Y’S MEN INTERNATIONAL, ASIA PACIFIC AREA
CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I - NAME
This organization shall be known as Y’s Men International, Asia Pacific Area.

ARTICLE II – THE AREASECTION 1 - REGISTERED ADDRESS
The registered address is listed in the Constitutional Guidelines.
SECTION 2 - BOUNDARIESThe Asia Pacific Area consists of the countries within Asia excluding India and Korea, and the South
Pacific countries provided that it shall always be permissible for the International Council to add to, and/or
remove from the Area any Region; and in the event, the Area shall stand reconstituted accordingly.
SECTION 3 - REGIONSThe Asia Pacific Area shall consist of the Regions of Australia, Japan East, Japan West, Philippine,
Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan and such other Regions that may be added to it with the approvalof Y’s Men International.

ARTICLE III - PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVESSECTION 1 - PURPOSE
The International Association of Y’s Men’s Clubs is a worldwide fellowship of persons of all faiths
working together in mutual respect and affection, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and with acommon loyalty to the Young Men’s Christian Association, striving through active service to develop,
encourage and provide leadership to build a better world for mankind.
SECTION 2 - OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Asia Pacific Area are:A.
To encourage, promote and foster organization and development of Y’s Men’s clubs throughout
the Asia Pacific Area.
B.
To co-ordinate and support the activities of all Regions.
C.
To initiate, organize and coordinate leadership development of all levels of leadership.
D.
To provide a general oversight including and not limited to conflict resolution of the Regions
within the Asia Pacific Area.
E.
To promote good relationships with the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs and local YMCAs
in the Area.

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIPSECTION 1 - CLUBS
The membership of the Area shall consist of affiliated local Y’s Men’s Clubs, Y’s Women’s Clubs, Y’s
Men and Women’s Clubs and Y Service Clubs.

SECTION 2 - DEFINITION

The membership of each local club shall be as defined by the International Constitution of Y’s Men
International.

ARTICLE V - LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITYSECTION 1 - LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
The legislative authority of the Asia Pacific Area shall be vested in the Area Council.
SECTION 2 - AREA COUNCIL
The Area Council shall consist of the Area President and the Regional Directors who are elected by the
Regions to represent their membership in the Region.
SECTION 3 - AREA COUNCIL MEETINGSThe Area Council shall have at least two duly constituted meetings either in person, online or in hybrid format per
year. The Area Council shall transact its business in the Area Council Meeting in a feasible format. Voting may
be in person, by mail ballot or by electronic medium with the approval of the Area President. Other meetings of
the Area Council may be called by the Area President or may be requested by any Area Council member andconvened upon approval of at least fifty percent (50%) of the Area Council membership.
SECTION 4 - PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGSA.
The Area President shall preside at all Council Meetings and in his/her absence, the Area PresidentElect or Immediate Past Area President shall preside.
B.
The Area Council Meeting shall be convened by the Area President or at his/her direction by the
Area Secretary. There shall be at least 30 days’ advance notice for convening a Council Meeting.
SECTION 5 - QUORUM
Fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the Area Council shall constitute a quorum. In the event that thequorum is not met, the meeting shall adjourn for half an hour, after which, it may be reconvened at thediscretion of the Area President without decisions being taken.
SECTION 6 - RIGHT TO VOTE
A. The Council Members or his/her proxy shall have the right to one vote each. The decisions of theCouncil shall be according to the majority vote of its members present at any meeting, taken by poll
or by electronic ballot or by mail.
B. The Area President shall exercise his/her vote only in the event of a tie.
SECTION 7 - EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
The Area President-Elect, Immediate Past Area President, Area Secretary and Area Treasurer shall be exofficio members of the Area Council and shall attend Area Council Meetings. International Council
members from the Asia Pacific Area shall also be ex-officio members of the Area Council and shall havethe right to attend Area Council Meetings. The Area President may invite Area Service Directors and the
YMCA Liaison representative to attend Area Council Meetings.
SECTION 8 - PROXY
A. In the case of inability of a Regional Director to attend an Area Council Meeting, the Regional
Director-Elect, the immediate Past Regional Director, or another Regional Representative appointed
by him/her may attend as proxy, provided the name of the proxy is given in writing or by electronic
mail submitted to the Area President in advance.
B.

