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Section 1 – Logo

For the use of the logo and name sign of HOPE written permission of the Board of Directors is necessary.

Section 2 – Membership

• 2a) Individual membership, institutional membership, payment and suspension: The members pay their annual subscription fee to the national Committee Member. Every year the Committee Members send a list of all actual members, which shall be continuously updated to the Board of Directors. The subscription of all members must be paid to the Treasurer of HOPE before 1st September. If there is a General Assembly before this date, the payment must be done before the General Assembly starts.

• 2b) Honorary Members.

How to become an Honorary Member? A (former) member of HOPE can be appointed as Honorary Member of HOPE, if she/he has made a great contribution to the organization HOPE.
Each member of HOPE can, supported by 5 Committee Members (or Deputy Committee Members) from 5 different countries, nominate someone as Honorary Member of HOPE.
To this end, one can direct a request to the Ambassador of HOPE, consisting of the name of the person and a profile of contributions and achievements. The Ambassador is Chairman of the panel that assesses the proposal.
The panel consists of: the Ambassador, a Board Member and 3 rotating Honorary Members of HOPE. Every two years at least one Honorary Member rotates. The panel makes the proposal for the appointment of someone as Honorary Member. The General Assembly decides by majority. 

Honorary Members are allowed to speak officially using their title “Honorary Member of HOPE”.
In agreement with the Board of Directors, they can speak or produce publications in the name of HOPE. Honorary Members don’t have to pay membership fees for HOPE.

• 2c) Membership cards

Each Committee Member can give out the membership cards for her/his own country. The membership card template is located on the Committee Member section of the website of HOPE. For members in countries without a Committee Member, the membership cards will be given out by the Treasurer.

Section 3 – Suspension of members

A member of HOPE can be suspended if the member has damaged the reputation of HOPE in a very bad way. After suspension the suspended member will be informed by the President about the decision.

Section 4 – Board of Directors

• 4.1 The members of the Board are to represent the interest of the whole of HOPE (they have to be neutral in their decisions and to focus on the planning of the future of HOPE).

• 4.2 It is recommended that there should be a gradual change in members of the Board of Directors, which will not be more than 1/3 every General Assembly. At least two third of the members of the Board must be European teachers in charge of sick students.

• 4.3 Each member of the Board should have a Deputy, approved by the President, wherever possible.

• 4.4 The President, Secretary and Treasurer must send the approved deputies within the Board to the Board meetings if they are indisposed.

• 4.5 The members of the Board are free to voice their own opinions as long as they state that it is their personal view but must factually correct report the discussions of the Board.

• 4.6 Board meetings should take place at least twice a year.

• 4.7 The President is the legal head of the association and signs all legal and important papers. If the president is not able to sign another B.M. is allowed to sign, in agreement with a Board decision.

• 4.8 The President should have experience in conducting professional meetings.

• 4.9 When a member of the Board represents the Board in areas not discussed, he/she must inform the members of the Board and any concerns must be expressed to the President within 10 days.

• 4.10 If there are areas of which a Board Member is unsure, these must be expressed as a personal opinion and not as that of the Association. These areas must be presented at the next meeting of the Board for their decision.

• 4.11 The Secretary will send the members of the Board the proposed agenda for their meetings for comments and additions.

• 4.12 The Secretary may write general letters on behalf of the association, but must consult the President for important decisions, who will in turn decide to consult the Board.

• 4.13 The Treasurer’s role is laid down in the Statutes Art.10. The Treasurer must find a substitute for situations in which the Treasurer cannot fulfil her/his tasks. This substitute is not necessarily a member of the Board. It must be a member of HOPE with experience in the field of bookkeeping and treasury work. This substitute is in direct contact with the Board for other things than daily bank affairs. The C.M.’s must be informed if the Treasurer cannot fulfil her/his tasks and about the substitute and the expected duration.

• 4.14 The Treasurer will keep up to date the members’ list and issue membership cards. The treasurer will show the numbers per country on the website.

• 4.15 Rules for the candidates for the Board.

• 4.15.1 A member of the Board has to be a HOPE member and a teacher in charge of sick students.

