GOVERNANCE
IMHSUS is managed through a Board of Trustees, who act as the Executive
Committee of the organisation. They meet either face-to-face or online at least
6-monthly, with a minimum quorum of 50% of the Board membership, and in
between communicate monthly to monitor progress with
the organisation and deal with any emerging issues. The Board of Trustees can
be supported by several voluntary specialist advisors.
The Board will compile reports as necessary to meet the reporting
requirements of any donors.
IMHSUS will, via the Board, maintain a consistent monitoring and evaluation of
activities and specific programmes. Each programme of activity that IMHSUS
undertakes will have a robust monitoring and evaluation programme, including
both qualitative and quantitative data collection, which will contribute to the
overall evidence base for the IMHSUS’s work but also the broader research
evidence base for effective mental health and substance use treatment and
rehabilitation interventions.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, SOURCES OF FUNDS AND USES OF FUNDS.
Financial Year
The financial year shall be commensurate with the Dutch financial calendar –
from 1st January to 31st December.
The organisation will produce an annual Financial Report to cover this period
Sources of Funds
The organisation shall aim to secure funding from;
I. Grant Aid funding from International sources
II. Donations from Charities and Businesses
III. Fundraising activities
IV. Individual Gifts, Donations and Wills
V. Income generating activities. These include but are not limited to
proceeds from community based projects and cottage industries set up
in line with the objectives of the organisation.
VI. Membership contributions.
IMHSUS is a non-profit organisation and therefore funds obtained by whatever
source will be used solely for the furtherance of the organisation’s objectives
Bank Accounts
IMHSUS shall open a bank account in its own name at any financial institution
as agreed by the Board. The signatories to the organisation’s Bank
Account shall be the either Coordinator/Chair, the Finance Officer, or one other
member of the Executive Committee appointed by the Board. Two signatures
will be required to sign on behalf of the organisation for all cheques and legal
documents. Online banking facilities will be accessible to the
Coordinator/Chair, the Finance Officer and one other appointed member of
the Executive Committee. In the event that more than one of the approved
signatories are unavailable to approve financial transactions another member
of the Board of Trustees will be appointed by the Chief Executive/ Coordinator
to assume this role temporarily with an authority to approve transactions up to
5000 Euros.
Annual Reports
An Annual Report will be written by the Executive Committee, consisting of an
annual financial report and a report on funded activities of the organisation
over the previous 12-month period. This will be presented to the Board for
discussion and approval. The report shall be submitted to the registrar of
NGO’s, Government authorities as required by the laws of the Netherlands,
and to any other relevant organisations or stakeholders.
Audit and Control
The organisation shall appoint a qualified and certified external auditor to
audit and verify the financial accounts of the organization in accordance to
best practice principles of accounting and auditing.
SAFEGUARDING
IMHSUS will comply with all Safeguarding policies and procedures of partner
organisations and host participating organisations. Volunteers will receive
training specific safeguarding training relevant to the country they are visiting
prior to departure, and will be provided with general travel guidance issued by
their national government advice sources.
Safeguarding Policy International Mental Health and Substance Use
Support (IMHSUS)
As a foundation IMHSUS is committed to creating an environment which
promotes a culture of equality, respect, integrity, fairness and zero tolerance on
discrimination and harassment. Our safeguarding policy will apply in all the
countries where we operate and we will work with local authorities and
officials to respond responsibly, sensitively and effectively, to ensure we
respect the local context while upholding our paramount principles.
What is Safeguarding?
The United Kingdom defines safeguarding as “a range of measures in place to
protect people in a charity, or those it comes into contact with, from abuse
and maltreatment of any kind”.
Safeguarding is a process that ensures vulnerable children, young people and
adults are protected from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
The International Mental Health and Substance Use Support Foundation
(IMHSUS) strongly and categorically believes that it is unacceptable for a
child/young person or adult to experience abuse of any kind and acknowledges
its responsibility to safeguarding vulnerable adults, staff and internal and
external stakeholders it works with at risk of harm within the foundation and
those who come into contact with the foundation’s activities.
Abuse and neglect
There are a number of ways abuse and neglect can manifest. Some examples
of types of abuse are: sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological/emotional
abuse, domestic abuse, discriminatory abuse and financial abuse.
Prevention
The foundation aims to prevent abuse by raising awareness, training all staff to
identify what safeguarding violations are, risk analysis, applying effective
recruitment procedures, induction of staff in the policy and codes of conduct
for IMHSUS representatives and incorporation of the policy into relevant
existing systems.
Reporting and responding
IMHSUS will provide clear guidance and steps for alerting and reporting
safeguarding concerns, investigation and incident management, duties and
responsibilities of assigned managers and an IMHSUS safeguarding point of
contact.
Implementing and maintaining the policy
IMHSUS will train staff and partners, building capacity, monitoring, reporting
and regularly reviewing the policy to ensure it is responsive, responsible and
effective.
Anti Fraud Policy
The International Mental Health and Substance Use Support Foundation is
committed to preventing fraud and the promotion of an anti-fraud culture. Our
Anti-Fraud policy will apply in all the countries where we operate and we will
work with local authorities and officials to respond responsibly, sensitively and
effectively, to ensure we respect the local context while upholding our
paramount principles.
The foundation operates a zero-tolerance attitude to fraud and requires staff,
trustees and internal and external stakeholders to act honestly and with
integrity, and to report all reasonable suspicions of fraud. The foundation will
investigate all instances of actual, attempted, and suspected fraud committed
by staff, trustees, internal and external stakeholders, and will aim to recover
funds and assets lost through fraud. Perpetrators face disciplinary and/or legal
action.
What is fraud?
Fraud is the use of deception to deprive, disadvantage or cause loss to another
person or party, or to obtain financial gain. This can include theft, the misuse
of funds or other resources, or more complicated crimes such as false
accounting and the supply of false information.
Examples of fraud include using the foundation funds to purchase items for
personal use, unapproved use of the foundation’s property and assets for
personal gain, falsely claiming overtime or travel expenses, or undertaking
activities for personal gain while working on the foundation’s activities.
Reporting suspicions of Fraud
Staff, trustees, internal and external stakeholders should report concerns
about actual, attempted or suspected fraud to a senior member of the
foundation. No one should attempt to investigate any fraud themselves.
Fraud response plan If fraud is suspected the foundation trustees should be
informed as soon as possible with as much information and evidence as possible.
A Trustee member will be appointed to initiate an investigation and
report back to the Board of Trustees, who will take any further action in
response to the evidence gained.
IMHSUS 