In the event where no delegate from the Region can attend the Area Council Meeting, the Regional
Director may appoint the Area President as the voting proxy.

ARTICLE VI - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERSSECTION 1 - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
A. Executive officers of this organization shall be the Area President, Area President-Elect, Immediate
Past Area President, Area Secretary and Area Treasurer.
B. The Area President shall serve a one (1) year term of office parallel with his/her two-year term as amember of the International Council.
C. The Area President-Elect shall automatically assume the office of Area President following theretirement of the incumbent Area President.
SECTION 2 - APPOINTMENT OF AREA EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
A. The Area President shall appoint the Area Secretary and the Area Treasurer whose term of officeshall be co-terminus with that of the Area President or such other shorter term as the Area President
may decide. They shall also be known as Area Executive Officers.
B. The Area President shall submit the appointment of the Area Secretary, Area Treasurer and Area
Service Directors for information and endorsement of the Area Council at its first Council Meeting.

ARTICLE VII- SUCCESSIONSECTION 1 - SUCCESSION
In the event of the death or inability of the Area President to serve, the Area President-Elect shall assume
the office of the Area President.
SECTION 2 - OPTIONSIn the event where an Area President-Elect has yet to be elected, the Immediate Past Area President shallre-assume the office of Area President until an election is conducted or an appointment made inaccordance with Article IV Section 6 of the International Constitution.
SECTION 3 - INSTALLATIONThe successor shall be installed by the International President either online or in person.

ARTICLE VIII - INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERSECTION 1 - ELECTION
The Area shall elect International Council Member(s) (ICM) from the Area under the provisions of theInternational Constitution.
SECTION 2 - NOMINATIONSEach club may submit one (1) nominee for each available position of International Council Member torepresent the Area. The nominations shall be submitted on prescribed forms to the International
Headquarters, at least ninety (90) days prior to the election date. This nominee shall meet the qualification
requirements established by Y’s Men International. The Area may establish additional qualification
requirements subject to the approval of the International Council.
SECTION 3 – YOUNG INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERThe qualifications for Young International Council Members are established by the International Council.
The age of the Young International Council Member shall be between age 26 to 39 years.
SECTION 4 – ELECTION PROCEDURES
Forty-five (45) days prior to the election date, the International Headquarters shall present to the clubs amaximum of three (3) nominees for each office as decided by the nominating committee in conjunction
with each Area President concerned, at least one (1) of whom must be the nominee receiving the greatest

number of nominations from the clubs. Each club of good standing shall have one (1) vote for each
International Council member to be elected from the Area and the person receiving the highest number ofvotes for each office in a mailed or online ballot returned to the International Headquarters prior to theelection date, shall be elected.
SECTION 5 – CONCURRENT POSITIONSInternational Council Members and elected officers (Regional Directors and District Governors) shall not
hold concurrently any other elected office within the Area.

ARTICLE IX - ELECTION OF INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER-ELECT
AND AREA PRESIDENT-ELECTSECTION 1 – INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER-ELECT
The election process for the International Council Member-Elect shall be conducted by Y’s Men
International. The International Council Member-Elect shall become the Area President-Elect in the casewhen only one candidate is allotted to the Area.
SECTION 2 – AREA PRESIDENT
In the event where there is more than one International Council Member-Elect, the Area Council may
decide by a majority vote which candidate shall be the next Area President-Elect.

ARTICLE X - FINANCESECTION 1 - AREA DUES
A. The Area Council shall determine a uniform financial share on a per capita basis (“Area Dues”) thateach member club shall pay in support of the Area operating expenses. The Area dues shall becollected from the Clubs by Regions in accordance with their reported membership as at eachFebruary 1 and August 1 and remit to the Area Treasurer/Office by the announced deadlines.
B. The Area Council shall have the authority to change the dues.
SECTION 2 - LEGISLATIVE YEAR
The fiscal year shall coincide with the legislative year, July 1 through June 30.
SECTION 3 - AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
A. The Area Treasurer shall be the Executive Officer responsible for maintaining proper books orrecords of account and the Area’s bank accounts.
B. He/she shall prepare annual financial statements for audit. The financial statements shall include
i.
an Income and Expenditure account which gives a true and fair view of the financialtransactions of the Area for the period to which it relates, andii. a Statement of Affairs which give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Area
as at the date to which the Income and Expenditure account is made up.
C. He/she shall present the annual audited financial statements to the Area Council for acceptance at
the first Area Council Meeting, failing which, an unaudited financial statement is to be presented.
If the audited financial statements could not be presented on time for the first meeting, they mustbe submitted by the next Area Council Meeting.
D. The financial statements shall first be approved by the Area Executive Officers before being
presented to the Area Council.
SECTION 4 - OPERATING BUDGET
A. The Area President shall submit an operating budget at the first Area Council Meeting of the fiscal
year for approval and be responsible for its implementation.