• 4.15.2 All proposals for the candidature for the Board must be introduced three months before the General Assembly. The candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, express what they wish to do in HOPE and what they can offer.

• 4.15.3 In case of emergency, it is allowed to combine two functions within the Board, but only temporarily. If this happens, the Board of informs the Committee Members and puts the information on the website of HOPE.
• 4.15.4 If a Board Member steps down, she/he hands over her/his archives to the new responsible Board member within three months.

Section 5 – Committee

• 5.1 HOPE has no central rules for the election of national representatives, but is following national principles of electing a president of an association for this country. Each candidate must be elected by the members of HOPE of her/his country. If a country has no Committee Member, the Board can take the initiative to find a “contact person”. Before the first election the Board may work with this “contact person” who seems the most concerned and/or appropriate for starting the collaboration. The Board tries to reach full representation of CMs for all the countries within HOPE.

• 5.2 Minutes of the Committee meeting to be taken and approved. The Committee meeting will run following the same form as those of the General Assembly.

• 5.3 Agendas must have room for “Any Other Business” (no decisions).

• 5.4 The President provides a draft agenda, she/he delegates the leadership.

• 5.5 The national representatives should be elected for a period of two – four years (renewable) and should have a deputy.

• 5.6 The role of the Committee Member is:

Obligatory tasks:

• 5.6.1 To represent her/his country within HOPE

• 5.6.2 To remain in contact with their national members and give them information from the Board, about congresses and other events within HOPE.

• 5.6.3 To collect the membership fees, send the total amount to the Treasurer and transmit the members list to the Treasurer.

• 5.6.4 To hand over membership cards every congress year to members that have paid their membership fees.

Optional tasks:

• 5.6.5 If there is no national network for hospital teachers in a country, the Committee Member can try to raise one, if wanted with the help of the Ambassador of HOPE.

• 5.6.6 To inform the Board and the Committee Members, at least every second year, about the developments of education for sick children and about projects in their country. The Committee Members meeting at the HOPE Congress is a regular opportunity for the Committee Members to inform the Board.

• 5.6.7 To gather information, articles etc. and to send them to the Editor of the Newsletter of HOPE.

• 5.6.8 To hand over requests, publications, etc. of her/his country to the Board.

• 5.6.9 To create a handbook for hospital teachers.

• 5.6.10 To make hospital pedagogues and teachers for sick children aware of the HOPE association and encourage membership, to motivate them on a national level.

• 5.6.11 To keep in contact with the national associations for education of sick children, for special education and/or similar organisations, the national school administration and the Ministry of Education in order to exchange information between them and HOPE.

• 5.6.12 To promote the aims of HOPE and the HOPE Charter in their country.

• 5.6.13 To find candidates for the Board of Directors, between the times of the General Assemblies, willing to run for office. The Committee Members present Boards’ candidates to the Board to be presented for election at the General Assembly, to ensure:

•   a geographical spread of members of the Board of Directors;

•   representatives of somatic and psychiatric hospitals;

• 5.6.14 To advocate for the right to education and the hospital teacher. Lobby at national and international level.

• 5.6.15 To encourage fund raising.

• 5.6.16 To encourage HOPE members to participate in the HOPE Project Fund.

• 5.6.17 To support all countries within HOPE to put in place legislation for the education of children and adolescents with medical needs.

• 5.6.18 To facilitate the exchange of knowledge and sharing between hospital teachers, at both national and international level.

Section 6 – Ambassador

• 6.1 The ambassador must be a HOPE member.

• 6.2 The Ambassador of HOPE supports the Board of Directors and advises every member that asks for support.

• 6.3 At the Committee Members meeting the Ambassador gives his/her report of his activities since the last Committee Member meeting.

• 6.4 The Ambassador can be asked by the Board to represent HOPE on events.

• 6.5 If the activities of the Ambassador cost money, the Board will have to approve this request.

• 6.6 The Ambassador is the Chairman of the panel that assesses the proposal for the appointment of someone as Honorary Member.

Section 7 – Webmaster

• 7.1 The webmaster maintains the website of HOPE and the mailing list for the Board of Directors and the Committee Members.

• 7.2 The webmaster offers user names and passwords to the members.

