Definition

1. The Association: Shall mean The SRI LANKA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNSELLORS (SRILNAC) founded on Saturday the 7th September 1985, whereby founding members selected a President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and seven other Executive Council Members from amongst those present, to hold office for one year.
2. The Executive Council: Shall mean the Council comprising of President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and seven others elected by the general membership to hold office for one year, according to the rules laid out herein.
3. The President: Shall mean the person elected as President of the Association at the inaugural meeting and thereafter annually by the members at the Annual General Meeting from amongst the members and such person shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election for a period of not more than two consecutive years.
4. A Member: Shall mean any counsellor whose application for membership has been accepted by the Executive Council and registered thereafter as a Member of the Association.
5. A Counsellor: Shall mean anyone who has received training and has been certified as being competent to practice as a Counsellor by an Institution recognized by The Association, for training of Counsellors either in Sri Lanka or abroad.
6. Counselling: Shall mean the helping process involved in the growth-stimulating relationship that a trained and competent counsellor gives a person or group who calls for help in coping with a problem, whereby the latter is helped to explore, understand, and initiate action constructively using the person’s own potential towards the effective handing of the problem. This helping process normally takes the form of a session or a number of sessions, each consisting of a series of interaction between the person who has the problem, and the counsellor resultant in the growth and change of behavior in the former.

The Objectives of the Association shall be

1. To bring together qualified and competent counsellors who are practising in Sri Lanka, by registration of such persons in The Association.
2. To take steps to ensure competency and the service rendered by counsellors registered with SRILNAC.
3. To draw up and promote the observance of a Code of Ethics for Counsellors, and evaluate it every five years.
4. To promote ongoing study and research for the advancement of counselling in Sri Lanka.
5. To promote collaboration and exchange of experience and expertise with other national, regional or international bodies dedicated to the advancement of counselling.
6. To advocate for the counseling profession, provide quality professional development opportunities, facilitate networking, and encourage active involvement in the organization.
7. To promote public confidence and trust in the counselling profession.
8. To offer counselling services during natural and manmade disasters to the community at large when necessary.

Membership

1. The membership of the Association shall consist of counsellors as regular or affiliate members.
   * Regular membership.
   Professionally trained Counsellors who are engaged in helping professions.
   * Affiliate membership
   Those who are aspiring to become Counsellors, and those interested in the topics related to psychology, and the promotion of mental health.
   New applicants for regular membership may be given affiliate membership of one year, if the Executive Council agrees that he/she needs further experience
2. Membership criteria:
   Minimum Criteria: Advanced Diploma in Counselling. BA Degree/ Post-graduate Diploma/ Master’s in Counselling and Psychology.
   In addition to:
   ** A Minimum of two years working experience (or 450 hours of counselling practice) in counselling, under supervision with a competent professional in Counselling, and with records of competency.
   ** Letter of confirmation of counselling service from the Head of the Institution.
   ** Provisional status to be awarded until full criteria are met.
3. The application for membership of any counsellor shall be considered by the Executive Council prior to registration. Such application must be acceptable to the majority of the Executive Council to permit registration. The Executive Council will have the sole right to accept or reject such application and allocate the appropriate membership category.
4. Membership may be terminated either by resignation of the member or by the Executive Council (using a majority vote) if after careful inquiry any member is found to be acting in contravention of the objectives of the Association or for violation of the Code of Ethics. The member concerned shall not contest the right of the Executive Council to take such steps.
5. Termination is affected by removal of the name of such member from the register of the Association.
6. A member who does not attend three (3) consecutive Annual General Meetings without due cause and apology, shall cause the Association to delete that person’s name from the register.
7. A regular or affiliated member who has not paid membership fee for two (2) consecutive years shall receive a final reminder by e-mail. In the absence of a response, that person shall lose all membership privileges.
8. Sri Lankans who qualify for the above criteria of membership and residing in a foreign country may also be awarded membership. The fee will be decided by the Executive committee and is payable in an acceptable foreign currency or in US$.

