Statutes EURYO – European Rural Youth Observatory

Approved on 4th March 2024

Chapter I: Mission, values and scope

Article 1. Mission

The European Rural Youth Observatory (EURYO) is a research-oriented association led by researchers and composed of scholars, third sector representatives, public services providers, youth workers, and rural young people committed to moving forward European rural youth.

Article 2. Values

EURYO is driven by a set of core values applying to both the network vision and to young people’s future. At the network vision level, our core values include:

Openness: EURYO is open by definition, resulting in a multistakeholder network combining knowledge, practice, and policies. Openness means that EURYO is open to all sorts of members interested in moving forward European young people and bridging with different national and international bodies. Openness also means that while adopting an ecological, multilevel lens to understand rural young people’s challenges and opportunities, EURYO welcomes any type of theoretical or methodological approach in line with of the overall values of EURYO.
Interdisciplinarity: EURYO is powered by the combination of knowledge and expertise from a wide range of scientific fields.
Transparency: the processes leading to EURYOs public positions in terms of results or recommendations are fully disclosed to all audiences.
Sustainability: EURYO operation seeks self-sufficiency and viability in the long term.
Independence: EURYO positions reflect its members’ own position.
Ambition: EURYO is an international reference for knowledge about European young people’s livelihood and prospects in rural areas.

Regarding rural young people’s future, EURYO upholds the following key values:

Inclusion: EURYO contributes to the inclusion of European rural people and therefore to stronger and more sustainable rural communities.
Diversity: EURYO contributes to all groups of European rural young people, irrespectively of their nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religious or political beliefs.
Solidarity: EURYO is particularly driven to help improve the living conditions of European rural young people living in less developed European countries.
Determination: EURYO is determined to promote social change, meaning to target conditions and resources which can lead European rural young people to develop their full potential and achieve their own goals.

Article 3. Goals and activities

EURYOs adheres to the definition of rurality based on the OECD regional typology.

Based on that, EURYOs specific goals are:

To establish and support a network of relevant multi-stakeholder representation of different countries engaged in rural youth issues.
To foster knowledge, skills, and best practice exchange to integrate scientific and technical advances, address current knowledge gaps and identify the most promising research avenues regarding European rural young people.
To represent an open-access synthesizer to store and share several sources of information concerning rural European rural young people.
To inform multiple stakeholders (policy-makers at all levels, NGOs, youth workers) as well as decision-making and practices based on the most up-to-date scientific knowledge.
To support young researchers in developing their knowledge, skills and projects associated to European rural young people.

EURYOs vision is met through a wide range of knowledge-based activities including research, consulting, training, and knowledge dissemination.

Research activities involve the development and/or support of international research projects.
Consulting activities cover independent policies and program evaluation at national and international levels.
Training activities involve face-to-face, virtual or b-learning activities, ranging from workshops, training courses, and training schools to full advanced, international courses (masters or doctoral programs).
Knowledge dissemination involves all the activities developed by EURYO to disseminate knowledge across different audiences. These can include social media presence, seminars/webinars, conferences, and publications in different formats (policy briefs, reports, papers, special issues, journals, or books).

Article 4. Working language

The language to be employed in the operation conducted by the association is English.

Chapter II – Governance

Article 5. Overall structure

EURYO structure is three-folded, including a management level, a working level and a decision-making level.

Section I – Management level

Article 6. Management structure

EURYO management is ensured by three interdependent levels: executive committee, specialized committee and an advisory board.

Article 7. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is constituted of a Chair, and two vice-chairs. This committee is responsible for the top management of EURYO and is elected by the General Assembly for a 3-year term by a simple majority.

Article 8. Chair

The Chair is expected to:

a) Coordinate EURYOs activities in line with its mission and values;

b) Prepare for all decisions to be made by the General Assembly;

c) Prepare and deliver a strategic plan for the development of EURYOs for a 3-year term;

d) Prepare annual Work and Budget Plans in line with the available budget for submission and approval by the General Assembly;

e) Negotiate the Work and Budget Plans with institutional members of EURYO, including necessary revisions;

f) Inform the Specialized Committee members about key developments of EURYO activities;

g) Prepare and submit an annual report to the General Assembly for discussion and approval;

h) Receive the membership requests and send them for the Specialized Committee for approval;

i) Represent EURYO in negotiations with institutional members of the network as well as with national and international bodies.