• 7.3 The webmaster gives technological assistance to members of HOPE to consult the website.

Section 8 – Newsletter of HOPE

• 8.1 The Newsletter of HOPE is edited in English by a Board Member.

• 8.2 On the website of HOPE is information about the Editor and information about how to offer articles for the Newsletter.

• 8.3 The final check of the Newsletter of HOPE must be done by a native speaker.

• 8.4 The Newsletter prior to the HOPE Congress contains the minutes of the last General Assembly, the minutes of the last Committee Member meeting, the financial report of the Treasurer and the invitation and agenda of the General Assembly at the next HOPE Congress.

• 8.5 All published Newsletters of HOPE have to be available for HOPE members only, on the restricted area of the website of HOPE.

Section 9 – General Assembly

Rules of order for the General Assembly

• 9.1 The General Assembly is opened by the President who, in general, presides over the meeting according to the agenda sent 28 days before the General Assembly. By exception the role of Chairman can be executed by another HOPE member.

• 9.2 The Chairman of the General Assembly is approved by the General Assembly.

• 9.3 The Recorder, proposed by the Board, is approved by the General Assembly.

• 9.4 The Board appoints the Minutes Secretary.

• 9.5 The negotiations may be recorded only once as a support for the Recorder. The recording will be deleted completely after the approval of the minutes.

• 9.6 Enumerators will be appointed by the Chairman to count the votes.

• 9.7 The General Assembly will be conducted according to the agenda.

• 9.8 Each proposal for suggested changes of the agenda must be given in writing or in a confirmed email to the President fifteen days prior to the General Assembly.

• 9.9 The General Assembly may decide to change the order and later take up the points listed on the agenda.

• 9.10 The Chairman monitors the negotiations during the General Assembly and ensures that good parliamentary order is maintained.

• 9.11 The individual participants of the General Assembly must in all cases comply with the decisions on order taken by the Chairman.

• 9.12 Speakers will be invited to speak in the order in which they are registered by the Chairman. However, the President and the Proposer may at any moment ask if they may speak, and the Chairman (not being the President) may allow a short reply. Registration of speakers can be done during the General Assembly.

• 9.13 The Chairman may decide on a time limit for speakers with the acceptance of the General Assembly.

• 9.14 The Chairman may propose the debate closed after the registered speakers. If such a proposal is accepted by the General Assembly, only the Chairman can be given the permission to speak.

• 9.15 Proposals for resolutions and changes in these must be given in writing to the Chairman, at least three hours before the start of the General Assembly and must be communicated to the GA at the beginning of the meeting, e.g. after the formalities have been concluded.

• 9.16 The Chairman will decide the order in which proposals for resolutions and changes of proposals will be put to vote.

• 9.17 All agendas must provide for “Any Other Business” (no decisions).

• 9.18 The comments on the agenda of any member unable to be present should be sent to the President and would be presented by the Chairman at the appropriate place during the General Assembly.

• 9.19 During the General Assembly each HOPE-member may demand a short pause for a short meeting (with a maximum of 15 minutes).

• 9.20 At the end of the General Assembly the Recorder and the Minutes Secretary will give a summary of the decisions of the meeting and will ask for the approval by the General Assembly.

• 9.21 A summary of the General Assembly will be included in the next Newsletter and a detailed draft report will be sent to each Committee Member and published on the website of HOPE. This must be realized within 6 months after the General Assembly.

• 9.22 The Board should choose a possible Chairman ensuring that she/he has the following qualifications: she/he is neutral, expert, able to put things in order, as well as has good knowledge of the statutes of HOPE.

• 9.23 If neither Chairman is accepted by the General Assembly, it is the duty of the General Assembly to provide a suitable Chairman.

• 9.24 The Board must take care that English is always the only language used during the General Assembly.

• 9.25 At a General Assembly a presentation is given by the team that prepares the next HOPE Congress.

Section 10 – A HOPE Congress

• 10.1 A HOPE Congress can be organised as partner of the Board of HOPE by a team of Hospital Teachers from a European country. The risks (financial, legal) are completely for the organising team. At a HOPE Congress a General Assembly and a Committee Member meeting are held. The rooms for these two meetings are offered for free by the organising team, including technical equipment and technical support.

