The Q-Bit: at the heart of a quaker-led organisation.
A trustee-led enquiry into Quaker identity.
During 2010-11 the trustees of Quaker Social Action were prompted to explore how they perceived and expressed the Quaker dimensions at the heart of QSA's work.
With the help of a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust the trustees were able to explore this in depth, sharing their enquiry and its findings with other Quaker-led organisations.
The report is the story of their journey in exploring their principal questions:
- How are Quaker values expressed through the organisation and its work?
- Could this be articulated more usefully and clearly?
- How could trustees explore best practise in the use of Quaker business methods in the governance of an incorporated charity?
- Do Quaker governance and QSA's Quaker identity strengthen QSA's work in challenging poverty?
The heart of Quaker Social Action
The trustees concluded that:
- The vitality, strategic focus and impact of QSA is rooted in the marriage of formative Quaker values, ways and practises with QSA's professional experience and practise established through its work in east London.
- This creates a culture that is distinctive to QSA. This Quaker identity is the heart of Quaker Social Action, upholding all that is best in the organisation.
- It is demonstrated in the way staff and volunteers perceive and carry out their work, and in their relationships with each other and with the people QSA works with. The trustees' demonstrate it further through their commitment to spirit-led Quaker business methods in governance.
- As a result leadership at QSA is enabling and facilitative and used creatively by trustees, clerk, director, managers and staff.
Download the full report