Association “Youth Social and Cultural Activities Center “GAISMA”” Statutes
1. Name of the Association
1.1. The name of the Association is Jauniešu sociālo un kultūras aktivitāšu centrs “GAISMA” (hereinafter – the Association, abbreviated GAISMA).
1.2. In English translation - Youth social and cultural activity center “GAISMA”.
2. Objectives of the Association
2.1. The objectives of the Association are:
2.1.1. to engage young people in researching, promoting and bringing to life the fundamental values and traditions of Latvian culture in Latvia and other countries; to foster the development of Latvian culture as part of the world, to establish contacts and cooperate with similar organizations in other countries;
2.1.2. to promote young people’s understanding of the diversity and variety of modern society;
2.1.3. to promote integration and reintegration of society, incl. displaced persons/refugees (in the social, cultural, educational and civic spheres);
2.1.4. to promote the popularization of non-formal education among young people and other age groups of the population;
2.1.5. to involve young people in organizing lifelong learning activities for all age groups of the population;
2.1.6. to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people, increase understanding of sexual and reproductive health, hygiene and immunization, promote the prevention of infections and other diseases, and promote the acquisition of first aid skills in emergency situations.
3. Term of Activity of the Association
3.1. The Association is established for an indefinite period.
4. Admission, Withdrawal and Expulsion of Members from the Association
4.1. Any legally capable natural or legal person or legally capable partnership may join the Association, provided that they recognize the Association’s Statutes and actively participate in the Association’s activities, by submitting a written application in the prescribed form. The application form and the list of documents to be attached are determined by the Association’s Board.
4.2. The decision on admitting a member to the Association is made by the Board. The Board must consider the applicant’s request at the next meeting, but no later than within two weeks from the moment all required documents are received. The applicant must be invited to the Board meeting at which the request is considered and given the floor to express their opinion. The applicant’s absence is not an obstacle to the Board’s decision. The Board must notify the applicant in writing of its reasoned decision within one week from the moment it is adopted.
4.3. The applicant may appeal the Board’s negative decision in writing to the General Meeting of Members. If the General Meeting of Members also rejects the applicant’s request, the applicant is not admitted as a member of the Association, and may submit a repeated application no earlier than after one year has elapsed.
4.4. A member may withdraw from the Association at any time by notifying the Board in writing.
4.5. A member may be expelled from the Association by a decision of the Board if:
4.5.1. the member has not paid the membership fee for more than 12 months;
4.5.2. the member fails to comply with the decisions of the General Meeting and the Board;
4.5.3. the member fails to fulfill their duties and assumed obligations;
4.5.4. the member carries out other activities that are contrary to what is set out in these Statutes;
4.5.5. by their actions the member discredits the Association or causes substantial harm to it;
4.5.6. upon joining the Association, the member provided false information about themselves.
4.6. The issue of expelling a member of the Association is considered by the Board at the next meeting, inviting the member to be expelled and giving them the floor to express their opinion. The absence of the member to be expelled is not an obstacle to the Board’s decision. The Board must notify the expelled member in writing of the decision to expel the member from the Association and the reasons for this decision within five days from the moment it is adopted.
5. Rights and Duties of Members
5.1. Members of the Association have the following rights:
5.1.1. to participate in the governance of the Association,
5.1.2. to receive information about the Association’s activities, including to familiarize themselves with the minutes, decisions and orders of all the Association’s bodies,
5.1.3. to participate in all events organized by the Association, submit proposals regarding the Association’s activities and their improvement, defend their opinion,
5.1.4. to use the Association’s symbols, provided this is not contrary to these Statutes and the Association’s internal rules,
5.1.5. to publish and distribute information, photographs, videos about the Association’s activities and events,
5.1.6. to initiate and implement events, ideas and projects to achieve the Association’s objectives, coordinating them with the Association’s Board,
5.1.7. at the request of the Board or the General Meeting of Members, to provide reports on the progress or results of project implementation.
5.2. Duties of members of the Association:
5.2.1. to observe the Association’s Statutes and comply with the decisions of the General Meeting of Members and the Board,
5.2.2. to regularly pay the membership fee,
5.2.3. through their active participation to support the implementation of the Association’s objectives and tasks,
5.2.4. to promote the creation of a healthy and tolerant environment among members,
5.2.5. to take care of the Association’s reputation and increase its authority and recognition.
