Statute of the

Malta Association of Supported Employment

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1. Name of the Association

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The name of the Association is the “Malta Association of Supported
Employment" (MASE).

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2. The address of the Association

The address of the Association is as may be determined by the Executive Committee
from time to time.

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3. The Mission of the Association

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The Association aims to promote good practice among vulnerable persons, to
disseminate information, to influence the co-ordination of activities in the field of
Supported Employment, and to create initiatives in this field.

 

3.1 Supported Employment is defined as “Providing support to people with
disabilities and/or other vulnerable groups to secure and maintain paid
employment in the open labour market.” – European Union Supported
Employment, 2005

4. The objectives of the Association

The objectives of the Association are to support and empower vulnerable individuals and persons with disability in the Maltese Islands, and in particular:-

 

4.1 to research, develop and promote the methodology of Supported Employment for people with disability and other vulnerable individuals

 

4.2 to promote the integrity of people with disabilities and enhance the capabilities of other vulnerable individuals in training as on the workplace

 

4.3 to establish and maintain contact with relevant Organisations at both national and international levels

 

4.4 to represent the views of the Association at national and international fora

 

4.5 to participate actively in the European Union of Supported Employment, the World Association of Supported Employment, other national and international fora and to report activities to its members

 

4.6 to facilitate information exchange among service providers and other interested agencies in Malta and Gozo

 

4.7 to collate appropriate information and disseminate to individual members, member Organisations and other interested bodies

 

4.8 to take into consideration, attend to, and subsequently exert appropriate pressure on any pertinent issues which member Organisations regard as relevant within the vulnerability sector

 

5. General Policy

5.1 The Association shall be autonomous and voluntary.

5.1.1 Provided its autonomy is not compromised, the Association may collaborate with other entities on a national, regional or international basis in order to further its aims.

5.1.2 MASE shall not have any political or trade union affiliation or involvement.

5.2 The Association is registered as a non-profit making Organisation as defined in the Voluntary Organisations Act (Chapter 492 of the Laws of Malta), and any excess of funds received or generated from its activities must always be
reinvested within the same Organisation.

5.3 All prospective Members and Associate Members of the Association shall have access to the Statute of the Association upon demand.

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6. Membership

 

Organisations and individuals who identify with the aims and values of the MASE are eligible to membership.

 

6.1 Applications for membership are to be submitted to the Secretary of the MASE.

6.1.1 Membership is on a lifelong basis with a one-time fee of €25 for Organisations and €10 for individuals.

 

6.2 Member Organisations are entitled to be represented at Association General Meetings by a duly authorised representative or substitute thereof.

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6,2,1 An official letter, identifying credentials of the representative and substitute member of each Organisation, is to reach the Secretary of MASE upon appointment.

6.2.2 In case of representatives or substitute members resigning from their individual Organisation, their authorisation as representatives with MASE is automatically nullified.

6.2.2.1 In case of resignation, the same procedure as per 6.2.1 will hold through for newly appointed representatives.

 

6.2.3 Should an Organisation cease to operate, a written notification with regards is to reach the Secretary of MASE within five (5) working days. 
Consequently, representation of the particular Organisation is automatically
discontinued.

6.2.3.1 If the representative of a dissolved Organisation is concurrently a member on the MASE Committee, the said member forfeits his position. The Executive Committee has the right to co-opt a new member from among the
other member Organisations.

6.3 Individual members are entitled to Full Membership.

6.4 The Executive Committee has the right to terminate membership of any Organisation or individual on grounds of actions contravening the Statute. The Executive Committee’s decision is final and conclusive.

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7. Other Conditions

7.1 In the case of change/s in the Statute of a member Organisation, the said Organisation has the obligation to send a written notification to the Secretary of MASE within two (2) months of the approval of the amendments together a
hard copy, highlighting all amendments.

7.2 Each member, whether an Organisation or an individual, is to ascertain the best ethical practice as established by the Statute, and such that will avoid any potential conflict of interest or breach of the Statute.

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8. The General Meetings

8.1 A General Meeting shall be convened at least once a year during which the President’s Report, an Administrative Report, and a Financial Report, and approved by the members attending. The financial year is to be considered as
starting in January and ending in December.

8.1.1 The election of members of the Executive Committee is to take place every two years.

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8.2 Notification of the forthcoming General Meeting is to be sent to members not later than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date set by the Executive Committee.

8.2.1 Motions and amendments to the Statute are to be sent by members not later than thirty (30) days prior to the General Meeting. In case of proposed motions or amendments, the Secretary of the Executive Committee is bound to
forward notice thereof to all members not later than twenty-one (21) days from the date of the General Meeting.

