1. Membership is open to holders of: Game Angling Instructor’s Certificate [GAIC]; Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling [L2CCA] (Game Angling); Salmon & Trout Association National Instructor’s Certificate [STANIC]; Scottish Game Angling Certificate [SGAIC]; Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor [APGAI].
2. Applications for Membership from qualified instructors shall be submitted to the Secretary or Chairman for confirmation by the Management Committee. Applications shall be accompanied by evidence of the qualification held by the applicant.
3. On acceptance into membership, the applicant shall pay the appropriate joining fee together with the annual subscription in force at the time, which may then run for a period of up to 18 months.
4. Applicants for Membership via assessment for award of a qualification will be offered places on assessment courses and Membership on successful completion of their course, i.e. after award of the qualification sought.
5. All applicants shall receive a copy of the Constitution and of the Rules of the Association, and of the Association’s Policy Statement and Code of Practice for Game Angling Instructors and, where appropriate, the Association’s Guide to ‘Taking Assessment Tests for Award of Qualifications’ with the Syllabus(es) for the relevant category or categories sought.
6. Payment of a subscription upon receipt of an offer of Membership shall constitute acceptance of the Association’s Constitution and Rules. General conduct of Members
7. Members shall have a duty to the Association which shall be:
8. All practicing Members shall hold insurance cover against public and third-party liabilities in respect of their professional activities. This insurance cover is provided for UK-resident Members from the subscription (Rule 11).
9. Members residing and practicing within the United Kingdom shall maintain membership of their national Governing Body. Normally this will be organised through the Association (Rule 11). Subscriptions
10. Subscriptions shall be determined annually at the AGM, and fall due on 1st January following. Subscriptions must be paid on or immediately after this date. Subscriptions for Life Members shall be found by the Association.
11. For UK-resident Members only, the subscription shall include provision of Members’ professional indemnity insurance and membership of the relevant game-angling Governing Body.
12. At the discretion of the Management Committee, certain Members may have their subscription varied or a portion of it remitted. This may be the case where a Member has undertaken to retire completely from any instruction or allied professional activity, or in the case of non-UK Members or those not resident in the UK who do not enjoy the full benefits of membership.
13. An advisory letter shall be sent to Members in default due to underpaid or unpaid subscriptions. Subscriptions still in default two months after posting such a letter shall be deemed grounds to terminate membership.
14. Members seeking additional qualifications or categories shall pay, in advance, the test fees set by the preceding AGM. Test fees shall not be refunded to those failing to gain the qualification.
15. Applicants for Membership shall pay an entry fee to the Association and any test fees required by their actual or intended qualification, as set by the preceding AGM. Only one entry fee shall be paid by any individual.
16. Members wishing to resign from the Association shall do so in writing before the end of the year in which their membership is current. Members who fail to resign formally, as stipulated, shall be due to pay the following year's subscription.
17. Members who have resigned formally (Paragraph 16) from the Association and who subsequently wish to rejoin the Association shall pay one half of the rejoining fee then current, in addition to the annual subscription due.
18. Members who have not resigned from the Association in the manner stipulated (Paragraph 16) and who subsequently wish to be re-instated shall pay a rejoining fee equal to the entry fee for new members in force at the time in addition to the annual subscription due though past qualifications will be recognised. Officers and Management Committee
19. Proposals of candidates for elected positions on the Management Committee should reach the Secretary or Administrator/Director at least twenty eight days before the AGM, together with the candidate’s consent and a brief personal statement. Candidates proposed thus need not attend the AGM for election. Vacancies within the Committee remaining at the AGM after elections may be filled by co-option of Members. (AGM agenda are sent out at least 21 days in advance of the meeting: Constitution para. 29)
20. The elected members of the Management Committee shall be jointly responsible for the resolutions and actions of that Committee.
21. When electronic communications are used between Committee members in respect of Committee business, senders should as far as possible ensure that all are consulted or receive their messages.
22. Reports or statements for publication or broadcast that could affect public attitudes to the Association should, before publication, be brought to the attention of the Chairman or Vice-Chairman and at least one other Committee member in substance at least.
23. Statements recording dissatisfaction or dispute within the Committee must be referred to the Chairman or Vice-Chairman who shall consult with available Officers before agreeing publication or presentation at the Association’s General Meetings or events. The Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall report their consultation to the Committee. Sub-Committees
24. Both sub-committees (Standards & Practices, and Assessors & Examiners) shall maintain a record of their work as minutes of meetings or copies of electronic communications where these substitute for meeting in person.
25. The work of the S&PC shall be:
27. The A&EC shall invite Members of the Association to undertake training as Assessors, the form of this training to be determined by the A&EC. Following training, A&EC shall offer to individuals appointment as an Assessor as it thinks fit. Disputes in this matter if not resolvable by A&EC shall be referred to the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.
28. The A&EC shall have the power to withdraw appointment to the Assessors corps at their discretion after discussion with the person affected.
29. Complaints made to the Association by clients, Members or the public concerning unprofessional conduct by Members may be received by the Secretary, S&PC Chairman or any other Member. All Members must treat any complaint as a matter of seriousness potentially affecting the standing of the Association as a whole.
