PART I – DENOMINATION, HEADQUARTERS AND OBJECTIVES

Article 1 (Denomination and Headquarters) – The Association shall be called  Cascais Youth Association – “Rota Jovem”.  It is an association for young persons without great financial means and its headquarters are situated at Largo de Mercardo, in the town, parish and district of Cascais.  The Association shall continue indefinitely.

 

Article 2 (Objectives) – The objectives of the association are:-

(a)       to develop socio-cultural activities, particularly directed towards the participation of young persons;

(b)       to promote the study, investigation and distribution of information and national and international exchanges concerning young persons;

(c)        to cooperate with all public and private entities, seeking social integration of young persons and the development of policies appropriate to their circumstances;

 

PART II – MEMBERS AND MEMBERSHIP

Article 3 (Membership) –

3.1: The Association may be comprised of any number of members.

3.2: Membership may be conferred upon both individuals and organisations but at any one time two-thirds of the members must be under 30 years of age.

3.3: The status of Member is acquired by enrolment and admission by the Management Committee and is evidenced by entry in the respective members’ register, which is in the possession of the Association.

 

Article 4 (Rights and Responsibilities) –

4.1: The rights of the members are:

(a)    to elect, and to be elected to, the Committees of the Association;

(b)    to take part in General Meetings and to require the holding of an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with the terms of Article 13;

(c)    to participate in the activities of the Association;

(d)    to request information concerning the operation of the Association.

 

4.2: The responsibilities of the members are:

(a)   – to pay their membership fees on time;

(b)   – to comply with the rules of the Association and respect the decisions of the Committees of the Association;

(c)    perform with dedication any office within the Association to which they may be elected;

(d)    guard the good name and heritage of the Association, ensuring its continued advancement.

 

Article 5 (Membership fees and exercise of membership rights) –

5.1: Members may only exercise the rights referred to in Article 4.1 above if they are up to date with their membership fees.

5.2: Members of less than six months’ standing may not exercise any of the rights referred to at Article 4.1(a) and (b) but may participate in General Meetings without any voting rights.

 

Article 6 (Loss of Membership) –

6.1: Those persons who:

(a)   cause material damage to the Association or assist in bringing it into disrepute; or

(b)   fail to pay membership fees for two years

shall forfeit their membership.

6.2: Forfeiture of membership only takes effect following the holding of a personal hearing.

 

PART III – COMMITTEES

Article 7 (Committees) – The Committees of the Association shall be the General Committee, the Management Committee and the Finance Committee.

 

Article 8 (Payments for Office) – The exercise of any office on the Committees is unpaid, but authorised expenses actually incurred will be reimbursed.

Article 9 (Election and Mandate) –

9.1: The members of the General Committee, the Management Committee and the Finance Committee shall be elected by the General Meeting for a term of three years, and such members may be re-elected;

9.2: Notwithstanding the expiry of a term of office, an office holder shall remain in post until being replaced by a newly elected member;

9.3: Should more than half of the positions on any of the Committees be vacant, then elections shall be held for those vacant positions with the same notice provisions and regulations as for the initial elections.

 

A - The General Meeting

Article 10 (Constitution) – The General Meeting comprises all of the members with full membership rights.

 

Article 11 (Competencies) – The General Meeting shall be competent to do the following:

(a)   elect members of the Committees and select the respective Chairmen;

(b)   designate the parameters of the work of the Association;

(c)   approve the report and the accounts of the Management Committee;

(d)   alter any of the rules of the Association and dissolve the Association;

(e)   fix the amount of the membership fee;

(f)     forfeit the membership of a member in accordance with Article 6;

(g)   agree the purchase and/ or sale of any major acquisition, real estate, any other historic property whether for revenues or for historic or artistic value**********

(h)   in general, determine any matter for which it has been called to determine.

 

Article 12 (General Committee) –

12.1: The General Meeting shall be directed by the General Committee, comprising of a Chairman and two secretaries.

12.2: The General Committee shall organise the business of the Meeting and it shall be the responsibility of the Chairman to call the Meeting, complying with the rules of the Association and all legal requirements.

 

Article 13 (Meetings and Deliberations) –

13.1: An Ordinary General Meeting shall take place at least annually, with Extraordinary General Meetings being held whenever called, for any legitimate purpose, by the General Committee or by one-fifth of the membership with voting rights.

13.2: If the Chairman of the General Committee doesn’t call a General Meeting where he is required to do so, any member may do so.

13.3: Deliberations will take place in accordance with any relevant legal provisions.

13.4 All elections or any other matters upon which a vote is required shall be determined by a simple majority of the votes cast by members present, with the votes to be cast by secret ballot.

 

B – Management Committee

Article 14 (Composition and Requirements) –

14.1: The Management Committee consists of five members, one of whom shall be Chairman.

14.2: At least 70 per cent of the members of the Management Committee shall be under the age of 30 years.

 

Article 15 (Competencies) – The Management Committee shall be competent to direct and administrate the Association which shall include:

(a)   proposing and executing a plan of activities and a budget;

(b)   preparing a report concerning the management and the accounts;

(c)   establishing the structure of services provided by the Association, regulating its provision and contracting employees;

(d)   admitting members to membership;

(e)   accepting subsidies, inheritances, legacies and donations and safeguarding sources of income of the Association;

(f)     representing the Association through the Chairman or any other person designated by the Management Committee;

(g)   exercising any additional competencies as may be delegated to it by the General Meeting.

 

Article 16 (Meetings and Deliberations) – The Management Committee shall meet at least once a month, at the request of the Chairman, complying with any relevant legal requirements.

 

C – Finance Committee

Article 17 (Composition) – The Finance Committee is composed of at least three persons, one of whom shall be Chairman.

 

Article 18 (Competencies) – The Finance Committee shall be competent to deal with all of the administration matters of the Association, taking particular care to ensure compliance with these rules and the law concerning:

(a)   the production of an annual report and annual accounts;

(b)   any other matter as directed by the Management Committee;

(c)   it may request all information from the Management Committee it thinks fit in the exercise of its functions.

 

Article 19 (Meetings and Deliberations) – The Finance Committee shall meet at least one every three months, at the request of the Chairman, and additionally whenever requested by the Management Committee, complying with any relevant legal requirements.

 

Article 20 (Incompatibility) – The members of the Finance Committee may not be members of any other committee of the Association.

 

PART IV – PROPERTY OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 21 (Income) – The income of the Association shall consist of the following:

(a)   income from membership fees;

(b)   state subsidies and any other public or private subsidies;

(c)   income from the sale of its own publications and from other services;

(d)   donations and income from social activities;

(e)   any other income which it may receive.

 

PART V - DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 22 (Dissolution and distribution of property) –

22.1: Dissolution of the Association shall occur as provided by law.

22.2: The General Meeting shall be competent to determine the destiny of the property of the Association, taking account of the views of the Management Committee, and shall look to attribute the property to other institutions of a similar nature, particularly those which operate similar activities to those of the Association.

 

PART VI – OMMISSIONS

Article 23 (Internal rules) – The mechanisms of the Committee elections and other day-to-day procedures of the Association shall be regulated by internal rules to be approved by the General Meeting.