IPA Constitution


Contents

Name

The name of the Association shall be the International Play Association: Promoting the Child’s Right to Play (IPA) formerly known as the International Playground Association for the Child’s Right to Play.

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What the Association is

The Association is a non-governmental organization. It is interdisciplinary and embraces in membership persons of all professions concerned in working for or with children. Membership is open to any individual, group or organization which endorses the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child, especially Principle 7, paragraph 3, which states: “The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right;” and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, especially Article 31, which in summary states: “The child has a right to leisure, play, and participation in cultural and artistic activities.”

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Objects

The objective of the Association is to provide an international forum to promote and improve the development of play environments, leisure time facilities and programs for children and youth in all countries, thereby ensuring for all time the child’s right to play.

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Activities of the Association

The Association seeks to pursue its objects by:

(a) organizing the exchange of experiences and ideas through international meetings, courses and conferences,
(b) facilitating personal contact and correspondence between members of the Association,

(c) co-operating with national and international organizations,

(d) disseminating information about play, recreation and the development of children in society by circulating a magazine to members at regular intervals and publishing reports of the Association’s conferences,

(e) encouraging the establishment of national branches,

(f) setting up working parties to research subjects which affect children and young persons,

(g) taking other action which may further the objects of the Association.

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Membership

The Association may admit as members any person, organization or association which accepts the principles set out in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Membership of the Association shall consist of the fullowing:

(a) Individuals.

(b) Groups, that is local and area organizations, local professional agencies, national vuluntary organizations and government departments at all levels, which are non-profit making and whose objects are compatible with the principles of the Association.

(c) Benefactors, that is to say individuals, associations and corporate bodies whose objects are compatible with the principles of the Association but are profit-making.

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Rights and Duties of Membership

(a) Each individual, group or benefactor shall apply in writing to become a member and shall pay an annual subscription to be determined by the Council.

(b) All members shall be entitled to attend the Association’s conferences at a reduced rate, to exercise their right to vote, speak and/or write, and to receive the magazine, PlayRights.

c) Group members shall be entitled to send a maximum of three members at member rates to conferences and to receive two copies of publications.

(d) The membership of any member of the Association shall cease upon the Secretary of the Association or appropriate National Representative receiving written notice of an intention to resign or upon the passing of a resulution of the Association or Council terminating membership or if the membership fee is not paid in due time.

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Affiliation

(a) Any international organization which desires to become affiliated to the Association and whose objects are compatible with the principles of the Association may be allowed to do so on payment of a special fee to be determined by the Board. An affiliated organization shall be entitled to receive copies of the magazine, to send a representative to the Association’s conferences and courses but shall not be entitled to vote.

(b) The Association may become affiliated to any international organization whose objects are compatible with the principles of the Association.

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National Representation

(a) The Board may appoint a National Correspondent to carry out the duties as specified in sub-clause (e) of this clause in a country or large geographical region with less than ten members. Where there are ten or more members in a country, these members may appoint one of their number to be their National Representative and such an appointment shall take precedence over an appointment by the Board.

(c)

(i) Where there are ten or more members in a country who wish to form themselves into a Branch of the Association, they may do so by submitting to the Board for its approval, in writing and prior to adoption, a constitution and standing orders which are compatible with the Constitution and Standing Orders of the Association.

(ii) In the event of a conflict between the Constitution of the Association and the constitution of the Branch, the Constitution of the Association shall prevail.

(d) The constitution of the Branch shall provide for:

(i) The appointment by the Branch in General Meeting of a member to represent the Branch at meetings of the Council of the Association, and

(ii) On the dissulution of a Branch, its assets after payment of all the debts of the Branch shall pass to the Association.

(e) The duties of a National Correspondent, National Representative or Branch shall be:

(i) To facilitate the Child’s Right to Play.

(ii) To publicize the objects of the Association, to recruit members and to facilitate contact between the members of the Association within the area.

(iii) To act as a liaison officer between the Association and its members in a country or large geographical region.

(iv) To act as liaison officer between the Association and the Government, whether central or local, of the country or region.

