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PREAMBLE

1.1 Recognising that counselling has become universally established as an approach to the solution of personal problems; and     1.2 Recognising that counsellors are members of many different professional groups with different training standards and with different techniques; and     1.3 Committing ourselves to the goal of assisting other human beings to achieve greater psychological well-being;     1.4 It is decided to form an Association.

NAME AND PLACE OF BUSINESS

2.1 The name of the Association (hereinafter called "The Association") shall be the Singapore Association for Counselling.     2.2 The place of business of the Association shall be at the Singapore Professional Centre, 93 Toa Payoh Central #05-01, Toa Payoh Central Community Building, Singapore 319194 or at any other address as may from time to time be decided by the Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the general membership and the Registrar of Societies.

AIMS AND OBJECTS

3.1 The general purpose of the Association shall be to provide a common professional base for the advancement of counselling in Singapore.     3.2 The specific professional aims of the Association shall be:   (a) To promote the professional practice of counselling.   (b) To encourage the development and advancement of professional counselling as a mental health discipline in Singapore.   (c) To promote and assist in the research on counselling theories and practice.   (d) To promote and reinforce high standards in education and training, professional ethics, competency and growth.   (e) To promote and enhance public awareness of the profession of counselling.   (f) To foster co-operation and sharing of information and experience among professionals of different counselling approaches and specialities.     3.3 The specific objectives of the Association shall be:   (a) To organise, participate in arranging and providing for conferences, workshops, exhibitions, business and social meetings, lectures and discussions on subjects of interest to persons interested in counselling, and also for conduct and publication of research relevant to counselling;   (b) To print, publish and circulate papers, treatise, books, pamphlets, leaflets or communications to the Association, and proceedings and accounts of the Association;   (c) To keep a Register of members, their qualifications and appointments, and particulars of their professional experience;   (d) To act as trustee of any trusts established solely or principally for purpose similar or related to the aims of the Association; and   (e) To consider and advise on any question of policy related to the practice of counselling referred to it for consideration by any member of the Association or by any other body/agency (government, non-government, public or private sector).

