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Talent Within You: No Boundaries: Our Constitution 

Please note we are still revising this document.

 Talent Within You Objectives

The objective of Talent Within You /  Leader Within You: No Boundaries:

  • Encourage teenagers aged 13-16 to explore and nurture their talent
  • Encourage teenagers aged 13-16 to know right from wrong and to transform any negative energy into positive energy
  • Give teenagers aged 13-16 a positive purpose in life by helping them discover their strengths
  • Improve mental health, self-esteem and well-being within teenagers aged 13-16
  • Everyone involved in Talent Within You will embrace diversity
  • All volunteers will be using and developing their own talent to help others
  • Improve opportunities for teenagers aged 13-16 to so they find their purpose and go on to lead fulfilling lives
  • As a by-product of our work, we will develop the next generation of leaders and help to make street crime history

Talent Within You originally focused on teenagers from disadvantaged families, however, the feedback was that these families already feel victimised. therefore Talent Within You welcomes all teenagers aged 13-16. It has been great to work with a diverse set of members who socialise with one another. Family income should not be a barrier to nurturing talent and quite often, children from wealthier backgrounds or children schooled at home can feel isolated, and we want to reach out to those teenagers too.

We use our own talents to enable children aged 13-16 to discover and nurture their talents:

    1. For those young people who haven’t yet discovered their talent, they may apply to attend our seven month workshop programme run by volunteer coaches. At the end of the programme, children will become talented children with purpose, have an impressive CV to keep adding to, and will be offered opportunities to develop their talent and lead a fulfilling life.
    2. Talent Within You: No Boundaries is called such because we have evidence that children who are talented in Maths are also talented in Music and they should not have to choose. We don’t believe there are any boundaries on talent.
    3. Once children have successfully discovered and nurtured their talent, they become Peer Buddies (mentors) to new buddy members. Peer Buddy membership fee is free. This is to encourage long term partnerships with our beneficiaries for the good of everyone who wants to achieve our vision.
    4. Everyone at Talent Within You works on a voluntary basis and their hours will be recorded and presented on a certificate annually.
    5. We will work with the business community and voluntary organisations on an international, national, regional and local basis so we can reach more children and increase our impact. We will do this by working with the business community.

Talent within You Vision

Street crime will become history

How will we achieve this?

  • Mentors from Phase 1 of Talent Within You have agreed to become mentors for Phase 2 relaunch. Our constitution states that beneficiaries will become mentors once they have successfully become leaders in their own right.
  • Clubs with planned activities to enable children to explore what they enjoy and find their niche.
  • Promote youth club activities and other existing charity clubs for children and teenagers.
  • We did this very successfully in 2007-2010 and focused on arts, music, theatre. This time I’m opening the charity up to STEMS subjects and particularly want to encourage females into STEMS roles. Also research shows that dance students are particularly good at maths and students we’ve spoken to believe this is due to a memory recall connection.
  • McLaren Automotive have offered a minimum of two paid internships and/or work experience. Glendale Theatre Arts have offered one scholarship worth £2000. We are in talks with Camelia Botnar Foundation for providing further opportunities. 
  • We will attract more profile organisations to come on board which will boost their Corporate Social Responsibility and also spark an interest in children so they want to improve. I’m also looking at coaching these children to become leaders for our next generation of leaders.
  • Talent Within You exists today primarily because of an unfortunate situation. The founder’s grandmother was mugged and beaten whilst out shopping in Croydon in 1990. She was a victim of crime.
  • We plan to grow Talent Within You to become nation wide. 

The Constitution defines what we are:

Provides the Principles and Rules within which we aim to demonstrate, through mentors and volunteers that positive leadership experiences.

The Constitution identifies that the ‘happiness of all its members’ relies on their ‘worthwhile exploration and nurturing of talent / niches. To achieve this we aim to give all beneficiaries, mentors, volunteers and sponsors a relevant, consistent and rewarding experience during their time with Talent Within You: No Boundaries.

This edition includes all amendments agreed between the Founder and her leadership team.

Part 1 – Introduction

Vicky Vaughan launched Phase 1 of Talent Within You in 2008. Due to work pressures she closed it and relaunched it in2018 as Talent Within You: No Boundaries. 

Talent Within You: No Boundaries is governed according to a written Constitution, which is subordinate to and must not conflict with the Settlements.

Talent Within You: No Boundaries is formed of:

DBS Checked Founder and chairman (Chartered Marketer, Qualified Coach): Vicky Vaughan
DBS Checked Youth Engagement Officer (+ parent skills): Toby Wilson
DBS Checked Project Administrator (+ parent skills): Andria Walton
DBS Checked Volunteer (Coaching & project management skills): Toby Monnery
DBS Checked Volunteer (CV expert): Rebekah French
DBS Checked Volunteer (teaching skills): Dr Stephen Millam
DBS Checked Volunteer (parent skills): Denise Wye

Our, volunteers, work together and meet monthly to fulfil the purpose and principles of this Constitution.

Teenagers aged 13-16 living in and around Worthing are the beneficiaries of Talent Within You: No Boundaries.