B.

The Area President shall secure the approval of the Area Council using electronic medium where
necessary, for expenditure of any single item that may result in the budgeted expenditure being
exceeded by 10%.

SECTION 5 - AUDITORSThe Area Council shall appoint a professionally qualified accountant as the Area’s auditor at the first Area
Council Meeting. The incumbent auditor may be re-appointed to serve as auditor in the new legislative
year.
SECTION 6 - FINANCIAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Area Executive Officers and parties concerned shall abide by the policies and guidelines as outlined in theConstitutional Guidelines for the Area.

ARTICLE XI - AREA OFFICE
The Area Council may establish an Area Office to promote, coordinate and maintain the work of the Areain accordance with the provisions of the Article VIII of the International Constitution.

ARTICLE XII – AREA CONVENTIONSSECTION 1 - OCCURRENCE
An Area Convention shall be held biennially in odd-numbered years as far as practicable in a feasible
format.
SECTION 2 – CONVENTION BIDS
Bids for hosting the Area Convention shall be submitted to the Area Council for approval two years inadvance.
SECTION 3 – AREA CONVENTION COMMITTEE (“ACC”)
The Area Council shall appoint the Chairperson (preferably a Past Area President) and the members of
the ACC to liaise and coordinate with the Host Convention Committee (“HCC”) in the planning andexecution of the Area Convention.
SECTION 4 – HOST CONVENTION COMMITTEE
Arrangements for the convention shall be made by the HCC under the leadership and supervision of theACC. The process of arranging and holding the Area Convention shall be with reference to theInternational Convention Manual. The HCC shall present the budget and details of the Area Convention
to the Area Council for approval.

ARTICLE XIII – CODE OF CONDUCTSECTION 1 – CODE
A. Club members are expected to speak and behave with integrity, upholding the principles and ethicsof the organisation. The conduct of members should be reflected in the management and governanceof the Area, Regions, Districts, and clubs.
B. It is expected of elected and appointed leaders to give priority to attending business meetings calledby the Area Council or the Area President.
SECTION 2 - GUIDANCE
Conflicts that arise shall be settled as per “Conflict Resolution Procedure” in force as issued by Y’s Men
International.
SECTION 3 – AUTHORITY

The Area Council shall ensure the good functioning of the Association and its image in consultation with
the Regional Troikas.

ARTICLE XIV – DISSOLUTIONSECTION 1 - DISSOLUTION
The Area may be dissolved or merged with another Area upon the approval of International Council at
the recommendation of the Area Council, such recommendation having been approved by 75% of thevoting members (clubs) at a Special General Meeting, provided at least 30 days’ prior written notice has
been given.
SECTION 2 – DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
In the event of a dissolution, the general reserves and designated funds shall be transferred to the surviving
entity.