MEMBERSHIP

4.1 The Association shall consist of:   (a) Ordinary Members   (b) Registered Members   (c) Associate Members   (d) Honorary Members   (e) Overseas Members     4.2 ORDINARY MEMBERS:   Persons who shall satisfy the Executive Committee that they have approved training and experience in counselling in accordance with one of the following sets of requirements (a) or (b):   (a) Shall be a graduate from an accredited institute of higher learning and has also completed recognized training courses in counselling theory. The counselling content (of a minimum of 300 hours altogether) must include:   i. Counselling Theory, which includes the principles,concepts, and practice of counselling and orientation to basic counselling models;   ii. Counselling Content Areas may include: Human Growth and Development, Helping Relationships, Group Work, Appraisal and Research, Career and Lifestyle Development, Professional Orientation and Ethics, Marriage and Family Work and other specialization topics.   iii. Counselling Practicum or Internship as part of the degree programme, which includes a minimum of 100 hours in the practice of face to face counselling under supervision. The supervision will consist of at least one hour of supervision for each ten hours of counselling practice.   iv. He/She should complete 600 hours of face to face counselling within three years of completing the training. The recording of hours will begin only when coursework has been completed. The supervision will consist of at least one hour of clinical supervision for each oten hours of counselling practice.       OR       (b) Is presently a social and counselling service provider/practitioner before having taken this option. Shall have completed recognized training courses in counselling theory and skills practice (of a minimum of 300 contacts hours altogether) from an accredited educational or training institute.   i. Counselling Theory, which includes the principles, concepts, and practice of counselling and orientation to basic counselling models;   ii. Counselling Content Areas may include: HUman Growth and Development, Helping Relationships, Group Work, Appraisal and Research, Career and Lifestyle Development, Professional Orientation and Ethics, Marriage and Family Work and other specialization topics.   iii. He/She must complete 600 hours of face to face counselling within three years of completing educational requirements. Recording of hours may begin when course work begins. The supervision will consist of at least one hour of clinical supervision for each ten hours of counselling practice.     4.3 REGISTERED MEMBERS:     4.3.1 Every Ordinary Member will automatically be placed upon the register when they are granted membership. To maintain register status refer to 4.3.9     4.3.2 Registered members may call themselves SAC Registered Counsellors.     4.3.3 Every two years each person on the register shall complete 50 hours of continuing professional education (CPE). The two-year period begins at the AGM of the year the individual is admitted as an Ordinary Member.     4.3.4 The continuing professional education (CPE) is based upon chronological hours. As an example, a four-hour workshop then accounts for four of the necessary hours.     4.3.5 The continuing professional education (CPE) will consist of workshops, seminars, or training in counselling, social work, psychology or a related field.     4.3.6 Either a photocopy of the certificate of attendance or a written letter confirming your participating will provide evidence of this continuing professional education (CPE).     4.3.7 The evidence of the 50 chronological hours is to be presented at the AGM.     4.3.8 Provision is made for a three-month cushion before or after the AGM date to facilitate the accumulation of CPE hours. Once submitted, the same CPE hours cannot be re-submitted for a subsequent year period.     4.3.9 Those who do not complete the continuing education requirement will be taken off of the register but will remain as Ordinary Members.     4.3.10 Every two years each person on the register shall submit on the prescribed form a record that he/she has completed at least 400 hours of clinical work. The two-year period begins at the AGM of the year the individual is admitted as an Ordinary Member.     4.3.11 Clinical work consists of face to face counselling, group work, and provision of clinical supervision.     4.4 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:   Persons who shall satisfy the Executive Committee that they have a legitimate interest in the aims of the Association and who are elected as hereinafter provided. Associates shall take no part in government of the Association.     4.5 HONORARY MEMBERS:   Persons who, by reason of their eminence in the Counselling profession or their substantial contribution to the profession of Counselling or its practice, may be elected to Honorary membership by the Annual General Meeting on recommendation of the Executive Committee. An Honorary Member shall not be liable to pay a subscription but shall enjoy all other privileges of membership. Those who do not meet the membership requirements may not be eligible to vote or stand for office.     4.6 OVERSEAS MEMBERS:   Persons who qualify as members under 4.2, 4.4, 4.5 but are not residents of Singapore. An overseas member shall be liable to pay a subscription and shall enjoy all other privileges of membership but shall have no voting rights. He/she would not be included in any computation of a quorum.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES

5.1 The election to Membership shall be decided by the Executive Committee.     5.2 A candidate for election to Membership shall be proposed by at least one Member who shall have personal knowledge of the candidate and be prepared to furnish information as to the candidate's qualifications.     5.3 Application for Membership shall be lodged to the Executive Committee in the forms prescribed by the Association.     5.4 In the event of objections of three or more members of the Executive Committee, an application shall be rejected.

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

6.1 Every Member shall be entitled to participate in all meetings pursuant to paragraph 3.3(a) herein and to receive all notices of such meetings, and to cast a vote where relevant; to receive publications issued pursuant to paragraph 3.3(b); and to have the member's name entered on the register of members.     6.2 Every Associate member shall be entitled to participate in meetings pursuant to paragraph 3.3(a) herein unless it is decided by the Executive Committee that such meetings shall be for Members only. However, an Associate Member shall not be entitled to cast a vote in any meeting.     6.3 Every Associate member shall be entitled to receive notices of all meetings in which the Associate Member is entitled to participate, and publications issued pursuant to paragraph 3.3(b).     6.4 The rights and privileges of every Member and Associate member shall be personal to the member only and shall not be transferable.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

