UK Charity Dispute Case Study 

Mediation was arranged when key differences between the Chair of that branch and the Director surfaced which could not continue if the charity was to be viable.

The Director advised that staffing issues needed to be addressed, including recruitment of staff and volunteers as well as addressing issues with certain members of staff who in his eyes had got away with murder. Equally the management committee including the Chair needed to take a more proactive role and get involved more and support the Director in the decisions he was making and needed to make, new management committee members were also required who understood the nature of their business and what was required to realise their underpinning objectives.

The Chair listened and to some extent agreed, but did not have the strength to tackle some of these difficult and sensitive issues, he had been meaning to stand down for a considerable period of time, and had been elected for several years now without really wanting to stand.

A draft plan was agreed between the two of what was required over the year, with clear objectives of what needed to be achieved and by whom and by when, included in the plan was the fact that a new Chair would be required at the end of the year. The agreement was effective and achieved all it needed to, getting the organisation back on track and prevented adverse publicity and the need for any litigation.