Article 9. Vice-Chairs

The Vice-Chairs are expected to assist the Chair at all times, replacing her/him in any of her/his duties.

Article 10. Executive Board Meetings

The Executive Committee meets at least once a month, or whenever its Chair convenes it.
Decisions are taken by a majority vote of the members present and, in the event of a tie, the Chair has the casting vote.

Article 11. Signatures

EURYO is bound by the signature of two members of the Executive Committee, one of whom is the Chair and the other one of the vice-chairs.

Article 12. Specialized Committee

The Specialized Committee is constituted of the Executive Committee members, the working group coordinators, and co-coordinators.

Article 13. Specialized Committee tasks

The Specialized Committee meets every 2 months and is expected to:

a) Ensure that EURYOs activities are managed in line with its mission and values as well as with the strategic planning proposed by the Chair for the 4-year term;

b) Assist the Executive Group in preparing for all decisions to be made by the General Assembly;

c) Make recommendations regarding the Work and Budget Plans in line with the available budget for submission and approval by the General Assembly;

d) Monitor EURYO’s overall operation based on the annual reports prepared by the Executive Committee;

e) Issue a list of recommendations of individuals to take part in the Advisory Board;

f) Decide on new membership requests by a majority of votes.

Article 14. Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is constituted of three high-ranked researchers with expertise in any of the areas covered by the EURYO mission who are not members of the association and four young people committed to EURYOs mission and goals. The members of the Advisory Board are invited upon recommendation of the Specialized Committee.

Article 15. Advisory Board tasks

The Advisory Board meets once a year with the Specialized Committee and is expected to:

a) Make recommendations for ongoing improvement of EURYOs the strategic vision;
b) Deliver a short report about the overall implementation of the Work and Budget Plan from the previous civil year;
c) Make recommendations regarding the Work and Budget Plan for the next civil year in line with the available budget for submission and approval by the General Assembly;
d) Offer input at any time regarding outstanding challenges such as ethical issues, information about any existing scientific call, or alike.

Section II – Working level

Article 16. Working Groups

EURYOs operation is driven by Working Groups (WG).

EURYO encompasses four Scientific Working Groups (SWG) focusing on specific topics of interest:

WG1 | Social Networks and Social Inclusion: aims at analyzing the roles of social networks (family, friends, neighbours, rural communities at large) and of social inclusion mechanisms (namely risk and protective factors at the rural community level) for rural young people’s quality-of-life. Quality of life here is understood in a broader manner and according to all its dimensions (physical and/or psychological well-being, social development, socioeconomic condition, as well as educational and employment outcomes). Potential key questions to be analyzed by this WG: (a) How are social networks organized around rural young people? (b) What are their main characteristics? (c) What are the main factors at the rural community level involved in rural young people’s social inclusion? (d) How do social networks and rural community factors contribute to rural young people’s overall quality of life? and (e) How do these networks compensate for the lack or the inadequacy of formal/institutional support in rural areas?
WG 2 | Formal and non-formal Education: focuses on the role of formal and non-formal education in the process of school-to-work transition in rural areas. Some of the key topics to be addressed here are (a) rural education infrastructure and human resources to address school-to-work transition; (b) mapping non-formal education aimed at vulnerable young people in rural areas, in terms of existing infrastructures, types of organization and types of interventions; (c) the role of VET in preventing Early School Leaving from Education and Training (ESLET) in rural areas (including best-practices than can be delivered as case studies); or (d) analyzing how available curricula address local resources and young people’s needs.
WG3 | Employment and Employment Services: aims at analyzing how employment in rural areas matches local opportunities and how employment services adequately support rural young people. To achieve that, some key questions must be addressed: (a) What are the incoming employment needs and opportunities in rural areas? (b) What are the main obstacles to access employment for the younger generations? (c) Do employment services have the necessary means to address rural young people? Are they a priority for these services? (d) How is the whole process of supporting rural young (from outreach to job finding) organized? Are there best practices that can be delivered as case studies? (e) How do the employment services match existing job offers with rural young people’s needs and skills? (f) How do the services articulate job finding with training?; and (g) How much is youth self-employment under the radar of employment initiatives in rural areas?
WG4 | Sustainability: focuses on how the three pillars of sustainability (natural, social, and economic) can and should be combined in order to promote rural development, thus creating future prospects for rural youth. This WG will be inspired by the Green Deal initiative, to creatively discuss overlapping topics such as new avenues for agriculture development, social innovation aiming at youths in rural communities, or new businesses and economic activities emerging from a sustainability paradigm, including social economy initiatives. The WG will focus on the following questions: (a) How can a more sustainable agriculture sector contribute to rural youth prospects while solving problems such as workforce rejuvenation? (b) What are the new economic activities inspired by the Green Deal and a sustainability paradigm that can represent an opportunity for rural young people’s prospects? and (c) Are there social initiatives and best practices (local policies, programs, projects) that can help to improve rural younger generations to stay and prosper in rural communities?