Membership fees

1. Each regular member on enrolment shall pay a registration fee of Rs.5000/= and an annual membership fee of Rs. 2000/= in advance for the current year or the remaining part thereof.
   Affiliate members shall pay a Registration fee of Rs.5000/= and an annual fee of Rs.1000/=
2. Life membership will be considered only after 5 years of active participation in SRILNAC activities, upon review by the Executive Council. Life membership fee will be Rs.10,000/-in place of regular annual fees.
   Award of honorary life membership will be by unanimous agreement of the Executive Council to members in recognition of service to The Association, for which no payment is required.
3. The Association reserves the right to increase, reduce or waive the fees as is found necessary for the furtherance of its goal.
4. The Executive Council will be responsible for the proper collection and disbursement of all fees and for the generation, handling and accounting of all monies needed for the execution of the goals, projects, plans, activities and services of the Association.
5. An Audited Statement of Accounts shall be submitted by the Executive Council to the Association at each Annual General Meeting.
6. The year ending on 31st of July shall be the financial year of the Association.

Meetings

1. An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the month of September every year. Four weeks’ notice of such Annual General Meeting shall be given by the Secretary of the Association.
2. A Special General Meeting of the Association may be called by the Secretary at the request of the Executive Council or upon receipt of a request in writing, signed by fifteen (15) or more members of the Association. Such a request shall state the purpose for which a Special General Meeting is being summoned and shall give at least ten (10) days’ notice to the members of such meeting.
3. All paid up members of the Association shall be entitled to attend and vote at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting of the association.
4. Members of the Association shall have one vote each and the President of the Association shall in case of a tie, be entitled to exercise a casting vote.
5. The quorum for any General or Special General Meeting shall be one third of the total number of registered members.
6. Meeting shall be presided over by the President of the Association or in the absence of the President, by a Vice President or in their absence by a member elected by those present at the meeting.

Notice of Meetings.

Notice of Annual General Meeting and Special General Meeting shall be given by e-mail to all members, and through a post on the website, and official Facebook page.

Executive Council

1. All offices in the Executive Council of the Association shall be filled initially at the inaugural meeting of the Association and thereafter at each Annual General Meeting from amongst the members. Should there be a contest, election will be by secret ballot.

2. The Executive Council shall consist of a President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and seven (7) others and will serve a period of one (1) year. The Council shall be elected from amongst the General Membership at the Annual General Meeting. All such Executive Council Members are eligible for re-election for a period of not more than two (2) consecutive years in the same capacity.

   Members elected to the Executive Council should be active members of SRILNAC for a minimum of three (03) consecutive years.

3. The President shall:
   1. Serve as the Head of the Association and oversee the activities of the Association.
   2. Preside at all regular and special meetings of the Association.
   3. Preside at Executive Council meetings.
   4. Serve as an ex-officio member on all Standing Committees.
   5. Members of Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Vice Presidents with the approval of the Executive Council.
   6. Any special committees deemed necessary shall be appointed by a Vice President with the approval of the Executive Committee.
   7. The Executive Council shall nominate a qualified member to represent the Association at any regional, national or international conference.
   8. All members of the Executive Council shall have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
   9. A Vice President may be allocated responsibility for Membership Retention & Growth plus Compliance and Regulatory Affairs. The other Vice President may handle Training and Development & Public Relations/Media.
   10. The Executive Council shall meet at least once every other month and the quorum shall be five (5).
   11. Where any member of the Executive Council ceases to be a member by reason of the person’s resignation, death or termination of membership, such a vacancy may be filled by the Executive Council by nominating another member from the General Membership for the remaining period.
   12. Should an Executive Council member fail to attend more than 3 Executive Council meetings without due cause, he/ she may be terminated. A replacement may be considered as elected, by a majority vote (of at least 5 members) of the Executive Council.

