Preamble

TANDEM PLUS draws on the experiences of different European countries which are faced with serious problems of social exclusion and poverty. It consists of partner structures from multiple disciplines which work together towards finding solutions to these problems by pooling their human, technical and financial resources.

Exchanging information on methods and experiments has lead to improvements in the different inclusion policies adopted by the different countries, thereby elaborating new working methods. Participating structures share their experiences and develop trans-regional socio-economic policies by associating a whole spectrum of actors from economic, political, social, socio-cultural, educational and research fields. Together they weave a multi-faceted partnership, working towards the social inclusion of the target groups.

Drawing on the collective experience of all the actors involved in order to highlight the most positive and enriching experiences, we work to develop and improve the inclusion process for those target groups most at risk. This collaboration further confirms the legitimacy of our missions in the regions concerned and leads to better recognition of our actions, not only by the government institutions of our respective countries but by the European Union and international institutions as well.

The network’s partner structures have chosen to coordinate their actions in view of designing, developing and implementing new scenarios and new pathways to trans-national co-operation, while still respecting one another’s specific missions.

TITLE I: NAME, NATURE, HEADQUARTERS AND OBJECTIVE

ARTICLE 1: Name

An association governed by the French Law of July 1st, 1901 and the French Decree of August 16th, 1901 is instituted between the members adhering to the present statutes :

EUROPEAN NETWORK CALLED « TANDEM PLUS »
The duration of the association is unlimited.

ARTICLE 2: Headquarters

The association has its headquarters in Lille (59000), France, Centre Vauban 201 rue Colbert – Entrée Lille – 2nd floor.

ARTICLE 3: Objective

The mission of TANDEM PLUS will be to develop actions and strategies to solve the social, political and economic inclusion problems of the disadvantaged and to promote the principles of social cohesion and access to employment for all.
The members belonging to TANDEM PLUS will collaborate mainly on working towards the following common goals:

• Promoting equality between the sexes;
• Fighting against discrimination of all sorts;
• Carrying out studies, research and analyses in the fields of social policies, of the labour market and of both formal and informal Lifelong Education;
• Promoting the dissemination of information and knowledge about social policies at the European level;
• Establishing the Network as a recognised actor in the EU community in order to have a decisive impact on the decision-making processes in the field of social inclusion;
• Developing specific projects in the field of social inclusion;
• Developing and promoting actions geared towards conserving and restoring our European heritage;
• Designing and carrying out projects in the areas of vocational training, get to work programmes and local development;
• Improving and promoting intercultural exchange;
• Developing actions in support of youths faced with limited opportunities;
• Trying out new models and methods of integrating the disadvantaged;
• Extending TANDEM PLUS to associations on an international level.

ARTICLE 4: Members

The association is made up of two groups:
a) The Active Affiliated Members Group, which includes all members of the association.
The Active Affiliated Members are exclusively corporate entities legally constituted in their country of origin, and are not individuals.
There may be more than one member per country.
Potential members are:

• Associations of the type governed by the French law of 1901, that is, non-profit organisations;
• Non-Governmental Organisations or their equivalent;
• Public Organisations working in the fields of TANDEM PLUS;
• Research Institutes;
• Universities, Institutes and Training Centres, Schools;
• Enterprises and foundations;

which share the values and interests of the network.

b) The Associate Members Group, which includes all the individuals and corporate entities (institutions and non-profit associations) able to contribute useful social and technical know-how to the association’s mission and to take part in the experimentations carried out by TANDEM PLUS.
The associate members do not have voting rights.

ARTICLE 5: OBTAINING OR LOSING MEMBERSHIP STATUS

A request for membership to the association must be submitted in writing, and state the motivation of the potential member.
Admission of new members to the association is the exclusive prerogative of the Management Board. The national coordinator (should such a post exist) may give his/her opinion but will not have any power of decision.
The following situations lead to loss of membership:

• Submitting written notification of intention to resign,
• Failure to pay the subscription,
• The entity ceases to exist in its country of origin
• Non-compliance with the Statutes or with the Association Rules and Regulations.

The Ordinary General Assembly decides the exclusion of a member.

ARTICLE 6: Subscription

The subscription is paid annually, the amount being fixed by the General Assembly.

ARTICLE 7: TANDEM PLUS’s working languages

The working languages are French and English.

ARTICLE 8: Resources

The resources of the association are composed of:

• The subscriptions paid by its members,
• Subsidies granted by the different member States or by government bodies,
• Subsidies granted to the Association by the European Commission and the structural funds allocated,
• The association’s resources generated by its own activities,
• And all other public or private resources authorised by legislative and regulatory texts.

TITLE II: ORGANISATION

ARTICLE 9: Structure of the association

The TANDEM PLUS association is made up of the following bodies:

• The General Assembly
• The Management Board

ARTICLE 10: General Assembly

The General Assembly, in accordance with article 4, is composed of all the Members of the association, whatever their affiliation status.

ARTICLE 11: Meetings

The General Assembly meets at least once in a year in its ordinary form and when ever it is convened in its extraordinary form upon request of at least 1/3 of its members or of the majority of the Management Board’s Members.

ARTICLE 12: Convocation

The Chairperson, who presides over the Assembly, convenes it by written notification. The minimum period of time allowed between the notification and the Assembly’s meeting will be detailed in the Rules and Regulations of the association.

ARTICLE 13: Competences

a) In ordinary session, the General Assembly:

• Approves the Chairperson’s policy report, as well as the annual activity and financial reports from the Management Board;
• Elects the members of the Management Board;
• Determines the annual subscription of the members;
• Defines the objectives and the goals and approves the plan of action of the association;
• Ratifies new memberships;
• Deliberates on all questions arising in relation to the Rules and Regulations, and settles any conflicts between members, deciding if necessary on the exclusion of a member.

Decisions are taken by a majority vote of the members present and/or represented.

b) In extraordinary session, the General Assembly is mainly competent to:

• Modify the statutes;
• Dissolve the association TANDEM PLUS;
• Decide any other matter not within the competence of the General Assembly meeting in ordinary session.

The deliberations of the Extraordinary General Assembly are only valid in the presence of at least 1/2 of its members.

ARTICLE 14: Management Board

The General Assembly elects a Management Board made up of 5 to 11 members (uneven number of members), which includes:

• 1 President
• 1 Treasurer
• 1 Secretary

In case of vacancy, the Management Board has the power to provisionally replace its members. The replacements shall be confirmed by the next General Assembly.

The members of the Management Board are elected for a period of 3 years. Outgoing members are eligible for re-election.
The first mandate is to be carried out by the Active Founding Members of the association present at the Founding Extraordinary General Assembly and will last a period of 8 months. During this period, the Management Board will be constituted of the Active Founding Members, without any attribution of specific functions.

ARTICLE 15: Association Rules and Regulations

A document may be thought up by the Management Board to set out the Rules and Regulations of the Association.

ARTICLE 16: Dissolution of the Association

In the event of dissolution, the assets of the association will be transferred to another association working towards the same goals.