Aminur Rashid from Cardiff is a Chartered Engineer for Newport City Council. He has two daughters, 22 and 14, and one son, 18.

"I'm a governor at two schools. I've been a governor at Cathays High School in Cardiff for about 11 years, and at Marlborough Junior, Pen-Y-Lan, for the past eight years.

I was delighted to say 'yes' when the headteacher of Cathays asked me to be a governor. My children went to Marlborough, which is very close to my house, and I was approached by them too.

There is a particular personal reason behind this. I've been involved from the very beginning with what is now known as Race Equality First, and I've been the chairperson for the last three years. After the Race Relation Act 2000, it became compulsory for every school to have a Race Equality Policy and a lot of schools have wanted me to get involved.

People often ask me how much of my time it takes up. In my case, I tend to go out of my way to do anything I can to help - and I'm willing to spend as much time as required. If I know of any problem with a particular child from an ethnic minority family, I will go and see the parents myself. You'd be surprised how much you can solve just by going to see people and talking to them.

Do I feel I make a difference? The governing body feel, I think, that if there is any problem with the ethnic minority children at the school, there is someone there who will help - and I find that a very helpful thought myself. I've been a governor there for 11 years now - they must be pleased to have me!

It's also very important that ethnic minorities can see there's someone like them on the board. I'm very keen to encourage other ethnic minority parents to become governors.

Advice
The most important thing is to be interested. As a parent, if you want to change the system or think there are improvements which could be made in the school, being a governor is the only way to do it.

If any parent is interested and feels confident, they should put their name forward when the governors' election comes around."

Aminur, Cardiff

For more information see 'Becoming a School Governor'.