ARTICLE XV - AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1 – NOTICE PERIOD REQUIREDA. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be voted on at a Special Area Council Meetingprovided at least thirty (30) days’ Notice of Motion has been given in writing to each Council
Member and Area Club Presidents; and provided further that the time limits mentioned above shallnot be restricted, inter alia, when one or more Regions are undergoing situations of force majeuresuch as natural disasters, lock downs, war, civil commotions, etc.
B. The Area Council may approve a shorter notice with a unanimous vote.
SECTION 2 – AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
This Constitution may be amended upon two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Area Council at a duly
constituted meeting or by electronic ballot, with a two-third affirmative vote of the clubs in good standing
in the Area, provided that the adoption of the amendment(s) is(are) not in contravention of the purposes
and policies of Y’s Men International.
SECTION 3 – AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUIDELINESThe Constitutional Guidelines may be amended by a majority affirmative vote of the Area Council
provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been submitted, in writing, to all members of
the Area Council at least thirty (30) days prior thereto; and provided further that the adoption of theamendment(s) is(are) not in contravention of the purposes and policies of Y’s Men International andprovided the time limits mentioned above shall not be restricted, inter alia, when one or more Regions areundergoing situations of force majeure such as natural disasters, lock downs, war, civil commotions, etc.
Amended- April, 1986; Amended - January, 1989; Amended - January, 1990
Amended - January, 2004; Amended - July, 2006; Amended - July 2008;
Amended - July, 2009; Amended – Feb. 2012; Amended – March, 2014
Amended – September, 2019, Amended – November, 2021

Y’S MEN INTERNATIONAL, ASIA PACIFIC AREA
CONSTITUTIONAL GUIDELINES(Guideline numbering corresponds with Article Numbers in the Constitution).

GUIDELINE I - NAME AND AFFILIATION
101

This Constitution may not stand in conflict with the International Constitution.

102

The Motto shall be “To acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right”.

103

Legally adopted changes in the International Constitution shall be binding on the Area Constitution
immediately upon proclamation, pending formal action to amend the Area Constitution.

104

Y’s Men’s Clubs include: - Y’s Men’s Clubs, Y’s Women’s Clubs, Y’s Men’s and Women’s Clubs or
Y Service Clubs.

105This organization recognizes a working partnership with the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs.

106

This organization recognizes the Y’s Menettes’ Clubs of Asia Pacific Area as established per Article
III, Section 3 of the International Constitution.

GUIDELINE II – THE AREA
201

The registered address is at 6/F Administration Building, 23 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong,
SAR.

202

The Asia Pacific Area consists of the territories within Asia and the South Pacific but excluding India
and Korea.

203

Where circumstances warrant, certain clubs within the defined boundaries may (with consent of the
Area Council and the Regions concerned) for administrative purposes affiliate with another Region ofAsia Pacific Area. This consent to affiliation shall be reviewed in the interests of promoting thedevelopment and growth of the clubs under consideration and shall be subject to Article XI, Section 3of the International Constitution.

204

Australia Region includes the territories of Australia and adjacent islands.

205

Japan East Region includes the eastern territories of Japan (including and east of Niigata, Nagano and
Shizuoka Prefectures and extending to Hokkaido) and Okinawa Prefecture.

206

Japan West Region includes the western territories of Japan (including west of Toyama, Gifu and Aichi
Prefectures and extending to Kyushu).

207

Philippine Region includes the territories of Philippines and adjacent islands.

208Southeast Asia Region includes the territories of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos,
Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

209

Sri Lanka Region includes the territories of Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

210

Taiwan Region includes the territories of Taiwan and adjacent islands.

211

A Region that has a membership consistently falling below the membership size defined by Y’s Men
International shall be encouraged to increase its membership, failing which, the Area Council may
recommend to International Council the relegation of the Region to that of a District and that it beadministered by another Region to which it is to be affiliated.

212

Regional Constitutions and/or Guidelines shall not be in conflict with the Area and the International
Constitutions. These Constitutions and/or Guidelines or any revisions thereof shall be submitted to theInternational Council for approval with a copy to the Area. The copies of these documents shall be
kept in the Area Office.

GUIDELINE III – OBJECTIVES301

The Regional Directors are responsible for achieving the objectives of the Area at the Regional level.

GUIDELINE IV - MEMBERSHIP
401

Membership of the Area comprises local clubs.

402

Area membership dues are set by the Area for the purpose of funding its operations.

GUIDELINE V – LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
501

Legislative terms shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th.

502

Minutes of meetings of the Area Council shall be transmitted electronically to Council Members within
thirty (30) days of a meeting.

503

A YMCA Liaison officer, appointed by the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs, shall be invited toattend meetings of the Area Council as an official observer in a non-voting capacity.

504

Any member of a local club, under Article IV of the Area Constitution, shall be entitled to attend any
meeting of the Area Council and may be recognized by the chair to speak on the business during themeeting.