• 10.2 In general, all speakers at the HOPE Congress have to speak only English, because within HOPE English is the common language. Only by high exception, another language can be used by the leader of a workshop. If the leader of a workshop does not speak English, the organising team has to provide translations into English for free.

• 10.3 A HOPE Congress should be organised every two years without any limitation in number of participants.

• 10.4 The Board is allowed to choose the country in which the next HOPE Congress will take place, based on the documents submitted three years before the next HOPE Congress.

• 10.5 The Board can provide an interest-free loan (of maximum € 3.000,00 ) to the organising team for the next HOPE Congress. The loan must be paid back completely within six months after the HOPE Congress.

• 10.6 An organising team for a HOPE Congress promises to respect the current Internal Regulations of HOPE, when it accepts formally the challenge to organise a HOPE Congress.

Section 11 – The network of workshops

• 11.1 Every member of HOPE is invited to take part in one or more workshops, to be an active member, to share experience, a.s.o.

• 11.2 Each workshop is responsible for its own organisation and methodology. The Board must be informed about any “public manifestation” (exhibition or publication) organised by a workshop.

• 11.3 The Board will inform the coordinators of the workshops of any opportunity for promoting the work of the workshops.

• 11.4 Each workshop approves a coordinator who agrees to manage it for a term of two years (renewable). To set up a workshop the Board can appoint a temporary coordinator until the first meeting.  If no progress is made in a workshop, or if the Board is called because of internal problems, the Board may ask the members of the particular workshop to redefine their objectives and/or methodology, or to apply for another coordinator. (This should be implemented, if the workshop is not working in accordance with the spirit of the statutes.)

• 11.5 The workshop coordinator is the contentual and logistic organizer of the workshop, who works in relation with the network coordinator. This network coordinator is a member of the Board. To ensure coherence, development and continuity among the workshops, the workshop coordinators have to give feedback and report to the network coordinator.

• 11.6 Periodical contact between the workshop coordinator and a HOPE network coordinator is necessary at least twice a year.

• 11.7 Closing a workshop. A workshop ends upon the decision of the Board.

Section 12 – HOPE Project Fund

• 12.1 The HOPE Project Fund
  HOPE can provide financial support for members undertaking projects in their own educational setting. Depending on the financial situation of HOPE, the Board of Directors offers the possibility to offer some financial support for so-called HOPE Projects. The aims of a HOPE Project must comply with (one of) the aims of HOPE. The HOPE Project Fund is a trust based fund, this requires good membership of the HOPE members and good governance of the Board of HOPE. The applicant (organisation) needs a non-private bank account.
  Each year the maximum amount of money for the HOPE Project Fund is approved by the Board  and published on the website of HOPE. A grant from the HOPE Project Fund is maximum € 1.000,00 (one thousand Euros).

• 12.2 Criteria for the HOPE Project Fund:

• An application must meet all these criteria of the HOPE Project Fund:
• a) The applicant (organisation) must be a member of HOPE;
• b) The applicant (organisation) must be an active member with services rendered;
• c)  The aim of the HOPE Project must comply with (one of) the aims of HOPE;
• d) The applicant (organisation) must have a non-private bank account;
• e) The HOPE Project must be promising and realistic.

• 12.3 Types of HOPE Projects

• HOPE Projects can have different forms, such as:
• a) Organising an event, an activity or a project about hospital teaching.
• b) The creation of a national organisation of Hospital Teachers.

Conditions for receiving a grant for the creation of a national organisation of Hospital Teachers:

• 1. A name for the national organisation;
• 2. Two coordinators for the national organisation;
• 3. A running website for the national organisation;
• 4. An e-mail address and a postal address for the national organisation;
• 5. A national meeting of Hospital Teachers within a year after receiving the grant.

