Yarra Glen and District Living and Learning Centre, Inc.

 

Membership

Download the Centre Membership/Enrolment form (pdf format)

Membership Fee and Term

    Our current annual Membership Fee is $15.00 ($12 for Pensioners, please show your pension card to access) and is valid from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

Membership, entry fees and subscriptions

    1. A person who is eligible applies and is approved for membership as provided in the rules is eligible to be a member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre on payment of the annual subscription payable under the Rules.
    2. An application of a person for membership of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre must:
      a. Be made in writing on the form provided by Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre and
      b. Be lodged with the Manager of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre
    3. The committee may determine whether to approve or reject the application
    4. Once an application for membership has been approved, the Manager must, as soon as practicable, notify the applicant in writing of the approval for membership.
    5. The Manager must, within 28 days after receipt of payment, enter the applicants name in the register of members.
    6. An applicant for membership becomes a member and is entitled to exercise the rights of membership when his or her name is entered in the register of members.
    7. If the committee rejects an application, the committee must, as soon as practicable, notify the applicant in writing that the application has been rejected.
    8. A right, privilege, or obligation of a person by reason or membership of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre;
      a. Is not capable of being transferred or transmitted to another person and
      b. Terminates upon the cessation or membership whether by death or resignation or otherwise
    9. The annual subscription is the relevant amount set out by Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre and is payable on the first enrolment day in each year or on such other date as may be determined by the committee.
    10. The committee may determine proportional subscriptions for members admitted during the year.
    11. The committee may at its discretion waive all or part of the subscription fees for any member who in its opinion, is in disadvantaged or necessitous circumstances.
    12. The rights of a member (including the right to vote) who has not paid the annual subscription by the due date are suspended until the subscription is paid.

Ceasing Membership

    A member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre who has paid all moneys due and payable by a member to Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre may resign from the Association by notice in writing, verbally or by non-payment of membership fees.

Discipline, Suspension and Expulsion of Members

    1. The committee may suspend or expel any member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre;
      a. Who commits any breach of any rule or by-law of the association or
      b. Who, in the opinion of the committee, acts in a manner which is contrary to the interests of the association or
      c. No longer complies with the membership requirements of the association
    2. The member shall be informed of the allegation and invited to present a verbal or written explanation to the committee meeting at which the matter is to be considered
    3. A resolution of the committee does not take effect unless;
      a. At a meeting held in accordance with were the committee confirms the resolution; and
      b. If the member exercises a right of appeal to the Association, the Association confirms the resolution in accordance with this rule
    4. A meeting of the committee to confirm or revoke a resolution must be held not earlier than 14 days, and not later than 28 days, after notice has been given to the member
    5. For the purposes of giving notice, the Coordinator must, as soon as practicable, cause to be given to the member a written notice;
      a. Setting out the resolution of the committee and the grounds on which it is based; and
      b. Stating that the member, or his or her representative, may address the committee at a meeting to be held not earlier than 14 days and not later than 28 days after the notice has been given to that member; and
      c. Stating the date, place and time of that meeting; and
      d. Informing the member that he or she may do one or both of the following -
        i. attend that meeting; or
        ii. give to the committee before the date of that meeting a written statement seeking the revocation of the resolution;
      e. Informing the member that, if at that meeting, the committee confirms the resolution, he or she may, not later than 48 hours after that meeting, give the Coordinator a notice to the effect that he or she wishes to appeal to the Association in general meeting against the resolution.
    6. At a meeting of the committee to confirm or revoke a resolution, the committee must;
      a. Give the member, or his or her representative, an opportunity to be heard; and
      b. Give due consideration to any written statement submitted by the member; and
      c. Determine by resolution whether to confirm or to revoke the resolution
    7. If at a meeting of the committee, the committee confirms the resolution, the member may, not later than 48 hours after that meeting, give the Coordinator a notice to the effect that he or she wishes to appeal to the Association in general meeting against the resolution
    8. If the Coordinator receives a notice, he or she must notify the committee and the committee must convene a general meeting of the Association to be held within 21 days after the date on which the Secretary received the notice
    9. At a general meeting of the Association convened;
      a. No business other than the question of the appeal maybe conducted; and
      b. The committee may place before the meeting details of the grounds for the resolution and the reasons for the passing of the resolution; and
      c. The member, or his or her representative, must be given an opportunity to be heard; and
      d. The members present must vote by secret ballot on the question whether the resolution should be confirmed or revoked
    10. A resolution is confirmed if, at the general meeting, not less than two-thirds of the members vote in person, or by proxy, in favour of the resolution. In any other case, the resolution is revoked