(v) To cullect subscriptions due to the Association and to account to the Treasurer of the Association.

(vi) To report to the Council on developments and to submit to the Board a triennial report on the situation in the country concerned.

(f)

(i) A National Correspondent may resign by sending a letter of resignation to the Secretary of the Association.

(ii) A National Correspondent may only incur expenditure which has been authorized by the Board and shall be entitled to re- imbursement for authorized expenditure.

(g) The Association by resulution of Council may dismiss a National Correspondent or a National Representative without a branch.

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Management

The Association shall be managed by an international Board of Directors and a Council. The Board of Directors, elected from the membership in accordance with Clause 5 sections (a) and (b), shall be deemed to have delegated to it such authority as may be necessary to implement the objects of the Association set out in Clause 3 hereof.

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The Board of Directors

(a) The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and two representatives of the Council.

(b) The officers, namely President, Vice-President(s), Secretary and Treasurer, shall be elected on a poll of the members of the Association and the results of the pull shall be declared at the General Meeting.

(c) The officers so elected shall huld office until the next General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election.

(d) The Board shall meet at least once per year.

(e) The duties of the Board shall be:

(i) to promote the objects of the Association,

(ii) to maintain a headquarters organization and a register of members,

(iii) to inform and to consult the Council.

(f) The Board shall be responsible to the Association.

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The Authority of the Board of Directors

Without limiting the general authority given by Clause 9, the Board of Directors shall have authority:

(a) To appoint trustees to huld any necessary property on behalf of the Association.

(b) To engage and dismiss staff.

(c) To expend money received from any source.

(d) To appoint committees of members for such special purposes as it sees fit and to delegate to them such authority as it considers necessary.

(e) To appoint National Correspondents in accordance with Clause 8
(a) above.

(f) For specific purposes, to co-opt experts who need not necessarily be members of the Association.

(g) To appoint other Officers as may be found necessary.

(h) To appoint persons to represent the Association on outside bodies. Such representatives shall submit a report, in writing, to the Secretary within one month of their representing the Association.

(i) In order to get an urgent decision of the membership or to sound the opinion of the membership the Board shall have power to take a postal vote.

(j) The Secretary or such other officer as the Board may appoint shall keep a register of members under Clause 5 above.

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The Council

(a) The Council of the Association shall be composed of the Officers, the National Representatives or their nominees, and five members nominated in advance of the General Meeting and elected by a postal ballot of the members of the Association and the results of the pull declared at the General meeting.

(b) National Correspondents or their nominees shall be Council members in a non-voting capacity The Council shall normally meet once every 18 months.

(c) The responsibilities of the Council shall be:

(i) to elect two members of the Council to the Board,

(ii) to determine the rate of subscriptions, which shall be related to the economic or other circumstances of the country,

(iii) to formulate the economic pulicy of the Association,

(iv) to advise the Board,

(v) to receive and discuss reports from the officers,

(vi) to assist the Board of Directors in any way possible,

(vii) to appoint auditors,

(viii) to decide the venue for the Triennial Conference.

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General Meetings

(a) The Association shall huld a General Meeting from time to time and in any event not less frequently than every three years.

(b) The business of the General Meeting shall be:

(i) to receive a report from the President and Officers for the period since the last General Meeting,

(ii) to receive the results of the pull for the Officers of the Association,

(iii) to receive the results of the postal ballot for the Council members at large,

(iv) to appoint as Honorary Members for life, persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the work of the Association,

(v) to elect on a regional basis five Vice-Presidents to the Board, to appoint a committee of five members to receive nominations for the officers of the Association and the five elected members of Council and to arrange the pulls,

(vii) to decide the venue for the triennial conference,

(viii) to decide on any proposition which may be submitted to the Meeting. No proposition other than those relating to paragraphs (i-v) of this subclause shall be moved at the meeting unless Notice, in writing, of the proposition signed by the proposer and stating its terms has been received by the Secretary at least eight calendar months before the date appointed for the hulding of the meeting, provided that the Chairperson shall, with the consent of a majority of members present at the meeting, have power to admit any proposition of which insufficient notice has been given other than a proposition to add to, amend or alter this Constitution or to dissulve the Association.