• 12.4 How to apply for a grant from the HOPE Project Fund?The Board hopes the following information will help the applicant (organization) understand the application process and the information the Board needs to consider your grant request. To apply for a grant from the HOPE Project Fund the applicant (organization) needs to complete an online application form and submit this with supporting documents to the Treasurer of HOPE. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

• 12.5 Access, transparency and accountabilityInformation about how to apply for a grant from the HOPE Project Fund, is located on the public area of the website of HOPE. An applicant (organisation) can apply digitally for a grant from the HOPE Project Fund. The application form for the HOPE Project Fund is on the member’s area of the HOPE website. The applicant (organisation) has the obligation to report to the Board about the results of the HOPE Project and to provide financial accountability. The Board reports about the results of all running and finished HOPE Projects on the member’s area of the HOPE website.

• 12.6 The application form of the HOPE Project Fund is available on the website of HOPE.

Section 13 – Legality

To avoid duplication all applications or agreements in the name of HOPE must have the signed approbation of the President.

Section 14 – Finances

• 14.1 The subscriptions are to remain at the level already given, until the General Assembly decides differently:

* Effective members: minimum 15 €

* Collective members: minimum 30 €

There can be an additional fee of some Euros for national administration costs.

• 14.2 Travel costs:

• 14.2.1 Costs for accommodation when attending Committee Meetings:

Concerning the low budget of HOPE, it is necessary that the national representatives look for their own resources for accommodation costs to attend Committee Meetings. If she/he doesn’t succeed, HOPE will pay the costs for the accommodation, only for the extra night to attend the Committee Meeting. The Committee Meeting is always at a HOPE congress. Therefore HOPE will not pay for the travel of the Committee Members. It is the duty of each Committee Member to look for a reasonable possibility for stay.

If there are not enough finances, the Board has to decide about paying a percentage of the costs. HOPE might reimburse only 50% if the budget is stressed. The Committee Members have to present the original bills for the reimbursing of their costs.

• 14.2.2 Costs for travel and accommodation when attending Board Meetings:

Also for the Board Meetings it is necessary that the Board members look for own resources for travel and accommodation costs to attend Board Meetings. If they don’t succeed, HOPE will pay the travel and accommodation costs. It is the duty of the Board members to look for a reasonable possibility for travel and stay.

If there are not enough finances, the Board has to decide about paying a percentage of the costs. HOPE might reimburse only 50% if the budget is stressed. The Board Members have to present the original tickets and bills for the reimbursing of their costs.

• 14.2.3 Costs for travel and accommodation when inviting guests at Board Meetings.

At the Board Meeting prior to the HOPE Congress, a representative of the organising team is invited to attend the Board Meeting to report about the preparations. Concerning the low budget of HOPE, it is necessary that the representative of the organising team looks for her/his own resources for travel and accommodation. If she/he doesn’t succeed, HOPE will pay the costs for the travel and accommodation. It is the duty of each representative of the organising team to look for reasonable possibilities for travel and stay.

If there are not enough finances, the Board has to decide about paying a percentage of the costs. HOPE might reimburse only 50% if the budget is stressed. The representative of the organising team has to present the original tickets and bills for the reimbursing of her/his costs.

• 14.2.4 Costs for travel and accommodation for the Ambassador:

Concerning the low budget of HOPE, it is necessary that the Ambassador looks for her/his own resources for travel and accommodation. If she/he doesn’t succeed, HOPE will pay the costs for the travel and accommodation. It is the duty of the Ambassador to look for reasonable possibilities for travel and stay.

If there are not enough finances, the Board has to decide about paying a percentage of the costs. HOPE might reimburse only 50% if the budget is stressed. The Ambassador has to present the original tickets and bills for the reimbursing of her/his costs.

• 14.2.5 The Treasurer and the President are each authorised to make transactions up to €500,00 per transaction and if they are both indisposed, the day-to-day business may be performed by two other Board Members. The Board decides who on the Board is allowed to transfer the money from the bank account.

• 14.3 An auditor is a HOPE-member with experience in bookkeeping and treasury. The two Auditors have the task to verify the correctness of the documentations as well as the compliance with the Statutes for spending HOPE money. They are appointed at the General Assembly for a period of four years. The Auditors are renewed, but only one at each General Assembly. In case of emergency an Auditor can choose her/his own Deputy.

