MINI JUNIOR & YOUTH RUGBY CONSTITUTION 
Preston Grasshoppers, the first Rugby
Union club in the country to receive theRFU
`Seal of Approval' and Sport England's `Clubmark'
accreditation
(Mini Junior Rugby
Established 1973/74)
1. The
Name
The name of the organisation is
"Preston Grasshoppers Mini Junior and Youth Rugby" (hereinafter referred to as
`Youth Rugby').
2. Aims and
Objectives
2.1 The aims
and objectives of Youth Rugby are as follows:
2.1.1
To offer coaching and competitive opportunities for boys and girls in
rugby union in accordance with the Youth Rugby Mission Statement,
". . . aims to provide aspiring youngsters from
the age of six to twenty living in the City of Preston and the surrounding
Lancashire heartland with top-quality enjoyment in the game of Rugby Union in a
friendly, safe environment based on a longstanding `inclusive'
tradition";
2.1.2
To promote Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club within the local
community and in rugby union generally;
2.1.3
To manage Youth Rugby in a safe, efficient and child-friendly manner;
2.1.4
To ensure a duty of care to all Youth Rugby volunteers: Coaches,
Assistant Coaches, Administrators, Observers, Referees and other supervisors,
helpers and officials;
2.1.5
To arrange its Youth Rugby coaching and competitive occasions in such a
way that it is fair to everyone, consistent with the rigours of a contact
sport;
2.1.6 To provide all Youth Rugby
opportunities, courses, equipment, and facilities in such a way that all players
and volunteers receive fair and equal treatment.
2.2 Equity in
Sport
2.2.1 In setting its aims and objectives
Youth Rugby acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of
sports equity,
"Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality
of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and
structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in
society".
2.2.2
Youth Rugby club respects the rights,
dignity and worth of every person and aims to treat everyone equally within the
context of rugby union, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity,
religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
2.3 Child
Welfare
2.3.1
Youth Rugby aims to implement best practice at all times, based on
guidance from the Rugby Football Union and other agencies, outlined within its
own `Fair Play' Codes of Conduct and Child Protection Policy.
2.3.2
Youth Rugby acknowledges the principle statement on Child Welfare
published by Sport England and Active Sports,
"Sport is an everyday activity for many children and
young people and makes a significant contribution to their well-being and
development. Whether involved in sport at a local level or competing in a
national championship all children and young people have a right to have fun, be
safe and be protected from harm.'
2.3.3
In whatever form, child abuse is never acceptable.
3
Membership
3.1.1
Membership of Youth Rugby is
based on players who are separately Mini, Junior, Under 19 or Student members of
Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club, paying the appropriate annual
Registration fee;
3.1.2
The parents or carers of such
players, male or female, and those not so connected with players who are
appointed to act as volunteers to coach, administer or supervise the
organisation are the Members of Youth Rugby.
3.2 By
invitation, other individuals who do not fall within the definition in 3.1, may
be invited to become Members of Youth Rugby at the discretion of the Executive
Committee.
3.3 There is no
membership fee payable to Youth Rugby.
4
Executive Committee
4.1 The
Executive Committee through its Officers and Committee Members shall manage the
operational and financial affairs of Youth Rugby in conjunction with its aims
and objectives.
4.2.1
The Officers shall be the
President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Fixture Secretary all of whom
serve on the Executive Committee, usually consisting of up to twelve Members in
total;
4.2.2
The nature of the remaining posts shall be decided from time-to-time by
the Executive Committee.
4.3 The
Officers and Members of the Executive Committee shall be nominated and elected
by the Members at the Annual General Meeting.
4.4 The
Executive Committee shall have the power to establish additional committees or
working groups to further the aims and objectives of Youth Rugby.
4.5 The members
of the Executive Committee shall meet regularly as they may deem appropriate,
and at least once in every quarter during the year.
4.6 Each member
of the Executive Committee shall have one vote, and in the event of an equality
of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have the casting vote.