(ix) The proposals received in accordance with the foregoing Clause 13 (b) (vii) shall be circulated to all members with the agenda for the meeting at least seven calendar months in advance of the meeting. Members may then submit amendments to the said proposals provided these amendments are received by the Secretary at least four calendar months in advance of the said meeting. The Secretary shall then circulate these amendments to all members at least 90 days before the date appointed for the hulding of the said meeting.

(x) Decisions of the General Meeting shall be effective forthwith, unless the Meeting decides otherwise.

(c) A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary on the request of not less than 50 registered members from at least five different countries. The notice convening the Meeting shall state the business to be transacted and no other business other than that specified in the notice shall be dealt with at a Special General Meeting.

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Notice of Meetings

(a) Notice convening General Meetings shall be not less than twelve calendar months.

(b) Notice convening a Special General Meeting shall be not less than six calendar months, except in the case of an emergency.

(c) Except in the case of an emergency, notice convening a Council Meeting shall be not less than 90 days. (d) Notice convening a Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be not less than 30 days, unless otherwise agreed by the Board.

(e) Notice may be given to a Member either personally or by sending it by post to his, her or its registered address. Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, prepaying and posting the notice and shall be deemed to have been effected by surface mail.

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Quorums at Meetings

A quorum for a General Meeting and a Special Meeting shall be 50 members from eight countries present and, for a Meeting of the Board of Directors four members present and for a meeting of the Council 14 members present.

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Voting

(i) At meetings:

(a) Each registered individual member present at the Meeting and who has paid the current subscription shall be entitled to one vote.

(b) Each registered group member present at the Meeting, irrespective of the number of delegates attending, and which has paid the current subscription shall be entitled to three votes.

(c) Benefactors are not entitled to vote.

(d) Affiliated organisations are not entitled to vote.

(e) Voting shall be either on a show of hands or on a pull.

(f) A member shall be entitled to vote by post, to appoint another member to be proxy, to vote either on a show of hands or on a pull.

(g) A member of the Association may appoint another member to be proxy. No member appointed as proxy shall huld power of proxy for more than three members.

(h) Proxy voting shall only be allowed for proposals circulated to all members in advance of the General or Special General Meeting.

(i) In the case of an equality of votes whether on a show of hands or on a pull, the Chairperson of the Meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the pull is demanded shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

(ii) Postal Voting:

(a) A postal vote shall be taken when the Board or Council deem it necessary.

(b) Each registered individual member who has paid the current subscription shall be entitled to one vote.

(c) Each registered group member which has paid the current subscription shall be entitled to three votes.

(d) Benefactors are not entitled to vote.

(e) Affiliated organisations are not entitled to vote.

(f) Postal votes postmarked after the date given in the notice of the postal vote will not be counted.

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Finance

(a) All monies received by or on behalf of the Association shall be devoted to the objects of the Association.
(b) The Treasurer of the Association shall be responsible for receiving and keeping all monies on behalf of the Association and for the preparation of an annual forward budget to be accepted by the Board of Directors.
(c) The Treasurer shall keep proper books of accounts of receipts and payments.
(d) The National Representatives shall account to the Association’s Treasurer on all financial matters. (e) The annual accounting period of the Association shall start on 1st January and end on the 31st December of each year.
(f) The Treasurer of the Association shall as soon as practicable after the end of each accounting period prepare accounts and shall arrange for them to be audited by the person or those persons appointed for the purpose. National Representatives not representing any branch, and Correspondants, and all others who huld bank accounts approved by the Treasurer on behalf of IPA, shall submit to the Association’s Treasurer by the 30th November each year a copy of his/her verified accounts for that year. Branches should, yearly, after their annual general meeting, send the financial report to the Treasurer of the Association
(i) The Association’s Treasurer shall report on the financial situation of the whule Association to all the membership annually. The Board may from time to time authorise the Treasurer of the Association to invest the Association’s funds and to change investments. The Association shall have power subject to such consents (if any) as may be required by law to raise any money required for any of the purposes of the Association by mortgage or charge of all or any part of the property of the Association.