Power of the Executive Council

1. The Executive Council (Board of Directors) is the governing body of the association. Its members are required to work as part of a team to make decisions that will benefit The Association and its members.
2. Additionally, Executive Council members are responsible for chairing various committees and ensuring that the Association is well managed. They shall report back to the Board as a whole on the state of their committees thus ensuring that the whole Board has a clear overview of the state of the Association at all times.
3. The Executive Council has the right to acquire, hire, rent, lease, mortgage, sell or purchase, donate or receive by way of donation any movable or immovable property, in the furtherance of the goal of The Association.
4. The Executive Council has the right to accept and terminate the membership of any member. Where the Executive Council is divided in opinion a decision will be taken by majority vote.
5. The Executive Council shall be empowered with the planning and execution of all projects and activities in furtherance of the goals of the association bearing in mind the wishes of membership as expressed at the General or Special General Meeting and to recruit and employ the necessary staff for the work of the Association and to enter into other agreements which become necessary in the course of the Association’s work.

Auditors.

At each Annual General Meeting of the Association the members shall elect an Auditor or Auditors for the ensuing year. At least one Auditor shall be a qualified Accountant. If the Auditor dies or resigns the Executive Council shall appoint another Auditor to perform his function until the next Annual General Meeting.

Donation and Income.

All donations, legacies, bequest, income and other monies which accrue to the Association shall be invested in accordance with the decision of the Executive council.

Keeping and Operation of Accounts.

There shall be a general bank Account kept by the Treasurer, subject to the approval of the Executive Council. The Treasurer may keep other special accounts for such special purposes as may be deemed, suitable.

All expenses of, and incidental to the maintenance and operation of The Association including the payment of rent, salaries, running expenses, repair, insurance and all other current outgoings shall be paid by the general account and other accounts as the Executive Council may determine, provide that all capital expense of Rs 5000/= and over shall be incurred only with the prior approval of the Executive Council.

Operation of Accounts.

All such bank accounts shall be operated with the signature of two persons, namely the Treasurer and the President or in their absence, a Vice President.

Investment of Special Funds

All or part of the monies not required for current expenditure shall be invested by the treasurer, in such securities as may be legally permissible, subject to the approval of the Executive Council.

Advisory Panel

The Advisory Panel shall consist of a maximum of four persons nominated with their consent by The Association in General Assembly, these being persons of eminence in the field of Health, Behavioral Sciences Social Service, and Law. The Advisory Panel may be invited by the Executive Council to assist them in their work or to advise The Association, in plans and projects.

Nominations and suggestions are to be brought up at the final monthly Executive Council meeting of the working year.

Advisory panel is to be updated at each AGM

Training

Credibility of certification provided as evidence of counselling training for applicants requesting membership with SRILNAC will be strictly considered.

Publications, Print and Social Media Communication and Use of social media

1. Members shall abide by the rules of ethical use of social media of SRILNAC.
2. Any person and/or, any entity, incorporated or unincorporated and/or any other association whatsoever, that associates themselves with SRILNAC through references which shall include but not limited to implied or expressed references, in any publication shall not do so unless;
3. Requests prior permission from the executive committee of SRILNAC in writing
4. Remittance of not less than Rs. 25,000 as an initial payment and Rs 10,000 annually (subject to change periodically within the Constitution) as payment for the granting of permission
5. At the discretion of the Executive Council, in suitable cases the fees payable may be reduced or waived. Publication- shall include but is not limited to written, oral, visual works, broadcasts, social media such as all public accounts, websites, Facebook pages, reports.

Winding Up

1. Should the Association cease to exist or it is decided by 3/4 i.e., 75% of its members to wind up, the net assets after payment of all liabilities subject to any court, shall be gifted to a charitable Institution or Institutions according to the decision of the Executive Council.
2. Under no condition shall any part of the assets of the Association be distributed among the members.

Amendment of the Constitution

The Constitution may be amended by a resolution passed by 2/3 majority of the members present at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting specially called for this purpose, provided, however, that section 3 of the Constitution may not be amended except by unanimous vote of the Executive Council and 2/3 majority vote of the members present at the Annual General Meeting or at the Special General Meeting.

Amended on the 27th of May, 2023.