5.3. Obligations may be set for a member by a decision of the General Meeting of Members or the Board. When setting obligations for a member that differ from the obligations of other members, the consent of that member is required.
6. Structural Units of the Association
6.1. By a decision of the General Meeting of Members, territorial and other structural units of the Association may be established.
6.2. The activities, rights and duties of structural units, as well as their relations with the Association, are governed by the regulations of the structural unit, which are approved by the General Meeting of Members of the Association.
7. Convening of the General Meeting of Members and Adoption of Decisions
7.1. The General Meeting of Members is the highest decision-making body of the Association.
7.2. All members of the Association are entitled to participate in the General Meeting of Members.
7.3. Members who participate in the Meeting both in person and remotely using electronic means of communication are considered present at the Meeting.
7.4. In cases where member voting is предусмотрено, by a decision of the Board, members who have cast their vote in writing before the Meeting, including in electronic format, are also considered present at the meeting.
7.5. The annual General Meeting of Members is convened once a year – no later than 31 March.
7.6. An extraordinary General Meeting of Members may be convened on the initiative of the Board, or if requested in writing by no less than one tenth of the Association’s members, indicating the reason for convening.
7.7. The General Meeting of Members is convened by sending each member an invitation no later than two weeks in advance via email or to the postal address indicated by the member.
7.8. The General Meeting of Members has a quorum if more than half of the members participate in it.
7.9. If the General Meeting of Members does not have a quorum due to lack of quorum, a repeated General Meeting of Members is convened within three weeks, which is entitled to adopt decisions regardless of the number of members present, provided that at least two members participate in it.
7.10. A decision of the General Meeting of Members is adopted if more than half of the members present vote for it. A decision on amendments to the Statutes, termination, continuation or reorganization of the Association’s activities is adopted if more than two thirds of the members present vote for it.
8. Executive Body
8.1. The executive body of the Association is the Board, which consists of four board members.
8.2. The board members elect from among themselves a chairperson of the board, who organizes the work of the Board.
8.3. The Board is entitled to decide all matters that are not within the exclusive competence of the General Meeting of Members.
8.4. Board members are entitled to represent the Association jointly with one other Board member.
8.5. The chairperson of the Board is entitled to represent the Association individually.
8.6. A board member may perform their duties for remuneration.
9. Auditor
9.1. Control of the Association’s financial and economic activities is carried out by an auditor, who is elected by the General Meeting of Members for one year.
9.2. The Association’s auditor may not be a member of the Association’s Board.
9.3. The auditor:
9.3.1. carries out an audit of the Association’s property and financial resources;
9.3.2. provides an opinion on the Association’s budget and annual report;
9.3.3. evaluates the Association’s accounting and record-keeping work;
9.3.4. provides recommendations for improving the Association’s financial and economic activities.
9.4. The auditor conducts audits within the time limits set by the General Meeting of Members, but not less than once a year.
9.5. The General Meeting of Members approves the Association’s annual report only after receiving the auditor’s opinion.
10. Membership Fee
10.1. Members of the Association pay a membership fee annually.
10.2. The amounts of the Association’s membership fees and the payment procedure are determined by the Association’s Board.
10.3. For members of the Association aged up to 30 years, the membership fee amount is reduced by 30%.
11. Volunteers of the Association
11.1. A volunteer of the Association is a natural person who performs unpaid work or provides free services aimed at achieving the Association’s objectives and tasks.
11.2. Any natural person from the age of 13 may become a volunteer of the Association. Persons aged 13 to 16 are entitled to perform volunteer work if their legal representative has given written consent.
11.3. A volunteer of the Association has no voting rights in the Association’s governance bodies and does not pay a membership fee.
11.4. A volunteer of the Association has the right to request that the Association’s Board conclude an agreement regarding the work to be performed and its deadlines.
11.5. A volunteer of the Association may apply for reimbursement of expenses that are directly related to the performance of volunteer work.
11.7. All employment and legal relations with the Association’s volunteer are within the competence of the Association’s Board.
Statutes approved in Riga, on 21 February 2026.