30. Initially, Members may attempt to resolve orally. Where minor matters are resolved successfully, the Member shall nonetheless make the Chairman S&PC aware of the complaint and its resolution.
31. Any Member receiving an oral complaint and not able to resolve it shall advise the complainant to submit without delay a written complaint to the Secretary or Chairman of the S&PC and should themselves notify such Officer of the matter. Complainants should submit as much material information and evidence concerning the complaint as possible.
32. All written complaints and a written account of any matter of substance resolved or left unresolved by a Member shall be referred to the Secretary who shall advise and pass the documents to the Chairman S&PC for investigation.
33. An account of all written complaints, resolved or unresolved, shall be included in the minuted business of the S&PC, together with consideration of the conduct of Members in the matter raised. The S&PC shall forward to the Management Committee their recommendations for action in respect of complaints received Assessors for the award of technical qualifications in game angling.
34. The Assessors shall be a corps of trained members whose duty to the Association shall be:
35. When sufficient Association Members are trained and available to serve as Assessors, a period of five years shall be the normal length of unbroken service within the active corps of Assessors.
36. The A&EC and Assessors together shall have the responsibility for helping all Members to maintain and advance their skills, informally and in training sessions.
37. Training days and sessions shall be organised for all Members as separate events or as part of other Association events. These shall be arranged by the Events Officer who shall consult with S&PC and A&EC on the programme provided. Qualifications
38. The Association’s qualifications for Membership at entry level shall be, the Game Angling Instructors Certificate (GAIC) and at a higher level, Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor (APGAI). These shall both be awarded in three categories,
39. Members practicing as game-angling instructors and promoting their holding of the Association’s qualifications in connection with such practice shall maintain Membership of the Association.
40. No Member shall knowingly and willfully misrepresent the level of his/her qualification(s).
41. No Member shall use the name of the Association (or its acronym GAIA) to promote their professional services. It should be noted that the Association is an organising body and individuals should use only their qualifications for promoting their services as instructors or in allied professional work.
42. In the event of complaint against a member, the Management Committee may withdraw the right to use of the qualification (the letters GAIC and/or APGAI) until the matter is resolved.
43. Assessments for the award of qualifications and de facto admission to Membership shall be held at least once each year.
44. Applications to be considered for award of GAIC or APGAI in one or more of the categories shall be submitted to the Secretary using a recognised Application Form
45. Applicants must attend an Assessment Course (normally two days) organised to determine and support the technical and practical abilities of the individual as an instructor. Attendance at an Assessment Course shall be conditional on the applicant completing an Application Form for the qualification desired and paying all fees on receipt of a Letter of Acceptance from the Association. The applicant must pay the fees for their Assessment Course within 21 days of receiving the Letter of Acceptance, in accordance with the instructions included in the letter, in any event making payment at least 10 days in advance of the Course.
46. Each Assessment Course will be under the control of a Course Director appointed by the Management Committee who shall determine the composition of a Course Assessment Team.
47. The decision of the Course Director shall be final in all matters of conduct relating to that Assessment Course.
48. Assessments will be carried out at an Assessment Course in the manner described in the Association’s general advisory booklet on Taking Assessment Tests, following in each category at each level (GAIC or APGAI) the Association’s Syllabus(-es) for the category (categories) applied for.
49. Qualifications will be awarded to applicants who pass assessments for one or more categories in the Association’s tests designated for that qualification and who accept or hold Membership. The tests shall be conducted by the Association’s Assessors with reference to the Syllabus(-es) current at the time.
50. The decision of the Course Director shall be final in all matters of assessment at an Assessment Course and no appeal shall be entered into after the conclusion of the Course.
51. All applicants will be counselled, pass or fail, before they leave the Assessment Course. If an applicant has narrowly failed to satisfy the Assessors, the Course Director may at his or her discretion and in consultation with the Course Assessment Team direct that such part(s) may be retaken in a manner and at such time and place as may be decided.
52. Award of GAIC provides access to Membership of the Association.
53. The content of GAIC will be similar to the technical content required for the Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling [L2CCA] (Game Angling), the now discontinued Salmon & Trout Association National Instructors Certificate (STANIC) and the Scottish Game Angling Instructor’s Certificate (SGAIC).
54. Applicants for GAIC shall be 18 years of age or over.
55. Holders of GAIC may use the qualification in business and in advertising and promotional material only in one of the following recognised manners: ‘The Game Angling Instructor’s Certificate’ or ‘GAIC’, and to this they must add any category endorsed in their certificate.
56. APGAI is awarded to instructors showing comprehensive technical knowledge and excellent practical skills in game angling.
57. Applicants for APGAI must normally hold an approved entry-level (including GAIC, L2CCA (Game Angling), STANIC, SGAIC) or a higher qualification in the same category before applying. They shall be 21 years of age or over.
58. Exceptionally, direct access to assessment for APGAI may be offered to persons of high standing nationally or internationally amongst game anglers. Such direct access must be proposed and seconded (sponsored) confidentially within the Association by Association APGAI Assessors and be approved by S&PC before the offer is made. Candidates for APGAI assessment by this route must be fully prepared for the assessment by their sponsors.
59. After award of the APGAI qualification, Members are entitled to use the letters APGAI in their professional activities, but must indicate their category or categories in publicity or advertising materials and in dealing with clients.