
b. ensure that the business of the executive committee is carried on in an
orderly and effective manner
c. ensure that any publication issued in the Association's name or with
its support reflect its concerns in a balanced and proper manner.
The Secretary shall:
a. be responsible for the reception, recording and acknowledgement of
administrative and membership fees, donations and all other income.
b. deal with correspondence in consultation with the Chairperson where
necessary
c. keep proper records of all meetings of the association.
d. invite the nominations of persons to membership of the Executive
Committee at the AGM when positions become vacant
The Treasurer shall:
a. be responsible for the reception, recording and acknowledgement of
administrative and membership fees donations and all other income
b. be responsible for the payment of accounts submitted to the
association, as directed by the executive committee.
c. bring to each meeting of the Executive Committee a statement of the
association's financial position.
8. General meetings
8.1 In October of each year the Secretary shall call an Annual General
Meeting at which the Chairperson shall present a report and the Treasurer
shall present an audited statement of accounts for the last complete
financial year.
8.2 Four weeks notice of a General Meeting shall be given.
8.3 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be twenty percent of the total
membership of the association and shall include one half of the Executive
Committee.
8.4 Resolutions may be introduced by the Executive Committee, or, if duly
seconded, by any member of the association. Resolutions shall be passed by
a majority vote, except for any entailing an amendment of the
constitution. The chairperson of any such meeting shall have no vote
except a casting vote in the case of a tie.
8.5 At a written request, signed by 8 members of the Association, the
Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting.
9. Accounts
9.1 The association shall keep a bank account for which the officers
shall be signatories.
9.2 The financial year shall be from 1 October to 30 September.
9.3 The income of the association shall be devoted solely to the promotion
of the aims of the association. This includes all proper expenses of
administration and management of the association.
10. Dissolution The association may be dissolved by a two-thirds
majority of members voting at an AGM or special General Meeting. Any
remaining funds shall be devoted to purposes in accordance with the aims
and objectives in a manner decided by the executive committee.
11. Constitution This constitution may only be altered by a
resolution of a General Meeting, passed by two-thirds majority of those
present. |
