THE BRITISH PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

SPECIAL GROUP IN COACHING PSYCHOLOGY

 

DRAFT RULES

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The draft rules are modelled on those of existing sections and special groups, and conform closely to those previously approved, in particular, the Special Group in Health Psychology. We are keen to take advice on the rules if the formation of the Special Group is approved.

 

1.       NAME

 

          The name of the Special Group shall be the Special Group in                                  Coaching Psychology of the British Psychological Society.                                 Hereinafter the term “Special Group” refers to the Special Group of                             Coaching Psychology and the term, “The Society” refers to “The                       British Psychological Society.”

 

2.       AIMS

 

          The aims of the Special Group shall be as follows:

 

          2.1 To promote the development of coaching psychology in both the                   academic and professional domains of psychology.

 

          2.2 To encourage the research and study of coaching psychology in a                  variety of personal, organisational and training contexts.

 

          2.3 To promote development of appropriate ethical standards and                        guidelines for the practice of coaching psychology.

 

          2.4  To encourage the development of coaching psychology by                             facilitating workshops, symposia, conferences and publications.

         

          2.5  To develop public awareness of the nature, aims and practical                         applications of coaching psychology.

         

          2.6 To work closely with Sections, Special Groups and Divisions of                     The Society in pursuit of these aims and, where appropriate, to                          collaborate with external agencies and organisations.

 

          2.7 To promote the interests of members of the Special Group in their                  activities in coaching psychology.

 

          2.8 To carry on all such activities as may be conducive to the                               foregoing Aims.

 

 

3.       RULES

 

          3.1 These rules shall be construed with reference to The Society, and                  no rule shall have any validity or effect if it amounts to or involves             an alteration or an addition to the Charter, Statutes and/or Rules of               The Society.

 

          3.2 Alterations or additions to these Rules shall only be made by                         resolution passed at an Annual General or Extraordinary Meeting                      of the Special Group after the proposals have been submitted to                       and approved by the Council of The Society.

 

          3.3 The Honorary Secretary of the Special Group shall send a copy of                          the Rules to each new member of the Special Group and shall                          notify all members of alterations or additions to the Rules.

 

4.       MEMBERSHIP

 

          4.1 Membership of the Special Group shall be open only to Members                  or Contributors of The Society. (Contributors are Foreign                              Affiliates, Student Subscribers and Affiliates.)

 

          4.2 There shall be three classes of members:

                   4.2.1 Practitioner Members. This class of membership shall be                                open to all members of The Society who possess the                                    Graduate Basis for Registration and have practised                                  coaching psychology for at least three years, or                                             equivalent part-time, after achieving the Graduate Basis                                  for Registration.

 

                   4.2.2 Members. This class of membership shall be open to                                      Graduate Members of The Society. Together with                                         Practitioner Members, Member will have full voting                                      rights and be considered Full Members of the Special                                Group.

 

                   4.2.3 Affiliate Members. This class of membership shall be                                      open to all contributors of The Society including Student                              Subscribers.

 

                   4.2.4 The election of applicants shall be by majority vote of the                               Special Group Committee at the meeting considering the                               applications.

 

5.       MEETINGS

 

          5.1 The Special Group shall hold such meetings, conferences and                        workshops and engage in such other activities as may be                                    conducive to its aims.

 

          5.2 The Special Group shall hold an Annual General Meeting within                     each calendar year.

 

          5.3 At least twenty one days’ notice of the Annual General Meeting                      and the business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting                   shall be given to all Members of the Special Group.

 

          5.4 The following business shall be transacted at each Annual General       Meeting, in addition to any business which the Special Group                   shall decide to put to the meeting:

 

                   5.4.1 The election of officers and members of the Committee;

 

                   5.4.2 Consideration of a report of the proceedings of the Special                            Group during the year;

 

                   5.4.3 Consideration of a report of the accounts of the Special                                 Group during the year.

 

          5.5 Both Practitioner Members and Members shall be eligible to vote                    in the affairs of the Special Group. Affiliate Members have no                             voting rights.

 

          5.6 An Extraordinary Meeting of the Special Group may be                                  convened at any time by the Committee. It shall be convened by                          the Honorary Secretary of the Special Group at the request in                  writing of not less than twenty Practitioner Members and/or Full                   Members of the Special Group.

 

          5.7 At least fourteen days’ notice of an Extraordinary Meeting shall be       given to all Members of the Special Group, with a statement of the           reasons for convening the meeting.

 

          5.8 Voting on business, other than the election of officers and                             members of the Committee, shall be in the same manner as                                  provided in Statute 17 for General Meetings of The Society.

 

          5.9 The quorum necessary for the transaction of business of any                          Annual General or Extraordinary Meeting of the Special Group                     shall be ten Full Members personally present, each of whom is                    entitled to be present and vote, and no business shall be transacted                 unless a quorum be present. In the event of any Annual General or                 Extraordinary Meeting of the Special Group being inquorate,                          Statute 16(5) shall apply.