The WGs meet once every 2 months. Each WG is responsible for delivering yearly activities according to the approved strategic plans.

Article 17. Working Groups coordination

The WGs are led by one coordinator and one co-coordinator. Coordinators and co-coordinators are elected by a simple majority of the Assembly, upon a written manifestation of the interest of members

Article 18. Working Groups changes

Any changes to WG structure and thematic areas imply a revision of the statutes.

Article 19. Operational Areas

EURYOs also include four Operational Areas (OA): training, consulting and development, communication and dissemination, research, and ethics committee. These areas coordinate the contributions arising from WG activities.

Article 20. Training

This OA is responsible for the organization, dissemination, and implementation of training activities. The training OA must provide yearly the following list of activities upon proposal of the scientific WG:

one webinar series (including the ones proposed by the thematic groups)
one training school (virtual, hybrid, or face-to-face)

Once every two years, the training OA is also expected to deliver an international conference, rotating across the four themes covered by the SWG.

Article 21. Consulting & Development

This OA is expected to constitute a grant and funding pipeline by:

tracking and informing EURYOs members of existing consulting activities for private and public institutions in areas related to the association’s expertise;

tracking existing funding schemes and calls;

regularly informing EURYOs members of relevant funding opportunities through all existing channels;
opening calls for expression of interest for these consulting activities among EURYOs members.

Article 22. Communication and Dissemination

This OA is expected to manage both internal and external communication targeting different audiences (scholars, policy-makers, youth workers, and young people), including:

managing an internal virtual Fórum tool;
managing the website and social media channels;
preparing all dissemination materials.

Article 23. Research

This OA is expected to deliver scientific work, including:

developing research proposals for funding;
delivering scientific outputs, resulting from WG activities;
developing theoretical and methodological tools in topics of interest for the EURYO.

Article 24. Ethics committee

This group will be responsible for quality assurance, ethics procedures regarding activities proposed under the EURYO’s umbrella and GDPR regulations according to European and national laws. The ethics committee will operate based on a Code of Conduct in line with EU regulations for research activities. Any research, training, or consulting activity will, therefore, be assessed by this committee before implementation.

Article 25. Operational Areas coordination

The OA are led by one coordinator and one co-coordinator. Coordinators and co-coordinators are elected by a simple majority of the Assembly, upon a written manifestation of interest of members.

Section III – Decision-making level

Article 26. General Assembly

The General Assembly (GA) is composed of all EURYO full members and associate members in full possession of their rights, as defined in articles 34 and 36.

Article 27. General Assembly member’s duties

The GA is managed by one President, the First Secretary, and the Second Secretary. The President is responsible for:

Collecting and organizing full and associate membership requests and votes;
Scheduling GA meetings;
Preparing GA agendas;
Notifying all registered members of the GA meetings;
Facilitating the discussions during the GA meetings.

2. The Secretaries are responsible for:

Replacing the GA President whenever she/he is not available;
Checking if the GA has reached a Quorum;
Preparing the minutes of the meeting and circulating them by EURYO’s members.

3. In case one of the Secretaries replaces the President during a meeting and the second Secretary is also not available, any member of EURYOs attending the meeting can replace the secretaries in her/his duties during that particular meeting.

Article 28. General Assembly tasks

The GA meets to fulfil the following duties:

Abide by EURYOs mission and values;
Discuss and vote changes to the Statuses;
Elect the Chair, Vice-Chairs, and WGs Coordinators, and Co-Coordinator for 4 year-term;
Manage procedures leading to replacement Chair, Vice-Chairs, and WGs Coordinators and Co-Coordinator;
Discuss and vote on the EURYOs strategic plan for a 4-year term;
Discuss and vote on the EURYOs annual Working Plans and Budgets;
Set membership fees;
Approve or refuse swiftly membership applications through an e-vote procedure;
Approve GA meeting minutes;

.2. Decide on EURYO applications for national or international associations or confederations by resolution of the General Assembly.