505

The Area Treasurer shall have a financial statement prepared for each Council Meeting.

506

Voting may be taken in person, or electronically, or by email or through an on-line survey tool.

507

All members of the Area Council shall be members from good standing clubs.

508

A club who has met their dues obligations shall have voting privileges on Area matters.

GUIDELINE VI – ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
601
The Area President shall communicate with the Regional Directors and keep the members of the Asia
Pacific Area informed of developments at the International Council.

602

Area Bulletins shall be published and made accessible on the Asia Pacific Area website.

GUIDELINE VII – SUCCESSION701
To ensure sustainability and growth of the Area and for succession planning, Area leaders need tofoster and develop leadership capabilities among its members at all levels. Leaders are sought forthe office and as such, candidates nominated for elected positions shall possess good leadership
qualities among which are integrity and honesty, a commitment and dedication to Y’s Men
International, being enthusiastic and able to relate to members, good communication skills and befluent in English. Other qualities are enumerated in Appendix I to these Guidelines.
702

The ASD LTOD shall be responsible for organizing the RDE Training and other leadership training in
consultation with the AEOs.

GUIDELINE VIII – INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS801
The number of International Council seats allocated to the Area will depend upon the size of the Area’s
membership relative to the other Areas. The allocation will be decided by IHQ using the D’Hondt’s
Method to arrive at the appropriate representation for the Area.
GUIDELINE X – FINANCIAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
1001 AREA FINANCIAL RECORDS
The financial records of the Area shall be kept at its registered office under custody of the Area Office
Coordinator in consultation with the Area Executive Officers.
1002 BANKING ARRANGEMENTS
Bank accounts approved by the Area Council shall be maintained in the country where the Area’s
corporate body is registered. Since the Area Treasurer is an appointed officer from year to year andmay not reside in the country where the bank accounts are located, the authorized signatories shall bedelegated to not less than three present or past resident leaders of the Area. Any two shall be authorized
to operate the accounts upon written approval of the Area President and/or Area Treasurer.
1003 ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Area Treasurer shall be responsible for overseeing and ensuring that the accounting records areproperly kept and be responsible for preparing and presenting the audited financial statements madeup to 30 June of each year to the Area Council Meeting for acceptance. The audited financial statements
shall give a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the Area and distributed toArea Council members by 1st August, failing which, by the second Area Council Meeting.
1004 ANNUAL BUDGETThe Area Treasurer-Elect shall be responsible for preparing the budget for the new fiscal year in
consultation with the Area President-Elect and the Area Treasurer. The annual budget shall be subject
to approval of the Area Council at its first Area Council Meeting for the term. It is the responsibility

of the Area Treasurer to ensure that the expenses are reasonable and kept to a level within the meansof the Area, ie, its annual recurring income.

1005 INCOME
The income of the Area comprises Area dues payable, funding from IHQ, income from social
enterprises, share of surplus from Area Conventions and interests from investments. The income forthe year may be used for normal operating expenses which include but not limited to office rentals,
staff cost, travel expenses, general office expenses, audit fees, donations, subsidies and grants given
for training and other approved expenses.
1006

ANNUAL DUES
Area Dues are payable by the Regions on behalf of their members. Such dues are determined by the
Area Council from time to time. Dues are levied and payable for two semesters based on themembership of the Region as at 1st August, being the first semester and 1st February, being the 2ndsemester. The present Area dues are USD 3 per semester per club member. Dues are payable byinvoiced deadlines for each of the terms. It is the responsibility of Regional Directors to ensure thatclubs within their Region pay their dues and other levies promptly.

1007

DESIGNATED FUND
Funds given or set aside for special purposes are to be recorded in suitably described designatedaccounts. An annual audited statement of the designated accounts is to be provided together with the
Financial Statements.

1008

NATURAL DISASTER EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (“NDERF”)
The NDERF is a designated fund maintained by the Area for purposes of providing emergency aid to
Regions that have suffered from a natural disaster. Contributions of USD 2 per club member by
Regions are mandatory and are payable together with the 1st Semester dues. Disbursements from theFund shall be in accordance with the Policy for NDERF upon approval of the Area Troika in
consultation with the NDERF Chair.