 

8.2.1.1 Any amendments to the Statute can only be executed following a two-thirds majority approval by the voting members present at the Annual General Meeting or the Extraordinary General Meeting convened for the purpose.

 

8.2.2 The notification of the General Meeting shall indicate the venue and time of the Meeting and be accompanied by the agenda of the meeting.

 

8.2.3 If the need for an Extraordinary General Meeting arises, it is the duty of the Secretary to inform all members of the Association indicating venue, time and agenda thereof.

 

9. The Executive Committee

 

9.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of five to seven members, namely:

a. President
b. Secretary
c. Treasurer
d. Assistant Treasurer
e. PRO
f. Member/s of Executive Committee

9.2 Members of the Committee shall be elected for a period of two years during the elective Annual General Meeting.

 

9.2.1 All members on the Executive Committee are to be representatives of member Organisations and/or individual members.

 

9.2.1.1 Individual members are to be represented by only one (1) member on the Executive Committee.

 

9.2.2 Each member of the Executive Committee has the power of one (1) vote which is to be executed within the realm of MASE and not in the capacity of the Organisation being represented by that particular member.

 

9.3 All nominations to the Committee must be communicated to the Secretary not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed for the elective Annual General Meeting.

 

9.4 The election of the members of the Committee shall require a simple majority of the members, present and voting, and they shall take up office with immediate effect.

 

9.5 Officers on the Executive Committee shall be elected by a simple majority by the Committee members during the first Committee meeting following the elective AGM.

 

9.6 The Committee has the power to co-opt no more than two (2) additional members. The co-opted member/s will carry the power of voting.

 

9.7 Members of the Executive Committee who tender their resignation from office are to notify the Secretary in writing prior to the forthcoming Executive Committee meeting.

9.7.1 Members of the Executive Committee who cease to be effective members of the Organisation they represent are automatically disqualified from membership on the MASE Executive Committee.

9.7.2 Any vacant position at Executive Committee level is to be filled as per clause 6.2.3.1.

 

9.7.3 In the case of a vacant position to be filled, the members on the Executive Committee will co-opt a member from among the affiliated Organisations.

 

9.8 In the case of expulsion of any Executive member, the Committee has the right to call a special meeting, of only the representatives of the affiliated Organisations, with the only item on the agenda being to discuss the co-option
of a member to fill the vacancy.

9.9 The President will preside at all Committee meetings and at the General Meetings of the Association.

 

9.10 A quorum of 60% is required to validate an Executive Committee meeting.

 

10. Executive Powers

 

10.1 The Executive Committee is endowed with the power to manage the business of the Association as conferred to it by the Statute approved at the AGM.

10.2 The Executive Committee meetings are to be held at least quarterly.

 

10.3 All decisions of the Executive Committee are to be approved by a simple majority vote of the members present at the meeting.

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10.3.1 In the case of disciplinary actions against members of the Executive Committee or members of the Association, approval is acquired by a two-thirds majority vote.

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10.4 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association, the management of the funds and property belonging to the Association, and shall authorise the Treasurer to keep the accounts for this
purpose.

10.4.1 Significant transactions related to the business of the Association are to be approved by the Executive Committee with a two-thirds majority. All other transactions, related to the day-to-day running of the Association, are to be
approved by the President and any other member of the Executive Committee, other than the Treasurer.

 

10.4.1.1 Any financial transactions need to have two (2) signatures for any payments issued. Signatories are the President and Treasurer. In case of absence of any of the two, the Secretary can be the second signatory.

 

11. Dissolution

11.1 If the Executive Committee resolves that it is advisable or essential to dissolve the MASE, it shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting.

11.2 In the case of the submitted proposal being confirmed by a two-thirds majority of members present, the Executive Committee shall be granted the power to release any assets held on behalf of the Association.

11.2.1 Any assets still present on the Accounts of the Association, following the satisfactory resolution of any debts and/or liabilities, shall be transferred to some other Association following similar objectives as of MASE. Failing that, all remaining funds should be transferred to a voluntary non-profit making Organization or a charitable institution agreed upon by the outgoing Committee.

12. Indemnity

The Association shall indemnify and keep indemnified every officer, member, volunteer and employee of the Association from and against all claims,demands, actions and proceedings (and all costs, expenses in connection therewith or arising from) made or brought against the members, volunteers or employees, or in connection with its property and equipment. This indemnity shall not extend to liabilities arising from wilful and individual fraud, wrongdoing or wrongful omission on the part of the officer, member, volunteer or employee sought to be made liable.
The Treasurer shall affect a policy of insurance of this indemnity.

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