The Constitution also addresses the role of Talent Within You: No Boundaries in society, defining our responsibilities to customers, suppliers and to the environment.

Talent Within You: No Boundaries must change constantly to fulfil its ultimate purpose. The Constitution ensures these changes remain true to our principles and will allow us to pass on to our successors a business they too will be proud to work in.

Purpose

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ ultimate purpose is the happiness of all its members (beneficiaries), volunteers and mentors, through their worthwhile and satisfying contribution in a successful charitable organisation. Because Talent Within You: No Boundaries is owned in trust for its members, they share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards – profit, knowledge and power.

Power

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ power is currently owned by the founder. The organisation will be volunteer and member-based and decisions will be made by its members, volunteer coaches and mentors (listed above). The ultimate overriding decision is made by the founder. Angie Dean is the second signatory on our banks account. Angie is a trusted professional in the Worthing Business Community and whose son is a member of the Architects – a globally successful heavy rock band. 

Profit

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ is a non-profit organization, however, it aims to make sufficient surplus from its trading operations to sustain its charitable vitality, to finance its continued development, to invest any surplus each year to develop the organization and its members, through activities consistent with its ultimate purpose.

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ aims to recruit and retain as its volunteers, mentors and beneficiaries who are people of ability and integrity who are committed to working together and to supporting its Principles. Relationships are based on mutual respect and courtesy, with as much equality between its members as differences of responsibility permit. Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ aims to recognise individual contributions and reward them fairly.

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ aims to deal honestly with its beneficiaries, volunteers, mentors and trustees and secure their loyalty and trust by providing outstanding choice, value and service.

Introduction

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ constitution applies to all beneficiaries, volunteers, mentors except when:

(i) specific provision is made in the Rules for more limited application; or

(ii) the Founder has excluded specific parts Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ business from specific Rules.

Every beneficiary, volunteer and mentor is responsible for knowing, complying with and upholding the Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ Principles and those Rules which concern him or her.

In the Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ Constitution we will always refer to feminine and masculine equally.

Section 1 – How power is shared General

1 Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ operates on democratic principles and as much sharing of power among its members as is consistent with efficiency. Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ members include beneficiaries, mentors and volunteers.

2 The governing authorities of Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ are the chairman and it’s board who are currently being recruited.

2). Their power to direct Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ affairs depends on the consent of members, whose opinion is expressed through:

(i) formal arrangements for sharing knowledge;

(ii) representative bodies;

(iii) personal contact between members, both formal and informal.

3 Talent Within You: No Boundaries’, is a small organisation and the management will primarily be the responsibility of the founder.

Principles

Business Relationships

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ aims to conduct all its business relationships with integrity and courtesy, and scrupulously to honour every agreement.

The Community

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ aims to obey the spirit as well as the letter of the law and to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities where it operates.

Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ needs a sufficiently wide commercial base to ensure its long-term vitality, and to achieve this it may engage in as wide a variety of enterprises as it can undertake efficiently.

The Founder and its trusted advisers shares in decision-making through making recommendations to the Chairman on any subject.

If a vacancy occurs in any of these positions, the Council elects a replacement as soon as possible.

Finance of Talent Within You: No Boundaries’

The founder of Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ has authority to spend money in any way that it considers good for the organisation and its beneficiaries. Although the second signatory has a veto over any proposed expenditure she considers too damaging to the organisations business interests.

Procedures

The founder of Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ determines its own procedures and how best it may fulfil its role. The founder and her advisers meet whenever they wish, but at least twice a year.  Only the founder and any who have been appointed by her to represent vote in board proceedings. Once the organisation has been running, a board will be created for management and organizational decisions.

After one year of running, it is intended that a first board will be made of 3 beneficiaries, 3 mentors, 3 volunteers, a treasurer, three coaches / advisors – with different skills and diverse backgrounds to help us make important strategic decisions. The founder shall remain the chair. In year two, professional advice shall be sought to grow the organisation and create a board of trustees, however, it is the aim of the founder that each beneficiary, volunteer and mentor becomes a club member and we all make decisions together creating a democratic vitality.

As The founder of Talent Within You: No Boundaries’, she is ultimately responsible for its commercial performance. She appoints the members of the Board which coordinate executive responsibility, and the views of principal management.

The founder makes a written undertaking to Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ as follows, that:

(i) she will uphold the Constitution and work to the utmost of her energy and ability for the fulfilment of the Partnership’s Principles;

(ii) she will be impartial and reticent in political and other matters which do not directly concern the organisation and which may be controversial;

Rules

(iv) determines each year the amount of the organisation’s profits that should be reserved for the maintenance and development of the organisation’s business

(v) ensures that the organisation pays its debts promptly, and does not enter into undertakings which would prevent it from making all payments immediately they become due;

(vi) examines and approves each year the size and security of the organisation’s liquid reserves and unused borrowing facilities;

(vii) approves cash and profit forecasts sufficiently far ahead to satisfy itself that the organisation is not overreaching its financial and personnel resources;

(viii) satisfies itself that proper systems of audit and control are in place throughout the organisation;

Member rights and responsibilities

Happiness of members and volunteers

Because Talent Within You: No Boundaries’ is their own organisation, members must be aware of all its principles, do their best for it and help each other to fulfil their duties and responsibilities to it.