In fulfilling their powers, take into consideration the findings, advice, and recommendations of the Advisory Board.
Overall, the quorum for all GA decisions is reached when half of the GA members attend the meeting with the exception of points e and f of this article.
All the GA decisions for EURYOs management positions are made by a simple majority of members attending a GA meeting. All documents (strategic plans, annual Working Plans and Budgets) are approved by two-thirds of the members attending the GA meeting.
Replacement of any member in a key position of the association can be requested by a group representing at least one-fourth of EURYOs Full Members.
Replacement is approved by two-thirds of the Full members and Associate Members representatives attending a GA meeting.

Article 29. Types of General Assemblies

General Assemblies are ordinary or extraordinary.
The ordinary General Assembly meets every 6 months.
The General Assembly meets extraordinarily whenever the Executive Committee, the Specialized Committee, or the Advisory Board ask the Chair to summon it or when it is requested to do so by at least 10 per cent of the full members in possession of their rights.
Notice of General Assemblies must be sent by email to all members at least 8 days in advance. It is compulsory, in any circumstance, to mention the venue (or link in the case of telematic meetings), date, time and respective agenda.

Article 30. General Assembly dispositions

The Assembly is deemed to be constituted with the presence of at least half of EURYO effective members and associate members in full possession of their rights.
If the number of EURYO members and associate members is not sufficient, the Assembly will meet one hour later with those present.
Except as provided in the following paragraphs, decisions of the General Assembly are taken by an absolute majority of votes of EURYO full members and associate members present.
Decisions to amend the statutes require the favourable vote of three-quarters of the number of full members present.
Decisions on the extinction of the Association require the favourable vote of four-fifths of all full members.

Article 31. General assembly working language

Considering the international nature of the association and the nature of its members, many of whom are foreigners, EURYO assemblies are conducted in English.
Summonses and minutes of meetings will be written in English.
Considering the international nature of the association and the nature of its members, many of whom are foreigners, EURYO General Assemblies can be held telematically.
Meetings held telematically will be recorded with the authorisation of all members present.
The participants signature of the meeting minutes will be made by e-mail and sent through the EURYO official e-mail account and alternative ways of signing must approved by the General Assembly.

Article 32. Secretariat

EURYO has its registered office in the University Institute of Lisbon (Iscte), Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa.

Chapter III – Membership

Article 33. General dispositions

Membership requests are submitted online, using the template provided by EURYO.
Each request is assessed in 10 days-time, through e-vote set by the Chair and sent to the members of the Specialized Committee.
Admission implies immediate payment of the membership fee for the corresponding six-month period, at the rates in force at the time.
Membership fees values are proposed by the Executive Committee and voted on General Assembly.
Any situation of foreclosure on the payment of dues, including exemption from payment, must be proposed and voted on at a general assembly.

Article 34. Full members

EURYO is composed of full members, chosen without distinction of nationality, race, sex, and creed, nor of adherence to ideological, political or professional groups, from among persons who are particularly interested in the association’s mission and aims.
Membership requests are sent to the GA using EURYOs website tool for that purpose.
Only full members can take part in the direction and management of the organization: they are admitted at the proposal of the GA President, by an e-vote procedure open for 10 consecutive days.
The membership fee is set by the GA and must be paid between the 1^st of September and the 1^st of December of each year. The title of Full Member and payment of membership fee gives exclusive right to certain EURYOs benefits listed in Article 38.
Full members who fail to respond to convocations for two successive GA may, after the lapse of six months from the second GA, or who have failed to pay their fees in two consecutive years may be considered by the Executive Committee as having resigned. The GA may then terminate the membership status of full member.
Full members can resign by written notification (e-mail) to the GA President.