 

6.       VISITORS

 

          Each Practitioner Member, Member and Affiliate Member of the          Special Group shall be entitled to introduce visitors to any scientific or practitioner meeting of the Special Group other than Annual         General or Extraordinary Meetings. The Committee may invite    additional visitors.

 

7.       THE COMMITTEE OF THE SPECIAL GROUP

 

          7.1 The business of the Special Group shall be conducted by an                                   Executive Committee composed as follows:

 

                Officers:   A Chair

                                A Deputy Chair

                                An Honorary Secretary

                                An Honorary Treasurer

 

                Members: Six further Full Members of the Special Group.

 

                One Ex Officio Member: The Editor of Coaching Psychology                                                                Review (Special Group Newsletter).

                                                         

                In addition, the Committee may at any time co-opt up to three                        further Committee Members.

 

                In the event that no bona fide students are elected to the                                Committee, at least one bona fide student shall be co-opted to                  the Committee.

 

          7.2 All officers shall be elected annually and retire from office at the                     Annual General Meeting next following their election. They                          shall be eligible for re-election on not more than three consecutive           occasions, after which a period of one year shall elapse before                          they again become eligible for election as Officers of the                               Committee.

 

          7.3 The category of Officers is separate from the category of members                of the Committee. On retirement, Officers shall be eligible for                     election as members of the Committee. Members of the                               Committee who are subsequently elected as Officers are not                     subject to Rule 7.4.

 

          7.4 Two Members of the Committee shall retire at the Annual General       Meeting in each year. In the absence of resignations, those that                        retire shall be those that have been longest in office since their                        election as Members of the Committee. If more than two of the                          Members of the Committee were elected on the same day, then                      those to retire shall be determined by lot, unless they shall                                    otherwise agree among themselves. Those who retire under this                      Rule shall be eligible for re-election for one further term as                              Members of the Committee after which a period of one year shall                     elapse before they next become eligible for re-election.

 

          7.5 A casual vacancy on the Special Group Committee shall be filled                   by the Committee for the remainder of the current year, and shall                          subsequently be filled for the remainder of the term of service for                         which the vacancy has occurred by election at the next Annual                  General Meeting.

 

8.       ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE   COMMITTEE

 

          8.1 Officers and Members of the Committee may be nominated by                      any two or more Practitioner Members, or Members of the Special          Group who shall deposit with the Honorary Secretary, before                       voting takes place, the names of such candidates in writing,                                  together with the written and signed consent of the nominee to                         accept office if elected.

         

          8.2 The committee may, and in the event of there being no other                           nomination, the Committee shall nominate candidates for                            election.

 

          8.3 Where there are more nominations than vacancies, voting for the                    election of officers and members of the Committee shall be by                          postal ballot of all Members of the Special Group. Ballot papers                         shall be received by the Honorary Secretary at the Annual General            Meeting or at the address shown on the ballot paper not later than                  three days before the Annual General Meeting.

 

9.       A STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRACTITIONER MEMBER         AFFAIRS

 

          9.1 Matters concerning the professional applications of coaching                         psychology, training, entry standards and standards of professional            competence among coaching psychologists who are Practitioner                      Members shall be the sole responsibility of the Standing                                Committee. The Chair and voting members of this Committee                        shall all be Practitioner Members of the Special Group. Terms of                   reference of this Committee shall be in a form approved by the                  Special Group and the Council.

 

           9.2 The Special Group shall have the power to appoint sub-                                 committees and working parties, and to designate them as                                     Standing (Sub-) Committees where necessary. All such groups                          shall have constitutions or terms of reference approved by the                           Special Group Committee and shall report to the Committee at a                        frequency prescribed in those terms of reference which shall not                   be greater than two years.

 

10.     COMMITTEE PROCEDURE

 

          10.1 At least seven clear days’ notice of meetings of the Committee                       shall be given to all Members of the Committee.

 

          10.2 No business shall be transacted unless there is a quorum. The                        quorum at any Committee meeting shall be four members                                   together in session, of whom one must be an Officer of the                      Committee.

 

          10.3 The Committee shall act notwithstanding any vacancy to their                          body providing that if the membership falls below four, the                          continuing Members act only for the purpose of filling vacancies               on the Committee or for convening an Annual General Meeting                          or Extraordinary Meeting, but for no other purpose.

 

          10.4  Each year, at the first meeting after the Annual General Meeting,            the Committee shall nominate from its membership a                              representative of the Special Group for Council, as well as                             representatives to serve on the Boards of the Society in                                 accordance with the terms of  Reference of the Boards.

 

11.     FEES

 

          11.1  The annual fee to be paid by members shall be as decided from                      time to time by the Special Group in Annual or Extraordinary                          General Meeting and approved by the Council in accordance                            with the Rules of the Society.

 

          11.2  Any member whose fees remain unpaid wholly or in part for six                      months may, after due notice has been sent to the address                      shown in the List of Members, be removed from membership of             the Division by a resolution of the Committee.

 

          11.3  The Committee may in special cases reduce or remit any                                annual fee, or arrears of any annual fee, of any member.

 

 

April, 2003