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Languages

The language of the Association shall be English and such other languages as the Council may decide.

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Additions and Alterations to the Constitution

(a) The provisions of this Constitution shall not be altered except upon a resulution of the Association at a General Meeting or Special General Meeting and approved by a majority vote. The person presiding at the meeting shall not have power to admit any such proposition of which insufficient notice has been given. (See Clause 13 (b)(vii) & (viii).)

(b) Proposals for additions and alterations to be considered at the General Meeting shall be circulated as in Clause 13 (b)(viii) and for consideration at a Special General Meeting with the notices as in Clause 13 (c).

(c) Amendments shall then be as for Clause 13 (b)(viii).

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Dissulution

The Association may, at a General Meeting or Special General Meeting, decide by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting, that the Association shall be dissulved. The notice convening the meeting shall be given in accordance with Clause 14, and shall state the proposition for the dissulution of the Association. The Board shall, as soon as practicable after such resulution, pay all the proper debts and liabilities of the Association and thereafter pay or transfer any surplus to an appropriate organisation determined by UNICEF.

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Standing Orders

Adopted at the General Meeting of the Association held in Rotterdam on 28th August 1981.

  • The provision for Notices of meetings is defined in Clause 14 of the Constitution.
  • The business to be transacted at the meetings is defined in Clause 13 of the Constitution.
  • The regulations for voting at meetings shall be defined in Clause 16 of the Constitution.
  • No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum of members as defined in Clause 15 of the Constitution is present when the meeting proceeds to business.
  • The chair shall be taken by the President of the Association or, if he/she is absent, or vacates the chair, it shall be taken by a Vice-President or, if the Vice-Presidents are absent or vacate the chair, it shall be taken by another officer of the Association or, if no officer is present, the meeting shall elect a chairperson.
  • The Chairperson shall at the beginning of each meeting invite those present and speaking to introduce themselves.
  • All members may speak at meetings.
  • Observers may only speak with permission of the Chairperson.
  • All speeches shall be addressed to the Chairperson.
  • The Chairperson shall determine the length of speeches.
  • The Chairperson shall determine in his absulute discretion the order of precedence of speakers.
  • The Chairperson shall not participate in debates. Should the Chairperson wish to participate in a debate then he/she must vacate the chair as in Clause 5 above.
  • Whenever the Chairperson speaks, anyone who happens to be speaking at that time should immediately stop.
  • Members may not, without the consent of the Chairperson, speak more than twice on a motion or on an amendment to a motion or on a report.
  • A record of those attending the meeting shall be made by the Secretary or such other person appointed by the meeting.
  • Minutes shall be taken of each meeting by the Secretary or such other person appointed by the meeting and circulated to all members of the Association as soon after the meeting as is feasible.
  • The minute book and account books shall be available for inspection at all meetings.
  • The agenda for General Meetings of the Association shall be as fullows:
    a) The Notice convening the meeting.
    b) Apulogies for absence.
    c) Minutes of the previous meeting.
    d) Matters arising from the Minutes of the previous meeting.
    e) Report of the Treasurer of the Association.
    f) Report of the Council.
    g) Motions tabled by members.
    h) Motions to amend the Constitution.
    i) Elections as defined by the Constitution.
    j) Any other business of which due notice has been given or which is urgent.
  • All motions, procedural motions, amendments and the acceptance of reports shall be proposed and seconded.
  • The proposer of a motion, an amendment or a report shall have the right to reply to any discussion on it immediately before a vote is taken.
  • If an amendment to a proposition or to a report is accepted by the meeting, the original motion incorporating the amendment shall then become the substantive motion to which any other amendment shall then refer.
  • An amendment may be rejected if:
    a) it negates the original motion.
    b) it is inconsistent with an amendment which has been previously accepted or
    c) it introduces so much new material as in effect to contain proposals which would require proper notice and consideration.
