IGC Constitution
1 NAME
1.1 The organisation shall be called “Institiúd na gComhairleoirí Treorach” or in English, ‘Institute of Guidance Counsellors’.
2 OBJECTIVES
2.1 The objectives of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be
(i) To represent the collective views of practitioners in the field of guidance and counselling on matters affecting their interests and that of the guidance and counselling profession.
(ii) To promote the highest standards in guidance and counselling practice, training and facilities.
(iii) To promote research in the field of Guidance and Counselling.
(iv) To promote and assist the growth and development of regions/Branch structures and of their members.
(v) To liase and cooperate with allied organisations in the field of preventative health, personnel services, educational associations, psychological societies, international and national.
3. CODE OF ETHICS
There is a Code of Ethics, which may be subject to relevant subsequent amendment.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 (i) Membership shall be open to all persons holding qualifications deemed acceptable to the Membership & Registration Committee of the I.G.C.
(ii) When the membership & registration committee do not accept the applicant's qualification that said committee would indicate pathways towards acceptance to the applicant. On successful completion of these pathways, the Membership & Registration Committee will reconsider the application.
(iii) The decision of the Membership & Registration Committee shall be absolute & final.
4.2 Membership shall be Chartered and Non-Chartered.
(i) There shall be two grades of Chartered Membership.
(a) Fellow
(b) Chartered Member
(iv) There shall be four grades of Non-Chartered membership
(a) Qualified Member
(b) Honorary Fellow
(c) Student Member
(d) Retired Member
4.3 Fellowship
(i) Fellow Membership (designated by the letters FIGC) denoting female and male members, shall be open to all chartered members who satisfy the Membership and Registration Committee that they have made a significant contribution to the advancement of Guidance and Counselling.
(ii) Branches may submit suitable nominations to the Membership and Registration Committee. The National Executive shall take final decision.
(iii) Honorary Fellowship is afforded to non-members who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of Guidance and Counselling. The National Executive must approve nominations.
4.4 Chartered Membership
Chartered Membership is afforded to qualified members who have been members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors for a period of not less than four years and, in addition, have practised as a Guidance Counsellor for those four years. Evidence of participation in on-going In-Service training and Branch activities during these four years must be provided. The letters CMIGC designate it. The National Executive must approve nominations.
4.5 Qualified Membership
Qualified Membership is afforded to all persons with Qualifications as outlined in Article 4.1 and is designated by the letters QMIGC.
4.6 Student Membership
Student membership shall be open to all persons in the process of taking a course of not less than one academic year or its equivalent part-time in guidance & counselling, which has been approved for recognition by the I.G.C.
4.7 Retired Membership
Retired membership shall be open to Qualified and Chartered members who have retired from the profession on grounds of age or health.
4.8 Affiliate Membership [Closed]
Affiliate membership as a grade of non-chartered membership is now closed. It shall however be retained as a closed membership for those members who already hold this grade, who work in areas related to Guidance and Counselling, but who do not have the qualifications specified in Article 4.3 above.
4.9 The Membership and Registration Committee
This committee shall be drawn from the National Executive. It shall meet specifically to deal with all matters of Registration and Membership.
4.10 Application for Membership and Registration
Application shall be made either through the Branch or the National Executive. The decision of the National Executive shall be final.
4.11 Maintaining Membership
See Appendix 1 for entitlements of and conditions governing maintenance of the various grades of membership.
4.12 Register of Membership
There shall be a Register of Bona Fide Chartered Members of the Institute Of Guidance Counsellors.
4.13 Annual Membership Fee
The annual membership fee and membership year shall be determined by decision of the Annual General Meeting.
4.14 Cessation of Membership
Persons shall cease to be members of the Institute if they fail to renew membership by paying the annual membership fee one month prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting, or if in the opinion of the National Executive their professional conduct makes it desirable that they should not be on the Membership and/or Register of Practitioners list.
5 STRUCTURE
5.1 The Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be constituted as follows:
(i) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
(ii) National Executive Committee
(iii) Branches
(iv) Members
6 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
6.1 The Annual General Meeting
(i) This meeting shall be the supreme governing body of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.
