Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth Association
STAY WYSE Association
Constitution
Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth Association
STAY WYSE Association
Our Philosophy is to promote cross-cultural understanding for young people as they travel globally. Our Mission is to provide safe, affordable and clean accommodation in a communal atmosphere, to encourage youth mobility, and to create a voice and identity for this significant sector association.
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Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth Association
STAY WYSE Association
Constitution
STAY WYSE - Constitution
Article 1, Name The official name of the Association is the Safe Travel Accommodation for Youth Association (STAY WYSE) herein after referred to as the “Association.”
Article 2, Site The Association shall be a registered under Danish law and will have its legal site in Copenhagen.
Article 3, Mandate & Objectives Our Philosophy is to promote cross-cultural understanding for young people as they travel globally. Our Mission is to create a voice and forum for both ‘official’ and ‘independent’ providers of safe, affordable and clean accommodation in a communal atmosphere, to encourage youth mobility. The mandate of the Association is to promote the Mission, on a not-for-profit basis. To fulfil this mandate, the Association shall: • exist as a sector association of the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation
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• provide a forum to allow organisations, whether ‘official’ or ‘independent’, which specialise in providing accommodation for young travellers, to be recognised as an important global sector • be a representative force for the youth traveller accommodation sector • to work in a consultative relationship with established youth accommodation organisations such as Hostelling International and EUFED to ensure representative consistency • facilitate practical cooperation amongst Members • offer market and industry intelligence, statistics and analysis • maintain a guide to best practice for youth accommodation providers, and otherwise support the cataloguing and dissemination of leading industry practices • provide networking and trading opportunities for members and other firms and organisations with an interest in youth and student accommodation • support and undertake lobbying and representation activities to encourage the development of youth accommodation services For the sake of clarity, the Association is intended to be a trade association and not a consumer-facing brand
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Article 4, Membership (a) Types of members There shall be two types of voting Members: Type 1 Accommodation Providers and Type 2 Service Providers. There shall be two types of non-voting Members: Affiliate Members and Official Members. Type 1, Accommodation Providers Any specialist organisation that is primarily an owner or operator of facilities for youth and student accommodation services may apply for Full Membership in the Association as an Accommodation Provider. Type 2, Service Providers Any specialist organisation that is not primarily a provider of youth accommodation services, which has a proven involvement in youth and student accommodation services may apply for Full Membership in the Association as a Service Provider. Affiliate Members Any organisation that is not a specialist in youth accommodation services and is a supplier of goods or services to the youth accommodation industry may apply for Affiliate, non-voting, Membership in the Association. 6
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Official Organisation Official organisations: Tourism Authorities, governments and Nongovernmental Organisations may apply for nonvoting Membership in the Association. Applications for full Membership status shall contain the following: • If the applicant is not a Member of the World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation, a letter of support from at least two Full Members of the Confederation • A confirmation that the applicant has read and understood the Constitution and the regulations and agrees to abide by them • Verification from an independent authority that the organisation is a properly registered legal entity (b) An application for Membership may be approved, on a provisional basis, by the Director General of the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation, granting all rights of Membership to the organisation, subject to approval by a majority of the Board Members. Within one year of obtaining provisional full Member status, an organisation’s application for full Membership must be endorsed by at least two-thirds 7
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of existing full members present at the Association’s Annual General Meeting or any other Meeting of the general membership. (c) Each Member is entitled to one vote at any general meeting of the Association.
Article 5, Governing Body The Governing Body of the Association consists of its Members meeting in a General Assembly. Members may transact official Association business at any duly constituted meeting designated as a “General Assembly” of the Association. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the members shall be held each year, typically during the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC). Agendas for the AGM meeting shall be distributed at least three weeks in advance of the meeting and shall, among other matters, include: • Report on the business of the Association during the financial year • Submission for approval of the audited annual accounts 8
STAY WYSE - Constitution
• Submission for approval of the budget • Ratification / approval of new Members • Motions submitted by the Board • Motions submitted by Members • Appointment of auditors • Election of Board Members • Any other business Policies concerning the Association’s governance, structure and mandate shall be set by the Members meeting at any duly constituted General Assembly. In addition to the obligatory AGM, General Assemblies of the Association may be convened by written request of a majority of Members to the Board. Notice of a General Assembly and an agenda for such must be distributed to all Members at least three weeks in advance of any such meeting.
Article 6, Voting Each Member present at a General Assembly shall have one vote. Decisions to amend the constitution shall be made by a two-thirds majority vote of the Members. All other decisions taken at General Assemblies including the election of the Board shall require a simple majority of votes cast.
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Full Members may request a proportionate vote on matters relating to Constitutional amendments, the Association Budget, elections and policy matters or dissolution of the Association. The formula for proportionate voting will be set by the Board of the Association and approved by the AGM.
Article 7, Board The Association shall have a Board of at least five individuals. Members of the Board shall elect a Chairperson and any other officers they deem appropriate. Members of the Board shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall serve for a two-year term. The Board shall: • Supervise the work of the Association and its subsidiaries • Act as trustees for the Association’s resources • Be responsible for the execution of policies and strategic directions endorsed at the AGM or other General Assemblies of the Full Members
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• Call meetings of the General Assembly unless otherwise provided for and prepare and suggest the Agenda for all meetings Legal representation of the Association shall be executed by the Chairperson together with one other Member of the Board or by three Members of the Board or by other representatives appointed from time to time. Quorum at a meeting of the Board shall be deemed to exist when at least 50% of Board Members are present or otherwise able to participate in the proceedings. No remuneration will be paid to Board Members and expenses for attending meetings of the Association will be covered by Board Members unless approved as individual specific request, by a majority vote of the Board.
Article 8, Finance • The financial year of the Association shall be the calendar year • An annual budget, including proposed membership fees, for the Association shall be considered by the Full Members at the AGM
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• Each Member shall pay an annual membership fee Fees shall be set by the Board • Liability of Members shall be limited to the annual membership dues • The Association’s assets cannot be subject to any claims for debt other than that incurred by the Association itself • The annual accounts of the Association shall be made available to all Full Members at least once per year, preferably in advance of the AGM
Article 9, Audit The Board, subject to ratification by the Members, shall appoint a firm of chartered accountants to audit the accounts of the Association.
Article 10, Obligations of Members All Members are required to: • Abide by the Constitution and regulations of the Association • Pay an annual membership fee • Be Members of the World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation
Article 11, Cessation of Membership Membership of the Association shall be terminated upon: 12
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• Resignation in writing to the Association • A decision of the Board, which shall take effect immediately but must be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of the Members present at the AGM or a General Assembly, for breaches of the Association’s Constitution or regulations or, if in the view of the Board termination of a Member is in the best interests of the Association
Article 12, Amendments to the Constitution Proposals for amendments to this Constitution must be submitted in writing to all Members of the Association at least four weeks prior to a General Assembly or the AGM. Proposed Constitutional amendments may only be submitted by Members or the Board. A two-thirds majority vote of Members present at an AGM or a duly constituted General Assembly is required to approve changes to the Constitution.
Article 13, Regulations The Board shall adopt and amend regulations pertaining to the Association as required.
Article 14, Dissolution of the Association A resolution to dissolve the Association may be made at any AGM and must be adopted by a two-thirds 13
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majority of all Full Members present. Upon dissolution, the assets of the Association shall be distributed to other parties committed to the promotion of youth travel, student travel and international education.
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STAY WYSE Keizersgracht 174 1016 DW Amsterdam The Netherlands www.staywyse.org