4.7 Four
members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
4.8 The
Executive Committee shall determine the contribution due from each player and
the method and regularity of payment. This shall be announced to the Members at
the Annual General Meeting. Any
change to the method or regularity of payment shall be placed before a General
Meeting of Members convened for that purpose.
5
Meetings and Nominations
5.1
Administration of Meetings
5.1.1
At all General Meetings, each family represented shall have one
vote.
5.1.2
Notice of any General Meeting
shall be displayed at Preston Grasshoppers RFC and anywhere the Executive
Committee deem appropriate at least twenty-one days before the arranged
date.
5.1.3
A quorum for any General Meeting shall be ten Members.
5.1.4
Any adjourned General Meeting shall be reconvened by the Secretary within
an appropriate period for which, other than in exceptional circumstances, at
least seven days notice shall be given.
5.2 Annual
General Meeting
5.2.1
Youth Rugby shall convene an Annual General Meeting before
31st July in each calendar year on such date as the Executive
Committee shall fix, when the annual report of the Executive Committee and the
statement of accounts for the financial year shall be presented;
5.2.2
The Annual General Meeting shall elect such Officers and Members of the
Executive Committee as the Members may from time-to-time determine.
5.3
Nominations
5.3.1
Nominations for Officers and Members of the Executive Committee must be
lodged with the Secretary not less than seven clear days prior to the Annual
General Meeting.
5.3.2
Nominations must be in writing and proposed and seconded by a
Member.
5.3.3
Nominations may be submitted to the meeting for election `en bloc' unless
there is more than one nomination either for a specific Office or for the
Executive Committee as a whole in which case a vote shall be taken.
5.4 If a
vacancy in the Executive Committee arises during the year, the remaining members
of the Committee may co-opt any Member they may think fit and who shall hold the
position until the next Annual General Meeting.
5.5 Other
Meetings
5.1
Other Meetings may be convened by the Secretary on the
request of either the Executive Committee or a Member supported by twenty-five
other Members in writing.
6
Finance
6.1 The funds
of Youth Rugby shall be held at a Bank or Building Society at the discretion of
the Executive Committee.
6.2 The
Executive Committee shall have the power to open or close Bank or Building
Society accounts as it deems appropriate.
6.3.1
The Executive Committee shall appoint three authorised signatories for
cheques and instructions to the Bank or Building Society, one of whom shall be
the Treasurer and one other an Officer;
6.3.2
All cheques and instructions shall be signed by two authorised
signatories.
6.4 Appropriate
books and records shall be maintained by the Treasurer to enable the drawing up
of the accounts, comprising an income and expenditure account and balance sheet,
made up to 31st May.
7
Discipline
7.1 Youth Rugby
is committed to upholding its Codes of Conduct, its Equity in Sport statement
and its Child Protection Policy and regards any reported breach seriously.
7.2 Any
complaints regarding the behaviour of a Member should be submitted in writing to
the Secretary.
7.3 The
Executive Committee shall form a sub-committee of not less than four of its
members to hear the complaint within fourteen days of a complaint being lodged
and has the power to recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
7.4 The outcome
of any disciplinary action approved by the Executive Committee should be
notified to the person who lodged the complaint with fourteen days of the
hearing. A report of any action
taken shall be lodged with the Honorary Secretary of Preston Grasshoppers
RFC.
7.5 There shall
be a right of appeal to the full Executive Committee following any disciplinary
action being announced. The
Executive Committee shall consider the appeal within fourteen days of the
Secretary receiving the appeal.
8
Dissolution
8.1 If the
Executive Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve Youth
Rugby it shall call a Special General meeting of all Members, of which not less
than twenty-one days notice shall be given.
8.2 If the
proposal is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those Members present and
voting the Executive Committee shall have the power to realise any assets held
by or on behalf of Youth Rugby.
8.3 Any assets
remaining after the satisfaction of properly incurred debts and liabilities
shall be given or transferred to such other association or organisation having
objects similar to those of Youth Rugby as the Members may determine or failing
agreement to for some other sporting purpose.
9
Review of the Constitution
9.1 Youth Rugby
in consultation and agreement with two-thirds of the Members shall have the
power to amend the constitution when and if required.
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