1009

AREA DEVELOPMENT FUND (“ADF”)
The Area Development Fund is established for the provision of funding in support of extension in new
territories, membership conservation programs, youth development, leadership development and otheractivities that will strengthen the Area. Disbursements may be released in accordance with the Fund’s
Policy and the approval of the Area Troika in consultation with the Chair of the Area Development
Committee.

1010

EXPENDITURE
A.

Area Officers’ Travel
Area Officers (AP, APE, IPAP, AS and AT) may be reimbursed for reasonable cost of travels
incurred in the course of carrying out the business of the Area, such as attendance at Area

Council Meetings, Area and Regional Conventions, Area Training and other official
engagements. Accommodation for attendance of Regional Conventions shall be borne by the
Regions. Reimbursements shall be subject to financial resources available in the budget.
B.

Subsidies
Area will provide subsidies to RDs, RDEs and ASDs when it is required of them to attend
official meetings and/or trainings convened by the Area. The amount of subsidy is dependent
on the financial resources available for the budget year and shall include meals where these are
not provided by the host.

C.

Travel Insurance
Area and Regional Officers are expected to have covered themselves with travel insurance andsuch cost is therefore not reimbursable by Area.

D.

Regions in Arrears
No funding whether in the form of subsidy or grants from Designated Fund is to be given to a
Region or its officers, if it is in arrears on dues in respect of more than 10% of the dues payable
by its members. In the case where a Region is unable to remit the dues to the Area owing togovernmental restriction, the amount collected may be kept by the Region with the approval of
the Area President and Area Treasurer. The Regional Director shall be required to submit halfyearly reports to the Area Treasurer and Area President for the Area dues kept in the Region.

1011

APPROVAL LIMITS
Area President is authorized to approve expenditure subject to a limit of USD 2,000 per transaction
and any expenditure exceeding the limit would require the joint approval of the AP Troika in
consultation with the Area Treasurer.

1012

INVESTMENT FUNDS
Oversight of the investment of the Area’s reserves and designated funds shall be vested in an
Investment Committee established by Area Council. The Investment Committee shall comprise theArea Officers and four Regional Directors, two of whom may be past Regional Directors.

1013

AUDITORS
Auditors approved by the Area Council shall be qualified accountants.
1014 GOVERNANCE
It is the responsibility of all officers entrusted with managing the finance of the Area to exercise
prudence for good governance.
GUIDELINE XI – AREA OFFICE
1101

The Area Council may employ an Area Office Coordinator who will be responsible for managing theaffairs of the Area Office under the supervision of the Area President or his/her representative.

1102

When an appointment for an Area Office Coordinator has been made, the term shall be for three years
and may be re-appointed after approval by the Area Council.

GUIDELINE XII – AREA CONVENTION
1201 Area Convention, in so far as is possible, shall be hosted on a regular rotating basis by each Region.
1202

The Area Council shall approve the convention site and preliminary budget at least one (1) year prior
to the date of the Area Convention.

1203 The Host Convention Committee (HCC) shall endeavor to keep the registration fee as low as is possible
to attract maximum participation.
1204

The Area Convention Budget shall aim for breakeven and at most, a surplus not exceeding 10% of therevenue. Surplus (before members’ donations) arising from the hosting of an Area Convention shallbe shared between host Region and the Area on a 70/30 basis.

1205

The Chairperson of the Area Convention Committee (ACC) shall be appointed by the Area Council.
He/she shall work with the HCC to ensure that the general standards and guidelines including
programme objectives are adhered to. The Area Executive Officers shall also serve as members of the
ACC.

GUIDELINE XIII – CODE OF CONDUCT
1301 YMI leaders and club members are encouraged to show, as described in the Inaugural Charge inAppendix II below, the qualities of idealism, interest, industry and initiative in carrying out their YMI
commitments.
1302

Any party/s to a conflict that feels aggrieved by the verdict delivered by the troika in an appeal for
conflict resolution in accordance with the framework on Conflict Resolution Procedure of Y’s Men
International (Appendix III), shall have the right to appeal to the next higher forum for resolution. The
troika includes the current, the immediate next and the immediate past elected principal officer in aparticular forum.