7.1 The subscriptions payable by members, Associate members and Overseas members shall be prescribed by the Annual General Meeting from time to time.     7.2 Any member, Associate member or Overseas member, whose subscription is in arrears shall be notified for payment by the secretary. If the subscription remains unpaid for one month after due notice has been sent to the member's address as shown in the Register of Members, membership will be automatically terminated. The committee may at any time in their discretion restore him/her to membership upon payment of all arrears of subscription then due.     7.3 The election of a member, Associate member shall not become effective until the appropriate subscription payable on such election has been paid.     7.4 Any member, Associate member or Overseas member may resign from the Association by informing the Executive Secretary in writing that the member wishes to resign. The member shall cease to be a member, Associate member or Overseas member at the termination of the period covered by the member's current subscription unless the member shall withdraw the member's resignation before that date.     7.5 Annual subscriptions shall be due and payable before or at the Annual General Meeting.     7.6 The annual subscription fee shall be such sum as the Annual General Meeting may from time to time determine.     7.7 All subscription fee shall be paid to the Association. Cheques shall be made payable to "The Singapore Association for Counselling" and crossed "Account Payee".

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE ASSOCIATION

8.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be the supreme authority of the Association and its decisions final.     8.2 The powers and duties of the Annual General Meeting shall include:   (a) The determining of general policy and a programme of activity for the Association;   (b) The election of Office Bearers of the Association;   (c) Deciding the annual subscription payable by Members;   (d) Approving the budget;   (e) Receiving and accepting the Statement of Accounts; and   (f) The amending of the Constitution of the Association.     8.3 The Annual General Meeting shall seek to convene once a year at a time and place designated and held not later than 31st March.     8.4 A notice convening the Annual General Meeting shall with the Agenda, Annual Report, and Accounts be sent to all members not less than fourteen (14) days before the Meeting. Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a general meeting may do so provided the member gives notice to the Honorary Secretary one week before the meeting is due to be held.     8.5 The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be one-quarter of the members of the Association.     8.6 In the event of a lack of quorum thirty minutes after the Annual General Meeting is due to begin, the meeting shall be held but shall not have the power to alter or amend rules.     8.7 Each individual member shall have one vote except the Chairman who shall have a casting vote.     8.8 The Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened on the written request of at least 10 voting members. A minimum of two weeks advance notice for the meeting must be served.

THE OFFICE BEARERS

9.1 The office bearers of the Association shall be:   (a) The President.   (b) The Vice-President.   (c) The Honorary Secretary.   (d) The Assistant Honorary Secretary.   (e) The Treasurer.   (f) Two Committee Members.   (g) Representative from professional organisations related to counselling may be invited to sit in the Executive Committee.     9.2 All office bearers shall hold office for a term of not more than two years and shall be eligible for re-election except for the post of Honorary Treasurer. The Honorary Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election only after a lapse of one term of office.     9.3 THE PRESIDENT:   The President shall take office at the declaration of the ballot at the Annual General Meeting. The President of the Association shall be the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting and of the Executive Committee.     9.4 VICE PRESIDENT:   The Vice President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and will deputise in the absence of the President.     9.5 HONORARY SECRETARY:   The Honorary Secretary shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall be responsible for the following duties:   (a) Secretary of the Annual General Meeting and of the Executive Committee.   (b) Keeping a membership register.   (c) Issuing notices and to convene the Annual General Meeting and Executive Committee Meeting.   (d) Attend to all correspondences of the Association.     9.6 ASSISTANT HONORARY SECRETARY:   Shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall assist the Honorary Secretary.     9.7 HONORARY TREASURER:   The Honorary Treasurer shall not hold office for more than one term of two years and the Treasurer's duties shall be:   (a) The maintenance of a record of payments of subscriptions;   (b) The banking of moneys and payments of accounts properly rendered to the Association;   (c) The co-signing of cheques drawn on the bank account of the Association with either the President or the Honorary Secretary as the second signatory;   (d) The advising of the Executive Committee on financial matters including the current financial position of the Association, its assets and its liabilities;   (e) The submissions annually of the draft budget to the Executive Committee and the presentation for its approval of duly certified accounts for the preceding years; and   (f) The presentation to the Annual General Meeting for its approval of duly certified accounts for the preceding years.     9.8 Eligibility for Nomination.   All those who have been members of the Association for at least one year shall be eligible to stand for office.