Section 15 – Charter of HOPE

The Charter of HOPE(about the Rights and Educational Needs of Sick Children and Adolescents in Education) was adopted at the General Assembly of the HOPE Congress in Barcelona (in 2000). At the General Assembly of the HOPE Congress in Vienna (in 2016) a short sentence has been added to the Charter of HOPE. HOPE publishes all translated Charters on the website. A special format for the Charter is available. When a new translation is finished, it can be sent to the workshop coordinator of the workshop “Charter of HOPE”, to have it put, for free in the format for the Charter.

Section 16 – Data Protection Principles

HOPE will perform its responsibilities under the Belgian Privacy Act in accordance with the following eight Data Protection Principles:

•   Obtain and process information fairly
We shall obtain and process personal data fairly and in accordance with statutory and other legal obligations.

•   Keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes
We shall keep personal data for purposes that are specific, lawful and clearly stated. Personal data will only be processed in a manner compatible with these purposes as previously defined.

•   Use and disclose data only in ways compatible with these purposes
We shall use and disclose personal data only in circumstances that are necessary for the purposes for which we have collected the data.

•   Keep it safe and secure
We shall take appropriate security measures against unauthorised access to, or alteration, disclosure or destruction of personal data and against its accidental loss or destruction.

•   Keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date
We adopt procedures that strive to ensure high levels of data accuracy, completeness and that the data is up-to-date.

•   Ensure it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
We shall only hold personal data to the extent that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive. Members contact information, hospital school affiliation and membership status is the only data maintained by HOPE. This data resides in a private database on the HOPE website and is also stored locally by the Committee Member for the locality.

•   Retain for no longer than is necessary
Members personal data is retained for the length of their membership. Upon ceasing membership, the previous member can request their personal data to be removed from HOPE records.

•   Give a copy of her/his personal data to that individual, on request
We adopt procedures to ensure that data subjects can exercise their rights under the appropriate Data Protection legislation to access their data.

• 16.5 Responsibility
  Overall responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Belgian Privacy Act rests with HOPE. All members of HOPE who separately collect, control or have access to the content and use of personal data are individually responsible for compliance with the Belgian Privacy Act.

• 16.6 Procedures and Guidelines
  HOPE is firmly committed to ensuring personal privacy and compliance with the Belgian Privacy Act, including the provision of best practice guidelines and procedures in relation to all aspects of Data Protection.

• 16.7 Review
  This Data Protection Policy will be reviewed regularly in light of any legislative or other relevant developments.

Section 17 – Global Address List for Hospital Teaching

HOPE maintains a Global Address List for Hospital Teaching with non-personal information about Hospital Teaching and allied organisations. All this information is freely available on websites of organisations; therefore it is not governed by Data Protection Acts.

The Global Address List for Hospital Teaching contains the names of the organisations, postal addresses and email addresses.

The content of the Global Address List for Hospital Teaching is available for organisations for Hospital Teaching who want to make contact globally with other organisations for Hospital Teaching and allied organisations.

The Board of HOPE is responsible for keeping up-to-date the Global Address List for Hospital Teaching. An organisation that uses the Global Address List for Hospital Teaching is responsible for the way it is used. The organisation that uses the Global Address List for Hospital Teaching has to respect the SPAM Acts.

The Global Address List for Hospital Teaching is not available on the website of HOPE. An organization can request permission from the Board of HOPE for the use of the mailing list by submitting a substantiated application. The Board will decide about it, within two months after the application.

Section 18 – Modifications of the Statutes

Each proposal for suggested change must be given in writing or in a confirmed email to the President four months before the General Assembly. The proposal(s) must be sent to all Committee Members thirty days before the General Assembly. The proposal(s) must be published on the website of HOPE thirty days before the General Assembly.

Section 19 – Internal Regulations

Internal Regulations have to be published on the website of HOPE. This is a task of the Board.

Each proposal for suggested changes must be given in writing or in a confirmed email to the President four months before the General Assembly. The proposal(s) must be sent to all Committee Members thirty days before the General Assembly. The proposals must be published on the restricted area of the HOPE website.

Section 20 – Unforeseen matters

For situations where these Internal Regulations do not create sufficient clarity, the Board decides what to do. After such an incident, the Board makes a proposal to adapt the Internal Regulations for the future.

Internal Regulations of HOPE, version March 2018, approved by the General Assembly at the HOPE Congress in Poznan in 2018