Introduction
Vision & Mission
Team
Board & Executive Director
Past Board Members
Financial Reports
Achievements
Whistleblowing Policy

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Name

1.1 The Society shall be known as the Silver Ribbon (Singapore). Hereinafter referred to as the “Society”.

2.1 Its place of business shall be at Block 208 Serangoon Central #01-238 Singapore 550208, or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Board and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

3.1 Its objects are:

a. To provide information on the types of mental health services available in Singapore.

b. To raise awareness of mental health issues and promote the eradication of stigma and prejudice against persons with mental disorders.

c. To provide basic counselling and facilitate the detection of persons with mental disorders with the purpose of encouraging treatment.

d. To promote positive mental well-being.

e. To assist specific interests of the community to customize mental health programs for different audiences.

f. To assist persons with mental disorders to integrate into community, thus improving their quality of life.

3.2 In furtherance to the above objects, the society shall do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of it, and particularly as follows:-

a. To measure the level of stigma towards mentally ill community and develop strategies to encourage positive attitudes.

b. To identify level of awareness to shape the activities of mental health promotion.

c. To increase rates of help seeking and decrease delays in treatment, thereby curbing mounting medical costs in Singapore.

4.1 Membership shall be open to any member of the public who has the belief and passion to combat mental health stigma in Singapore and who is willing to commit to the objects of the Society to achieve the stated mission and vision.

4.2 Persons who are below 18 years of age shall not be accepted as members without the written consent of their parent or guardian.

4.3 Only members who are above 21 years of age shall have the right to vote and to sit on the board.

4.4 Membership shall be categorized into Voting Members and Ordinary Members.

4.5 The rights of Voting Members and Ordinary Members are the same save that Voting Members shall be entitled to vote at the Society’s Annual General Meeting and by reason thereof shall receive notification of the Annual General Meeting.

4.6 The membership of Voting Members shall be renewable on 01^st July of every year and shall be renewed by that member furnishing to the Society a prescribed form available on the Society’s website or at the Society’s office, indicating his intention to renew the membership.

4.7 If membership as a Voting Member is not renewed, the membership shall revert to Ordinary Membership. Any Ordinary Member may become a Voting Member by furnishing to the Society the said prescribed form indicating his intention to be a Voting Member.

5.1 A person wishing to join the Society should submit his particulars to the Secretary on a prescribed form.

5.2 The Board will decide on the application for voting membership.

5.3 The Constitution shall be posted on the Society’s website.

5.4 The Society reserves the right to terminate any membership if the majority of the Board Members decide that a member’s membership shall be terminated on the grounds that his conduct is detrimental to the interests of the Society and its objectives or is calculated to bring the work of the Society or its members into disrepute. Any member whose membership has been terminated shall have the right to appeal to the General Meeting within one month of notification of his termination. The decision of the General Meeting shall be final.

6.1 There shall be no entrance fee payable for all members.

6.2 Any additional fund required for special purposes may only be raised from members with the consent of the General Meetings of the members.

7.1 The supreme authority of the Society is vested in the General Meetings of the members presided over by the President.

7.2 An Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 6 months from the end of the financial year.

7.3 At least two (2) weeks’ notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting to the voting members. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and venue shall be sent by the Honorary Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted to the Voting Members seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

7.4 The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:

a. The previous financial year’s accounts and annual report of the Board.

7.5 The quorum shall be 25% of the total voting membership. 

8.1 At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, and may be called at anytime by order of the Board. The notice in writing shall be given to the Honorary Secretary setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within two (2) months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.

8.2 At least ten (10) days’ notice shall be given for Extraordinary General Meeting to the voting members. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and venue shall be sent by the Honorary Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted to the voting members four (4) days in advance of the meeting.

8.3 If the Board does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the voting members who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving ten (10) days’ notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society’s notice board.

9.1 Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by proxy shall not be allowed at all General Meetings.

9.2 Any voting member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided he/she gives notice to the Honorary Secretary one (1) week before the meeting is due to be held.

9.3 In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any rules of the existing Constitution.

9.4 All voting shall be by secret ballot, unless the meeting decides otherwise.

10.1 The administration of the Society shall be entrusted to a Board consisting of the following to be elected at alternate Annual General Meeting:

a. President

b. Vice-President

c. Honorary Secretary

d. Honorary Treasurer

e. Up to six (6) Ordinary Board Members

Unless with the prior approval in writing of the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar of Societies, majority of the Board Members shall be Singapore Citizens.

10.2 Nomination of names for Board Members shall be opened for a minimum of two weeks. Prior to the Annual General Meeting, nomination forms shall be sent to voting members inviting them to nominate a member to serve as a Board Member.

10.3 No voting member shall be eligible to serve as a Board Member unless that person has been a voting member for a minimum of one (1) year before the cut off date for nomination. However, this requirement may be waived at the discretion of the existing Board Members.

