ARTICLE 1:
An International non-profit making association with scientific and pedagogical aims called "H.O.P.E. - Hospital Organisation of Pedagogues in Europe" is hereby created. This association is regulated by the provisions of Title III of the Belgian law of 27th June 1921 imposed on non-profit making associations, international non-profit making associations and foundations (articles46 to 57)
ARTICLE 2:
The Head Office of the association Is located at L'ECOLE ESCALE 10, avenue Hippocrate - Bte 8510 - 1200 Bruxelles. The Head Office may be transferred to any other place in Belgium after a decision of the board of directors published in the "Annexes au Moniteur belge'"(= Belgian official journal) and communicated to the public justice department in the month of the decision.
ARTICLE 3:
The association, Is a non-profit making association and has the following objectives:
a) To establish the right to education for hospitalised children according to their individual needs in a suitable environment. - To ensure this education for the sick child at home.
b) to work towards the implementation of the European Charter for the rights of hospitalised children (Leyden – 13th May 1988) and the European Charter for the education of sick children (Barcelona, May 2000).
c) to promote the development of teaching in hospitals and in general the education of sick children, and encourage liaison with other professionals, particularly those working in hospitals.
d) to represent and communicate the views and professional interests of teachers in hospitals and other teachers working with sick children.
e) to determine and enhance the professional qualifications of teachers working with sick children.
f) to promote and encourage research in all aspects of hospital teaching and education of sick children and publicise examples of good practice.
g) to disseminate information through regular newsletters, thus making all European colleagues aware of our work, meetings and study days of the association and its members. (It is not the aim of the association to interfere or compete with the responsibilities of other professional organisations to which a teacher may belong).
The activities that the association proposes to put into action to attain its aims are:
ARTICLE 4:
The association may be composed of effective members, associate members and honorary members.
a) Effective members: any qualified teacher from a European country (including assimilated staff working at pre-school level) who are or were involved in the education of sick children, whether paid by the ministry of education or another department. Membership can be acquired by an individual or collectively through an association, a school or group of teachers involved in the education of sick children. In the General Assembly they collective members have one vote only. However, those associations must have a legal entity.
b) Associate members: teachers involved in the education of sick children from other countries. At the discretion of the committee, those who are linked with sick children may be associate members.
c) Honorary members: anyone elected by the general assembly for his remarkable contributions on behalf of the association and its objectives. Associate members and honorary members – except when they are effective members at the same time – are not eligible for the board of directors and only have an advisory voice at the general assembly.
The admission of new members is subject to the following conditions:
ARTICLE 5:
Membership shall be deemed to have lapsed if the subscription is not paid by the time of the general assembly. A member may also resign in a registered letter to the attention of the President. Exclusion of members and annulling the title “honorary member” is decided at the general assembly. The board of directors may make a temporary decision of suspension. The general assembly will then take a decision after hearing the defence of the concerned member providing that there is a 2/3 majority of present or represented members. The members who leave the association (in case of death or for any other reason) have no right upon the social fund.
ARTICLE 6:
General assembly: The general assembly is the highest authority of the association. It is composed of all effective members (associate and honorary members may assist with an advisory power).
Its terms of reference are:
- approval of budgets and accounts:
- released to members of the bureau
- election and dismissal of directors:
- modification of statutes;
- winding up of the association:
- election of honorary members.
- exclusion of members
- approval of the internal regulations.
It must meet at least every two years at the place mentioned on the Invitation, which must be drafted by the board of directors, sent 40 days before the general assembly by ordinary mail or any other electronic method and must include the agenda. An extraordinary general assembly may be organised at the request of 1/5 of the effective members. Every effective member has one vote. An effective member may be represented by another effective member with a proxy. An effective member can't have more than 5 proxies. The general assembly may only proceed if 2/3 of the effective members are present or represented. If the quorum is not reached, a second general assembly will meet on the same day and will settle validly and definitively the proposals concerned. Resolutions are taken at the simple majority of present or represented effective members. In case of equality the president has the casting vote. The general assembly may give permanent instructions to the board of directors and the committee. The secretary will keep a book of minutes of the general assemblies.
The decisions taken during the general assembly will be communicated to members in the Newsletter or via the Internet site.
ARTICLE 7:
With no prejudice to the articles 50 § 3, 55 and 56 of the law for non profit making associations, international non profit making organisations and foundations, any proposal which aims at a modification to the statutes or the winding up of the association must get the consent of 2/3 of the members. In case of equality, the president has the casting vote. The general assembly may only proceed if 2/3 of the effective members is present or represented. If the quorum is not reached a second general assembly will be organised the same day or if possible one or two days later and will settle definitively and validly the proposal concerned. The assembly will set the winding up procedure and liquidation of the association; Modifications to the statutes will be effective only after consent by the competent authority conforming to article 50 3 of the law and that after publication of the supplementary Belgian supervision orders conforming to article 51 § 3 of the aforesaid law.