COMMITTEES

10.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be empowered to establish Standing Committees as it shall consider desirable, and to delegate to such Committees such of its power and duties as it shall consider appropriate.     10.2 The Executive Committee shall be empowered to establish such ad-hoc Committees or Working Parties as it considers desirable or as the Annual General Meeting may direct, and shall require such Committee or Working Parties to report by a specified date to the Executive Committee, for further report to the Annual General Meeting where appropriate.     10.3 Committee or Working Parties of the Executive Committee shall be automatically dissolved after the purpose for which they have been formed is completed.     10.4 The Executive Committee is authorised to invite donations to the funds of the Association by lawful means and to expend such sums of money as the Association may think fit in furtherance of the aims of the Association.

ACCOUNTS

11.1 The Annual General Meeting shall keep or cause to be kept proper books of accounts of the receipts and expenditures and the matters in respect of which the receipt and expenditure takes place and of the assets, credits and liabilities of the Association and of all sales and purchases of goods by the Association.     11.2 The books and accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and, subject to any reasonable restrictions as to the time and manner of inspecting the same, shall be open to inspection of the Members.     11.3 A copy of every profit and loss account and balance sheet (including every document required by law to be annexed thereto) which is to be laid before the Annual General Meeting, together with copy of the Auditor's Report, shall, not less than 14 days before the date of the Meeting, be sent to all persons entitled to receive notices of meetings of the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

AUDIT

12.1 The accounts of the Association shall be examined annually and the correctness of the balance sheet ascertained by one or more properly qualified Auditor or Auditors, who are not members of the Committee. The Auditor or Auditors may hold office for two years. The Auditor or Auditors may be re-elected.     12.2 The appointment, remuneration and duties of the Auditors shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting.     12.3 The Financial year shall commence from January 1st and end on December 31st.

PROHIBITIONS

13.1 Gambling of any kind and playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Association's premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.     13.2 The funds of the Association shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court.     13.3 The Association shall not attempt to restrict or in any manner interfere with trade or prices or engage in Trade Union activity as defined in any written law relating to Trade Unions for the time being in force in Singapore.     13.4 The Association shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.     13.5 The Association shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Association or its office-bearers, committee or members.

TRUSTEES

14.1 If the Association at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust. Any trustee may at any time resign his/her trusteeship. If a trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind or moves permanently or is absent from the States of Singapore for a period of one year, he/she shall be deemed to have resigned his/her trusteeship. If a trustee is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he/she continue as a trustee, a General Meeting may remove him/her from his/her trusteeship. Vacancies in the trusteeship may be lesser than five or greater than two. Notice of proposal to remove a trustee from his/her trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by affixing in the premises of the Association a document containing such proposal at least two weeks before the meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such a meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

AMENDMENT AND DISSOLUTION

15.1 The Constitution may be amended by a two-third majority of the Annual General Meeting provided notice of the amendment has been given in writing to all members at least one month before the meeting and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.     15.2 The Association may only be dissolved by the decision of three-fifths of the members present at the Annual General Meeting provided that notice of dissolution motion has been given in writing to all members at least three months before the meeting.     15.3 In the event that the required quorum for dissolution cannot be mastered at the General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for one month at a place and time to be appointed and should the number present personally be insufficient to form the required quorum, then those present shall be considered a quorum for the purpose of dissolution.     15.4 In the event of Dissolution, any fund or property of the Association shall, after discharge of all debts and liabilities of the Association be made over to any society having similar aims, or failing that, shall be applied to some professional, educational or charitable purpose, in either case the decision lying with the General Meeting at which the Association is dissolved.     15.5 Notice of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

DISPUTES

16. In the event of any dispute arising amongst the members, they shall table the matter for resolution before an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held in accordance with the constitution. If the members fail to resolve the matter at the Extraordinary General Meeting, they shall bring the matter before a court of law for resolution.

Updated as at July 11 2005.