Disputes and Mediation

    1. The grievance procedure applies to disputes between:
      a. A member and another member; or
      b. A member and the Association
    2. The parties to the dispute must meet and discuss the matter in dispute, and, if possible, resolve the dispute within 14 days after the dispute comes to the attention of all of the parties
    3. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute at the meeting, or if a party fails to attend that meeting, then the parties must, within 10 days, hold a meeting in the presence of a mediator
    4. The mediator must be;
      a. A person chosen by agreement between the parties; or
      b. In the absence of agreement;
        i. In the case of a dispute between a member and another member, a person appointed by the committee of the Association; or
        ii. In the case of a dispute between a member and the Association, a person who is a mediator appointed or employed by the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (Department of Justice)
    5. A member of the Association can be a mediator
    6. The mediator cannot be a member who is a party to the dispute
    7. The parties to the dispute must, in good faith, attempt to settle the dispute by mediation
    8. The mediator, in conducting the mediation, must;
      a. Give the parties to the mediation process every opportunity to be heard; and
      b. Allow due consideration by all parties of any written statement submitted by any party; and
      c. Ensure that natural justice is accorded to the parties to the dispute throughout the mediation process
    9. The mediator must not determine the dispute
    10. If the mediation process does not result in the dispute being resolved, the parties may seek to resolve the dispute in accordance with the Act or otherwise at law

Roles and Responsibilities of Members

    Members of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre have the right to:
    1. Access the rules of the association and general meetings
    2. Be notified of the date, time and place of all general meetings of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre
    3. Attend and vote at general meetings
    4. If proxies are permitted and the committee sends out any forms, forms to be sent out and the member can engage a proxy (i.e. anybody else who is a member and will be present at the meeting to vote)

Members Access to Documentation

    Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre must keep and maintain a register of members in accordance with the Association Reform Act 2012.

Register of Members

    The register of members must contain the following information about each person who is a member of the association;
    1. The person's name and address
    2. If applicable, the class of membership of the person
    3. The date on which the person (group or individual) became a member of the association
    Email contact addresses and mobile phone numbers to assist with communication can also be collected.
    The date on which a person ceases to be a member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre must be entered in the register of members within 14 days after that date.
    Information about a person who is no longer a member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre, other than the name of the person and the date on which the person ceased to be a member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre, must be removed from the register of members within 14 days after the person ceases to be a member of the association.

Inspection of register of members

    If requested to do so by one of its members and subject to restriction of access, Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre must permit the member at a reasonable time to inspect the register of members.

Restriction of access to personal information

    A request may be made to the Coordinator of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre to restrict access to the personal information of a person recorded in the register of members of the association.
    A request may seek to restrict access so that the personal information is available only to;
    1. The Coordinator and members of the committee; or
    2. The Coordinator and members of the committee other than a specified member or specified members of the committee
    The request may be made by;
    1. The person; or
    2. If the person is a child, by a parent or guardian of the person
    If the Coordinator is satisfied that there are special circumstances which justify doing so, the Coordinator must agree to the request.
    If the Coordinator refuses the request, the Coordinator must notify the person who made the request of the decision.
    The notice must;
    1. Be in writing; and
    2. Include the reasons for the decision
    If the Coordinator refuses the request, the Coordinator must not release the personal information without the consent of the person unless;
    1. At least 28 days have elapsed since the Coordinator gave notice to the person; and
    2. Either;
      a. The person has not sought a review of the decision; or
      b. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has upheld the Coordinator's decision to release the information
    If a person is notified by the Coordinator that his or her request to restrict access to personal information has been refused, the person may, within 28 days after the notification, apply to VCAT for a review of the decision.
    If;
    1. A member of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre informs the Coordinator of the association that he or she wishes to circulate material to all members of the association relating to its management, activities or purposes; and
    2. Access to the personal information of another member recorded on the register of members of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre is restricted under this section;
    3. The Coordinator must forward that material to that other member

Records and documents in language other than English

    1. The records of Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre may be kept in any language
    2. A certified English translation of any record of an incorporated association not kept in English must be made available within a reasonable time on the request of;
      a. A member of the association; or
      b. The Registrar or anyone else who is entitled to inspect the record
    3. If under this Act a person gives to or lodges with the Registrar a document, not written in English, the person must at the same time give to or lodge with the Registrar a certified English translation of the document