Article 35. Electoral capacity of the members

The electoral capacity provided for in point 3 of the previous article is subject to the following conditions:

Only EURYO full members who have effectively paid their dues up to the six-month period immediately preceding the election are eligible to vote;
The capacity to be elected to the Association’s bodies is acquired after two years of enrolment, and is also conditional on the fulfilment of the duty mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Article 36. Associate Members

Organizations, foundations, institutions, corporate bodies without distinction of nationality, nor adherence to ideological, political, or professional groups, who may be interested in EURYOs aims and activities, and who wish to financially support the Association, may be accepted as Associate Member and may use that title. Associate membership is subject to the approval of GA.
The membership fee is set annually by the GA and must be paid between the 1^st of September and the 1^st of December of each year. The title of Associate Member and payment of membership fee gives exclusive right to certain EURYOs benefits listed in Article 39.
In case the membership request is accepted, EURYO signs a collaboration agreement with the associate partner, establishing mutual rights and duties for their collaboration.
Each associate member counts for one vote, irrespectively of the fact that more than one institution is representing the same country.
associate members who fail to respond to convocations for two successive GA may, after the lapse of six months from the second GA, or who have failed to pay their fees in two consecutive years may be considered by the Executive Committee as having resigned. The GA may then terminate the membership status of an associate member.
The associate members can resign by written notification to the GA.

Article 37. Collaborating Partners

Organizations, foundations, institutions, corporate bodies, without distinction of nationality, nor of adherence to ideological, political, or professional groups, who may be interested in EURYOs aims and activities, and who wish to collaborate with the Association, may be accepted as Collaborating Partners and may use that title. Collaboration is subject to the approval of GA.
The agreement to be a Collaborating partner must be based on the mutual interest in the collaboration between the Association and the partner.
The Collaborating Partners have no fees and will not have any right for EURYOs services, including the right to vote in any of the GA, working group, commission or project inside the Association. They cannot take part in the direction and management of the organization;
On the recommendation of the Council, the GA may terminate the Collaboration status.
The Collaborating Partners can resign by written notification to the GA.

Article 38. Benefits for full members

Full members are awarded with:

25% discount on all paid training activities and conferences promoted by EURYO.
25% discount on EURYOs journal publication fees.
Personal public profile on EURYOs webpage.
Priority access to training activities.
Priority over external experts in being invited for consultancy activities hired to EURYO.
Reception of three annual newsletters containing announcements of funding calls, calls for papers or announcements of conferences in thematic areas covered by EURYO.
Right to use personal EURYOs logo in personal institutional website or dissemination materials (e.g., presentations).
Exclusive access to raw data of research conducted by scientific projects supported by EURYO.
Access to databases created by EURYOs scientific WGs.

Article 39. Benefits for associate members

Copies EURYOs publications for institutional libraries.
Possibility of collaboration on producing papers or special issues organized by EURYO.
Hot link for institutional website on EURYOs website.
Free advertisement of local/institutional journals calls for papers and events on EURYOs website.
Right to use EURYOs logo in institutional dissemination materials.
Possibility of grants for special activities and projects.
Possibility of organising sessions (e.g. workshops, creative sessions) at EURYOs biannual conference with a 50% discount.

Article 40. Members Duties

All members of EURYO are expected to:

Attend the meetings they are invited to participate in their respective capacity
Deliver in the tasks they are responsible for managing.
Follow all ethical and scientific standards comprised by EURYO mission and values.

Chapter IV – Financial resources

Article 41. Funding

The financial resources at EURYOs disposal are notably:

Fees from full and associate members, at rates decided upon by the GA, it being understood that full members will never be liable for additional contributions.
Payments or overheads for research, study, and consultation contracts entered into with international organizations and public or private institutions.
Fees from the organization of conferences, congresses, workshops, trainings or any other event organized by EURYO.
Fees from the publication of scientific journals.
Grants from international organizations and public or private authorities.
Donations and legacies.

Chapter V. Final Dispositions

Article 42. Conflict of interests

EURYO is not to be held responsible for any conflict of interest between full members’ engagement in the association initiatives and their institutional affiliation duties.

Article 43. Statuses amendments or dissolution

The present Statuses can be amended at any time by an Extraordinary GA of members convened on the initiative of the Council or at the request of one-fourth of the full members.
The date of the Extraordinary GA, which will pronounce on the said proposal, must be notified by the GA President at least one month in advance.
Deliberations at the Extraordinary GA are only valid if two-thirds of the total number of members (sum of Full Members and Associate Members representatives) are present or represented in the meeting.
No decision will be passed unless it secures a majority of two-thirds of the votes of those present or represented, only votes for or against being counted.
However, if this Extraordinary GA is not attended by two-thirds of EURYOs members another Extraordinary GA, convened, on the same conditions as indicated above, will decide definitively and validly on the proposal under consideration, whatever the number of members present or represented.
The Extraordinary GA will define the mode of dissolution and liquidation of the association.