10.4 Election will be by secret ballot. The first seven (7) nominees with the most votes shall be Board Members. In the event of a tie, a re-vote shall be taken and if it still results in a tie, a lot shall be drawn to determine who shall be the successful candidate unless the contesting candidates withdrew in favour of one of themselves. 

10.5 In the event that there are less than seven (7) nominees, the nominees shall take office immediately after the Annual General Meeting without election.

10.6 Within 7 days of the election of Board Members, a Board Meeting shall be held for the Board Members to determine the officer-bearers for the post of President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. No Board Member shall serve as on the aforesaid posts unless he or she has been a Board Member for at least one term.

10.7 All officer-bearers, except the Honorary Treasurer, may be re-elected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. The term of office of the Board is two (2) years. The Honorary Treasurer may be re-elected to the same post for no more than two (2) consecutive terms of office, subject to the consent of the majority of Board Members.

10.8 A Board Meeting shall be held at least once every three (3) months after giving seven (7) days’ notice to Board Members. The President may call a Board Meeting at any time by giving five (5) days’ notice. At least three (3) of the Board Members must be present for its proceedings to be valid.

10.9 Any member of the Board absenting himself from three (3) meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Board and a successor may be co-opted by the Board to serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Any changes in the Board shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities within two (2) weeks of the change.

10.10 The duty of the Board is to organize and supervise the daily activities of the Society. The Board may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and shall always remain subordinate to the General Meeting.

10.11 The Board may fill by co-option any casual vacancy, which may occur in their number.

10.12 The Board has power to authorize the expenditure of a sum not exceeding $15000.00 per month from the Society’s funds for the Society’s purposes. 

11.1 The President shall chair all General and Board meetings. He shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.

11.2 The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputize for him in his absence.

11.3 The Honorary Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Society and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all General and Board meetings. He shall maintain an up to date Register of Members at all times.

11.4 The Honorary Treasurer shall keep all funds and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorized to expand up to $3000.00 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society. He will not keep more than $3000.00 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Board. Cheques, etc, for withdrawal from the bank will be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and either the President or the Honorary Secretary.

12.1 Two (2) voting members, not being members of the Board, may be elected as Honorary Auditors at each Annual General Meeting and will hold office for a term of one (1) year only and shall not be re-elected for a consecutive term.

12.2 A firm of Certified Public Accountants shall be appointed as Auditors at each Annual General Meeting for a term of one year and shall be eligible for reappointment. 

12.3 They:

a. Will be required to audit each year’s accounts and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting.

b. May be required by the President to audit the Society’s accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Board.

12.4 The financial year shall be from 1st August to 31st July.

13.1 If the Society at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.

13.2 The trustees of the Society shall:

a. Not be more than four (4) and not less than two (2) in number.

b. Be elected by a General Meeting of voting members.

c. Not effect any sale or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of voting members.

13.3 The office of the trustee shall be vacated:

a. If the trustee dies or becomes of unsound mind.

b. If he is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one (1) year.

c. If he is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee.

d. If he submits notice of resignation from his trusteeship.

13.4 Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the notice board in the Society’s premises at least two (2) weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities.

13.5 The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities. 

14.1 Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted to the privileges of the Society. All visitors and guests shall abide by the Society’s rules and regulations.

15.1 Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery, which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, is forbidden on the Society’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

15.2 The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law.

15.3 The Society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

15.4 The Society shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendation to, any arrangement with its members, which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate relating to any goods or service, which adversely affect consumer interests. 

15.5 The Society shall not indulge in any political or religious activities or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for these purposes.

15.6 The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office-bearers, Board or members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities.

15.7 The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director, Operations, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities.

16.1 No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be made except at a General Meeting and with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the Voting Members present at the General Meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities.

17.1 In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration, which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the Board shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Board shall be final unless it is reversed at a General Meeting of voting members.

18.1 In the event of any dispute arising amongst members, they shall attempt to resolve the matter at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with this Constitution. Should the members fail to resolve the matter, they may bring the matter to a court of law for settlement.

19.1 The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three-fifths (3/5) of the total voting membership of the Society for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy, at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

19.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore, which is or are registered under the Charities Act as the General Meeting of voting members may determine.

19.3 In addition, if as at the date of commencement of its dissolution, the Society is an Institution of a Public Character as approved under the Charities Act, Cap 37, it shall be a condition that the institute or institutions to which its remaining assets is to be made shall also be an IPC as approved under the Charities Act, Cap 37, as the General Meeting of voting members may determine.

19.4 A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven (7) days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities.

The society is dedicated to combat mental health stigma, encourage early treatment and facilitate integration of people with mental illness within the society through innovative means of promoting mental health literacy.