ARTICLE 8:
The Committee: the committee is the co-ordinating body linking the general assembly and the board of directors. Members of each country will elect one of them as their representative. Those representatives form the committee. They will centralise the subscriptions of their own country's members and will send the total amount to the treasurer of the association. They will also send them all information from the board of directors. A national representative may validly represent another country if he/she has a proxy (one proxy maximum/representative). The invitation to a committee meeting including the agenda will be sent by the board of directors 40 days before the date of the meeting. A committee meeting will be held at least once every other year.
ARTICLE 9:
The Board of Directors (B. of D.) is the management body of the association. It consists of a minimum of 3 effective members and a maximum of 10 Including a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer. In order to keep the spirit of an international association, the rule should be that all board members are of a different nationality. The members of the board of directors are elected at the general assembly for a renewable term of 2 years. (NB: The president is elected in a specific vote during the general assembly). In case of resignation, exclusion or death among the members of the board of directors the other members may co-opt a successor whose mandate will be effective till the next general assembly. The board of directors meet at least once every year. The invitation must be sent by ordinary mail of any other electronic method of communication.
It has all powers of management and administration according to the terms of the general assembly. Working Groups may be set up with the accord of the board of directors. Their conclusions must be given to the members of the association. The secretary will keep the minutes of all the board of directors' meetings. The board of directors may validly proceed if a minimum of 2/3 of its members is present or represented. A member of the B. of D. may only have one proxy. The resolutions of the B. of D. are taken as a simple majority. In case of equal votes, the president has the casting vote.
All the relative acts regarding the naming, or the revoking or finishing of the administrative functions established to conform to the law are communicated to the Public Justice Department and seen to be set down in a dossier and published, at the cost of the associations in the supplementary Belgian supervision orders.
The decisions taken at bureau meetings are written down, signed by the president and kept by the secretary at the disposal of members. The internal regulations are detailed as another way of informing members.
ARTICLE 10:
Except for special proxies. Any document that involves the association must be signed by two directors who won't have to justify their power to any third party. Legal actions are followed by the B. of D. represented by his president or by any other administrator specifically nominated by him for those missions.
ARTICLE 11:
Finances
a) Members must pay an annual subscription. The maximum amount of subscription is 250 euros. The amount fixed by the general assembly on the proposal of the bureau. Those who won't have paid it during the calendar year will be regarded as if they have resigned.
b) The treasurer will pay administrative expenses needed for the functioning of the association within the limits defined by the B. of D. and specified in the internal regulations.
c) In case of non-availability the treasurer, the daily treasury management will be ensured by two members chosen by the B. Of D.
d) The treasurer will present a certified balance-sheet (by an expert accountant expert or an auditor) to the general assembly.
e) If the association stops functioning, all its belongings are to be given to the European association nearest to the aims of HOPE and chosen by its members.
f) the B. of D. must request the approval of the general assembly for the balance of the latest year and the budget of the next one. If there is only a general assembly once every other year (or less), the balance must nevertheless be presented per year. The financial year is closed on 31st December.
g) conforming to article 53 of the law the annual accounts of the disposable assets are shown as the budget for the future is established by the bureau each year and then submitted to the general assemble at the time of the next meeting for approval. The accounts are sent, conforming to article 51 of the law of the public Justice Department.
ARTICLE 12:
Internal regulations will be drafted by the B. of D. and ratified by the general assembly.
ARTICLE 13:
What is not foreseen in these statutes, will be regulated in accordance with the title 111 of the Belgian law of 27 June 1921 on non profit making associations, international non profit making associations and foundations.
Presented and approved by the Committee (17 countries represented) in Amsterdam, on 6th November 1993
Founding Members who are allowed to mention this “quality”:
Mr Gunter W BREHM
Johanniterstr 3a. 79400 Kandern 6 - GERMANY
Profession: Head Teacher - Nalionality: German
Mrs Cherida COLEMAN
Knightlow Road 100. Harborne - Birmingham - ENGLAND
Profession: Head Teacher - Nationality: British
Mr Christian LIEUTENANT
Av. Reine Marie-Henriette 29. 1190 Bruxelles - BELGIUM
Profession: Head Teacher - Nationality: Belgian
Mrs Olga LIZASOAIN fdez Arenas 2 – 1° dcha 31002 Pamplona (Navarra) - ESPANA
Profession: Professor - Nationality: Spanish
Mrs Hélène VOISIN
Place St Sulpice 5 75006 Paris - FRANCE
Profession: Head Teacher - Nationality: French
Mr Palle YNDAL-OLSEN
0stergade 4E. DK 3400 Hillerod - DENMARK
Profession: Senior Master - Nationality: Danish