(ii) The Annual General Meeting shall consist of:
a Members and incoming members of the National Executive.
b Standing Orders Committee
c Members
6.2 Chairperson
(i) The current President shall preside over the Annual General Meeting.
(ii) In the absence of the President the Vice President shall take the Chair.
6.3 Convening the Annual General Meeting
(i) The Annual General Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary of the National Executive and shall be held at a time decided upon by the National Executive. The Branch Committee of the area in which the Annual General Meeting is to take place shall be responsible for making local arrangements. A float shall be authorised by the National Executive Committee from its central fund.
6.4 Motions for General Meetings
(i) Motions shall be accepted from the Branches not later than 3 months prior to the Annual General Meeting each year. The National Executive Committee shall have the right to submit not more than three motions.
(ii) Urgent motions may be brought before the Annual General Meeting on receiving permission from the Standing Orders Committee.
(iii) Motions regarding changes in the Constitution shall be accepted every second year only. 6.5 The National Executive Committee Shall issue to each Branch Secretary at least four weeks before opening day of the Annual General Meeting an Agenda which shall contain:
(a) Motions
(b) National Executive Committee Annual Report
(c) National Treasurer’s Report
(d) Report on the implementation of resolutions passed at the previous Annual General Meeting.
6.6 Quorum
Thirty Qualified Members in addition to the National Executive shall
constitute a Quorum for the Annual General Meeting.
6.7 Right of Address
Any Member may address the Annual General Meeting subject to
procedures as laid down by Standing Orders.
7 STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE
7.1 Standing Orders Committee shall consist of
(i) One Member from each Branch, excepting Members of the National Executive, whose names shall have been forwarded to the National Executive three calendar months prior to the Annual General Meeting.
(ii) One member of the National Executive shall act as a non-voting
consultant to the Standing Orders Committee.
7.2 Standing Orders Committee Meeting
The Standing Orders Committee shall be convened by the National
Secretary and shall hold its first meeting within one calendar month of
receipt of nominations, and shall hold office for one year from the date
of being convened.
7.3 Standing Orders Committee Procedure
The Standing Orders Committee shall abide by the procedures set out
in Appendix II
8. EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 A special or Extra-ordinary General meeting constituted under rule 6
above may be called by the National Executive Committee or on the
requisition of two thirds of the branches. One calendar month shall be
considered due notice for such a meeting.
9. BRANCHES
9.1 A Branch of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be constituted in any area defined by the National Executive as a Branch Area.
9.2 Every Member of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be a Member of a Branch of the Institute.
9.3 The rules governing admission to Membership of the Institute (Section 4) shall govern admission to Branches.
10. BRANCH OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE
10.1 Each Branch shall elect the following officers:
(i) Chairperson
(ii) Secretary
(iii) Treasurer
(iv) Public Relations Officer
10.2 The Branch Executive shall be constituted as follows, and shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Branch to be held four months prior to Annual General Meeting
(i) Branch Officers
(ii) Additional Members who may be elected on the basis of one per ten of the total branch membership
10.3 At least five Members shall form a quorum at any meeting that has been duly convened by the Branch Secretary. The Branch may increase, at its discretion, the number required to form a quorum.
10.4 Function of the Branch
It shall be the function of each Branch to further and promote within the Branch area the objectives of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, to uphold its Constitution and Code of Ethics and to report to the National Executive of the Institute.
10.5 Branch byelaws shall be submitted to the National Executive Committee for ratification.
10.6 The Branch Executive shall, as a rule, meet once a month and shall convene a full Branch Meeting at least three times per year.
10.7 Branch Finances
(i) Each branch shall open a banking account in the name of the branch with three named signatories, (the treasurer, one branch officer and one branch member) two of whom must sign every cheque. All transactions shall be recorded and receipted.
(ii) Each branch shall present an internally audited set of accounts to the Branch Annual General Meeting and shall forward a copy of it to the National Treasurer.
10.8 A branch shall have the right to fix the amount of any additional subscription/levy to the annual fee.
10.9 On the dissolution or cessation of a Branch, the moneys, property and
records in its possession shall be handed over to the National Executive Committee.
11. NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
11.1 The National Executive Committee shall consist of the duly elected President and Vice-President and at least one elected representative from each Branch. Its officers shall be President (chairperson), Vice-President/Organizer, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Relations Officer. The outgoing President has automatic right to continue in membership of the National Executive Committee for one year following cessation of term of office.
11.2 Seven members shall form a quorum at National Executive meetings
11.3 Duties of the National Executive Committee:
(i) To implement the motions agreed at the Annual General Meeting.
(ii) To manage and direct the affairs of the Institute between Annual General Meetings.
(iii) To represent the Institute with any other authority.
(iv) To appoint the Membership and Registration Committee of the Institute.
(v) To adjudicate ethical issues.
(vi) To ratify In-Service certification.
11.4 The National Executive Committee may appoint sub-committees for particular purposes and shall be at liberty to appoint to such subcommittees members other than members of the National Executive Committee.
11.5 The National Executive Committee shall meet at least ten times a year and at such other times when issues of critical importance need to be decided. The secretary shall be required to summon a special meeting at any time on the written request of seven members of the executive.
11.6 During its term of office the National Executive Committee may invite Branches not represented on the Committee to nominate, within reasonable time, a member to the National Executive Committee for that year.
12 HOLDING OFFICE
12.1 All persons holding Chartered or Qualified Membership of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be eligible for election to the National Executive Committee and shall serve for a maximum of three consecutive two-year terms, taking a break of at least one term before seeking re-election. In the case of a vacancy arising the National Executive Committee shall co-opt a member of the Institute to fill the vacancy.
12.2 The President and Vice-President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors shall be elected to hold office for a continuous two-year term and they shall be eligible for re-election to these posts for one further consecutive term of office. They shall be eligible for re-election to these posts again after a lapse of at least six years following each single term or two consecutive terms holding office.
12.2.1There shall be a separate postal ballot for the election of the President and the Vice President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors using a system of Proportional Representation, which shall take place by 1st May of the year in which the office falls vacant and the candidates elected shall assume these offices on July 1st that year.
12.2.2The newly elected President and Vice President, if not already members of the National Executive, shall have the right to attend National Executive meetings as non-voting observers prior to assuming office.
12.3 In the event of the office of President or Vice President becoming vacant, the National Executive Committee at its next ordinary meeting shall elect from amongst its members a new President or Vice-President who shall hold office for the remainder of the term. The National Executive Committee shall be at liberty to co- opt a member of the Institute to fill the vacancy arising out of the election of the new President or Vice President.
12.4 Nomination to Office
Each Branch shall elect any Chartered or Qualified Member of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors to the National Executive Committee on the basis of one National Executive Member per 50 Branch members. Each Branch with a membership of less than 50 shall be entitled to elect one member to the National Executive.
12.5 Nominations shall be sent in writing from the Branch Secretary three months prior to the Annual General Meeting shall be included in the list of those eligible for ratification by the AGM for the National Executive Committee.
12.6 Each Branch shall have the right to nominate one person for the positions of President and of Vice President
12.7 Voting for Office
(i) Fellow, Chartered, Qualified and Retired Members shall all have full voting rights.
(ii) The election of President shall be decided by postal ballot of all Fellow, Chartered, Qualified and Retired Members.
(iii) The election of Vice-President shall be decided by postal ballot of all Fellow, Chartered, Qualified and Retired Members.
12.8 The election for office under 12.7 shall be conducted using a Proportional Representation system.
(i) The Standing Orders Committee, under the supervision of a representative of the External Auditors of the Institute, who shall act as Returning Officer, shall meet to count the votes for the elections of President and Vice-President at a time and place set by the National Executive which shall make provision for the secure holding of the sealed ballot papers.
12.9 Members elected to the National Executive Committee by branches shall be formally ratified at the subsequent Annual General Meeting.
12.10 National Executive Officers
The National Executive Committee shall select/elect from its membership persons to fill the positions of Secretary, Treasurer and Public Relations Officer and two of its members as Auditors who shall have the right to examine all accounts.
12.11 Only the Annual General meeting shall have the authority to add to, alter or remove any of these foregoing articles of the Constitution. A two-thirds majority of those voting shall be required to effect such changes.
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