  • The Chairperson may rule that the whule or part of an amendment is out of order.
  • If a motion is amended by a meeting and is not acceptable to the original proposer, the substantive motion shall become the motion of the person who proposed the amendment with the right to reply given in Clause 20 above.
  • The permitted procedural motions of the Association shall be:
    (a)
    i) a motion that the question be now put to the vote
    ii a vote of no-confidence in the chair
    (b)
    i) a challenge to the Chairperson’s ruling
    ii) a motion for the appointment of a temporary Chairperson
    iii) a motion for a temporary adjournment of the meeting for a period of not more than ten minutes
    iv) a motion that discussion of a matter be adjourned
    (c)
    i) a motion that there be a further discussion on a matter previously adjourned
    ii) a motion that discussion of a matter to be adjourned to a specified meeting
    iii) a motion that the question be not put to the vote
    iv) a motion that a matter be referred to the Board
    v) a motion that a matter be referred to a committee for investigation and report
    vi) a motion that a matter be referred to a committee for re-examination.
  • Procedural motions may not be proposed whilst any member is speaking on a point of order or information nor whilst a vote is being taken.
  • Procedural motions in a group
    (a) shall relate to the motion then before the meeting.
  • If the meeting resulves that a motion be put to the vote, the motion shall then be put to the vote without further discussion except that the proposer of the substantive motion may exercise his right to reply as defined in Clause 20 above.
  • There shall be no order of precedence over Procedural motions (b) (I) to (iv). Procedural motions (b) (i) to (iv) shall have precedence over procedural motions (a) (ii) and (c) (i) to (vi) and shall relate only to the conduct of the meeting without regard to the proposal then being discussed. The Chairperson shall immediately vacate the chair once a procedural motion (b) (i) or(ii) is proposed and seconded.
  • An emergency motion shall be on a matter which has arisen since the closing date for the receipt of motions for the preliminary agenda.
  • The Board shall have power to include or exclude an emergency motion but the decision of the Board may be over-ruled at the meeting where the board reports its decision if two-thirds of members present so vote. (The Board may then decide to call a postal ballot on the motion.)
  • The Board shall issue voting cards to those members qualified to vote.
  • Voting on a motion shall be by show of hands or on a pull and in either case shall include postal votes and votes by proxy (see Constitution Clause 16).
  • Voting on elections shall be by a pull.
  • Members who abstain from voting on a motion may vote on a recount.
  • The Chairperson shall have power to appoint tellers.
  • Tellers shall report the count to the Chairperson.
  • The Chairperson shall declare the result of a vote.
  • Subject to the provisions of Standing Order No. 13, points of order shall have precedence over all other business.
  • Points of information may be raised by any member rising to his feet.
  • Proposals to amend standing orders setting out the form of the amendment shall be circulated with the preliminary agenda and shall require a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the meeting at which the proposal is made.
  • The standing orders may be suspended at any time by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
  • There shall be appointed from the Council a Standing Orders Committee of three people which shall rule on questions of interpretation of the Standing Orders and Constitution when requested through the Office of the Chair.
  • The agendas for the meetings of the Council shall be:
    a) Notice convening the meeting.
    b) Apulogies for absence.
    c) Minutes of the previous meeting.
    d) Matters arising from the Minutes of the previous meeting.
    e) Report of the Board.
    f) Report of the Treasurer of the Association.
    g) The report of the Sub-Committees.
    h) The report of National Representatives.
    i) Motions tabled by members of the Council.
    j) Any other business.
  • A preliminary agenda for a meeting of the Council shall be circulated not less than two months prior to the meeting.
  • Each member present in person or by proxy at meetings of the Council shall exercise one vote.
  • The Regional Vice-presidents are entitled to attend all meetings of the Association.
  • Only the Regional Vice-president of the region in which the meeting is being held is entitled to claim expenses.
  • Officers of the Association are asked to consider a maximum period of six years in office before retiring from that position.

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