Mike Nussbaum

Biographical Information
"His first career as a research chemist was cut short by failing eyesight, but Mike soon forged a second career in local government and public policy development. Mike worked with communities in some of the most challenging local authorities in the UK, initiating pioneering work in social inclusion and in urban regeneration and design.  For three years, he led the government’s policy unit on Children’s Play.

"Since retirement Mike has taken on various roles in the national voluntary sector but particularly in promoting and developing the role of volunteering.  In 2003, he steered the merger of 3 national voluntary organisations to form a single national focus for volunteering and helped to establish national quality standards for volunteer centres and for volunteer management. He was instrumental in persuading the UK government of the need for ‘The Office of the Third Sector’ as a key function of the Cabinet Office.  Currently, Vice President of Volunteering England, he was its founding Chair for 10 years, from its inception until September 2009.

"Mike is involved with various charitable organisations both locally, nationally and more broadly, in the European context. He is Chair of Milton Keynes Volunteer Centre, a Board member of Bucks Vision, (formerly Bucks Association for Blind and Partially Sighted People) and served on the Campbell Park Parish Council.  He acts as Community Development Adviser to the Churches Conservation Trust and is a Board member of The National Blind Childrens Society.  He regularly acts as Ambassador and conference presenter for the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) and has recently become a Board Member of the Small Charities Coalition.

"Mike is currently chairing a Cross Sectors Working Group (known as the Expert Volunteers Initiative) which aims to recruit volunteers to assist the hardest to reach groups of the long-term unemployed to access employment opportunities which is very relevant to people with a visual impairment. In 2005 Mike received a national ‘Year of the Volunteer’ Award for services to volunteering, and in 2008 The Open University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of over 40 years of public service."


 * Chair, Action for Blind People
 * Trustee, Royal National Institute of Blind People