All members and volunteers have a responsibility to be imaginative and energetic in promoting each other’s wellbeing and to recognise the importance of a healthy balance between the needs of the Partnership and the personal life of members.

Working conditions for members must be comfortable and businesslike but not luxurious.

Relationships

  • Members and volunteers must be scrupulously honest in their dealings with the Organisation and with each other, and never seek to gain from the Organisation any more than they sincerely believe is fair.
  • Members and volunteers must respect and be courteous to each other and to anyone else with whom they have dealings on behalf of the Organisation. The Organisation will do all it can to encourage good personal relationships between Partners at all levels.
  • Information is the basis of democratic participation. So the Partnership aims for openness, tolerance and freedom to express criticism, questions and suggestions (even at the risk of controversy).
  • Members and volunteers should encourage each other and give praise and recognition for exceptional effort.
  • The Founder must ensure that the system for deciding benefits of individual members is fair.
  • In carrying out her duties the Founder will:
  • (i) actively seek to share power with her subordinates, delegating as much responsibility and encouraging as much initiative as possible. However, she retains personal responsibility for ensuring that the decisions of others do not put at risk the long-term security of the organisation
  • maintain open communication with members at all levels, who for their part have a duty to inform him of anything he reasonably should know.
  • The Organisation is a charitable organisation and all members provide their time on a voluntary basis. A separate volunteer agreement is being drafted.

Volunteer conditions

  • The Organisation seeks to recruit only those who share its values and will contribute to its success.
  • The Organisation takes no account of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, social position or religious or political views.
  • The Organisation recruits disabled volunteers in suitable vacancies and offers them appropriate training and careers.
  • The Organisation encourages members to fulfil their potential and increase their career satisfaction in the Partnership, by:
  • promoting Organisation of suitable ability;
  • encouraging changes of responsibility;
  • providing knowledge and access to training to help them carry out their responsibilities better;
  • encouraging their personal development and interests in fields not directly related to their work.
  • A volunteer’s performance is reviewed with him by the founder at least once a year.
  • The personal records and details of volunteers, mentors, coaches, beneficiaries are made available only to those who are properly authorized to see them.

Amenities and social activities

The Organisation provides amenities that it believes will be welcome to individual Partners and will promote happiness, a sense of community and the Partnership’s reputation.

In its expenditure on amenities the Organisation will not confine itself to things that may be provided inexpensively, but will be open-minded and ready to provide things that may offer exceptional opportunities for only a minority of Partners.

Pensions

There is currently no pension scheme for volunteers.

Voluntary positions

The Organisation will not retain any volunteer in a position which is no longer required.

If a particular position becomes redundant, the Organisation will make all reasonable efforts to provide the Volunteer in it with continued suitable role in the Organisation, although this may be in a different type of work and the Volunteer’s performance must continue to be satisfactory.

Responsibilities to others

Beneficiaries

The Organisation aims to offer its beneficiaries the best experience for talent coaching services of comparable quality and availability.

The Organisation must deal honestly, fairly, courteously and promptly with customers, and respond generously to complaints or claims made in good faith.

The Organisation must not take advantage of a customer’s ignorance, and must do everything reasonably possible to put matters right if it inadvertently does so.

Suppliers

The Organisation’s relationships with its suppliers must be based, as with its customers, on honesty, fairness, courtesy and promptness. It looks for a similar attitude throughout

its supply chains. In particular, the Organisation expects its suppliers to obey the law and to respect the wellbeing of their employees, their local communities and the environment.

The Organisation values long-term cooperation with its suppliers. But it must carefully weigh the risk of vulnerability before becoming unduly dependent on any supplier or group

of suppliers, and it should not seek to make any supplier unwillingly dependent on the Organisation.

The Organisation must inform every supplier promptly of the guidelines and rules that concern its relationships with suppliers.

Amendment and interpretation

The Introduction, Principles and Rules of the Organisation’s Constitution may be amended or cancelled by the founder.

The founder may suspend a Rule which he proposes to change or cancel, for up to two weeks before the board considers the proposed change or cancellation.

The founder is responsible for ensuring that any amendment or change to the Constitution is properly made, and that it is recorded, published and made known to Partners. She decides on questions of interpretation, after consultation with the principal director concerned or with the Chairman.

The Organisation will encourage as friendly relationships with its competitors as are consistent with fair and vigorous competition.

Public service

The Organisation encourages the involvement of members in public service, and will consider sympathetically requests for time off from their work (with adequate notice – which must be agreed in writing by the founder) for this purpose.

The law

Members must know and comply with all legal requirements that apply in their fields of responsibility.

The Organisation will seek the prosecution of those who commit crimes against it, other than in exceptional circumstances.

The environment

The Organisation must take all reasonable steps to minimize any detrimental effect its operations may have on the environment, and to promote good environmental practice.