1303

When any conflict is referred to the apex forum of Y’s Men International (the IEOs) for redress, theverdict delivered by the IEOs shall be final and binding on the parties to the appeal.

GUIDELINE XV - AMENDMENTS
1501 Area Constitutional Guidelines may be amended at any duly constituted meeting of the Area Council
or by email, by a simple majority affirmative vote of the Council members present and voting.
1502

Club Presidents are not required to vote on any Area Constitutional Guideline changes.

1503

It is the responsibility of each Regional Director to inform the Club Presidents of any changes to the
Area Constitutional Guidelines.

1504 Clubs of good standing in the Area are defined as clubs which have paid Regional, Area andInternational dues for 100% of its reported members during the past three (3) semesters.
Amended-November,2021

Appendix I
Criteria for International Council MembersYour candidate must be a highly qualified person, able to operate successfully in a diversified group of people
from different linguistic, religious and cultural backgrounds. The following qualifications are desired in eachcandidate:
A.

B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.

The ability and willingness to communicate, both orally and by mail. Communication is one of thegreatest responsibilities in our movement. An ICM must have shown these abilities before his/herelection, and must continue to answer all communications within a reasonable period of time.
Experience in Y'sdom - preferably with a background of proven leadership ability at Club, District andRegional levels.
A commitment to a Christ-like purpose.
The ability to communicate in English.
Knowledge of the YMCA and its international programmes.
Ability to be a conceptual thinker, capable of forming philosophy, policy and organisational concepts.
Creative ability - able to initiate ideas, not merely to respond.
Cultural literacy - and international understanding and concern.
Strong principles, but willingness to compromise for the good of the whole.
Concern for Y'sdom's strength and growth, worldwide.
A willingness and ability to serve - to give the time and effort necessary to be a good ICM.
A willingness and ability to cooperate - to work closely with others.

As you can see, the qualifications are very high, and it might therefore be difficult for your Club to propose asuitable candidate. Feel free to seek advice from your Regional Director or any other leaders as you see fit but remember that your Club decides on which name to submit.
Finally, you must make sure that the candidate you propose is willing to serve if elected.

APPENDIX IIOFFICER INSTALLATION CHARTERof the International Association of Y’s Men’s Clubs

To be elected as an Executive Officer to serve the International Association of Y’s Men’s Clubs is agreat honour. In our organisation, it is the unwritten rule that the office should seek the candidate
rather than the candidate, the office.
Four qualities are expected of you, each commencing with the letter “I”:
IDEALISM is the first. You are expected to demonstrate idealism; to dream big; to find new andinnovative ways to devote to our Movement and to serve the Young Men's Christian Association(YMCA).
INTEREST is the second. You are expected to show interest in the Association and to make its
welfare a priority. Only with such commitment will we reach our full potential as an international
service organisation.
INITIATIVE is the third. You are expected to take initiative; to develop and share ideas; to formulate
and execute plans. You are to be a proponent for action, not merely the follower of suggestion. In
short, you are expected to be always "starting something" and then carrying it through to successful
conclusion.
INDUSTRY is the fourth. You are expected to be industrious. Your peers are expecting you to work
hard for them and for the Association.
In electing you, your fellow members have expressed their confidence that you possess these four
qualities and will exhibit them throughout your term of office. That is why your appointment is sohighly esteemed. How infinitely higher the honour will be when, at the end of your tenure, you havejustified their confidence.
Listen to the following question. If you agree, raise your right hand and answer by saying “yes.”
Do you solemnly swear that you will, to the utmost of your ability, exhibit the qualities ofidealism, interest, initiative and industry, which your office demands of you, andconscientiously discharge your duties, living up to the trust put in you by your fellow
members?
Congratulations.
May wisdom and strength guide you throughout your service and beyond.

