Joe Whitaker

1. First of all, about you: What attracted you to becoming a trustee/chair?

I first became a Trustee because I was already volunteering for a charity and wanted to be more involved. Becoming a Trustee meant getting a better understanding of how the charity worked and having the opportunity to shape its future development. I thought the work the charity did was fantastic and wanted to help it grow and improve.

2. Which organisation(s) do you represent?

I am currently the Chair of Common Ground

3. What particularly attracted you to these organisation(s)?

I was keen to join the Board of a mediation charity because I know from experience that mediation is a powerful tool to help people experiencing conflict. Conflict ruins lives and mediation helps people to take control of their problems and find a positive way forward. I was also keen to join a charity in east London because of the deprivation that exists there. People on low incomes are least able to afford expensive routes out of conflict and so benefit the most from free, independent support.

4. Is there anything that would make you an even more effective trustee/chair?

Training on strategy development and impact measurement would be great, especially if it was cheap!

5. What's the biggest challenge you have faced in your role?

Last year the Board had to make some very difficult decisions about the continuing viability of the charity after we lost a key funding stream. We made painful decisions but are still here.

6. What do you consider to be the most satisfying aspect of your role?

Working with a group of people with a wide range of different experience and skills.

7. Do you think there is enough general recognition of the value of the trustee/chair role?

No. I don't think, for example, that employers see being a trustee as valuable experience.

8. What do you think is the ideal term of office that a trustee/chair could serve?

This is a difficult one. On the one hand I think there should be a limit, perhaps three 2 year terms, to create room for renewal. But because it's hard to recruit new Trustees it's tempting not to set limits and hold on to experienced members.

9. What tip would you give to a new trustee/chair?

Ask questions and challenge assumptions.


10. If you weren't a trustee/chair, what would you do with that extra time?

Become a school governor.


11. What steps do you take to increase/retain your organisation's membership?

We are actively recruiting for new Board members and do this through word of mouth and online media. We have a large group of volunteers and train new mediators every year if we have sufficient funding.


12. What question do you want to ask next week's trustee?

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the next few years for your charity, and why?


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