APPENDIX III
Conflict Resolution Procedure in Y’s Men International
1. SHORT TITLE, EXTENT AND COMMENCEMENT:
Procedure for resolving conflicts in Y’s Men International (in short YMI) will be known as the
Conflict Resolution Procedure of YMI.
The procedure extends to the whole of Y’s Men International – to its affiliated clubs and to Club
members.
2. DEFINITIONS: In this procedure definitions involved are as below:
CONFLICT: Any dispute, illegal act/s or any act or acts of dishonesty that occur at any level of
YMI in violation of its aims, objectives, mission statement, purpose and constitution, but not a
cognizable offence as per law of the land where it occurs, shall be known as a conflict for the
purpose of this procedure for resolution.
COMPLAINT: Any complaint under this procedure shall be in writing, duly signed and lodged
by the complainant at the prescribed forum as mentioned hereinafter. No complaint shall lie before
any other forum excepting the prescribed ones for resolution.
COMPLAINANT: Any Club in ‘good standing’ or any member of a Club in “good standing” in
YMI may lodge a written complaint but only before the prescribed forum for resolution, and neverdirectly to International.
3. FORUM FOR SETTLEMENT:The complaints as enumerated above shall be filed for settlement in the forums as stated hereunderin the following hierarchical order. Complaints shall be made before:(1) Club Forum for club level disputes,(2) District Forum for district level disputes,(3) Regional Forum for regional level disputes,(4) Area Forum for area level disputes.
Where the troika in any of the above forums cannot resolve the dispute, it shall refer the same tothe troika of the next higher forum for resolution of the dispute / conflict after proper hearing.
When the dispute remains unresolved and is referred for settlement to International by the APtroika, the IEOs shall decide and their decision shall be conclusive and final, not to be challenged
by the disputing parties in any other forum. The IEOs and the International Nominating
Committee shall always have the right to follow recommendations from the AP troika.
4. ADJUDICATORS:(1) The adjudicators for resolution of conflicts in the abovementioned forums shall be the ‘troika’in these forums.
(2) The adjudicators in the International Forum shall be the International Executive Officers.
(3) In case of disputes that may occur between two or more Districts in any Region of YMI, thenthe forum for filing the complaint for redress shall be the Region and the Regional troika of that
Region under which the disputing Districts exist shall adjudicate the same for settlement and inthat order adjudication of all disputes shall go to the next higher forum.
TROIKA: “Troika” means and includes the current, the immediate next and the immediate pastelected principal officer of the Club, District, Region and Area in that order.

5. ADJUDICATION PROCEDURE:(1) Any complaint shall be lodged in writing before the prescribed forum within 60 (sixty)
calendar days of its commission. If filed after this statutory period it shall be deemed as timebarred and cannot be entertained for resolution. However, the forum may entertain the complaint
under special circumstances after recording the reasons thereof on the body of the complaint, duly
signed by the troika.
(2) Appropriate parties to any dispute shall be added for the purpose of fair adjudication giving
opportunity to them of being heard on all issues involved in the dispute.
(3) The day-to-day proceedings of adjudication shall be recorded by the adjudicators on the bodyof the complaint on each date of hearing in presence of the parties to the conflict and duly signedby them and the adjudicators, without which the adjudication so made shall be null and void.
(4) Parties to the dispute shall be allowed to inspect the proceedings and related documents in thepresence of the adjudicators with advance notice to the concerned forum dealing with thecomplaint.
(5) If any complaint is lodged before a forum other than the prescribed forum under thisprocedure, the forum where it is filed shall send it back to the appropriate forum under thisprocedure for due disposal of the complaint.
6. DISPOSAL OF COMPLAINT:(1) The final disposal of the complaint with the verdict delivered shall be made within 60 (sixty)
days after the complaint is lodged before the forum concerned. Copies of the verdict shall be duly
served and communicated to the parties involved in the dispute.
(2) In the event that the ‘troika’ in any of the forums for settlement of any dispute under thisprocedure is not unanimous in its decision, then the decision of the majority of the troika shallprevail and will be binding on the disputing parties for settling the dispute.
7. APPEAL:
Any party/s to the conflict that feels aggrieved by the verdict delivered by the troika in any of theabove forums in respect of the dispute can appeal to the next higher forum for resolution. When
any conflict is referred to the apex forum of Y’s Men International (the IEOs) for redress, theverdict delivered by the IEOs shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding on the parties tothe appeal. No further appeal shall lie.
8. COMPLIANCE
Failing to follow this Procedure until a final verdict is delivered and/or seeking shelter in national
courts of law for redress before it is exhausted shall open the debarring procedure in Guideline
308 of the International Constitution.
Conflict Resolution Procedure
Amended September 2016