What is it?

• an accelerator of existing potential
• consultant-led 1:1 or small group meetings over time that are facilitative rather than prescriptive
• not a funder telling a beneficiary what to do
• a process of development that has targets/outcomes agreed at all stages by the charity, consultant and funder
• those stages can be described as follows:

Criteria for engagement

• must be a charitable organisation that is an existing, recent or potential beneficiary of the trust
• the initiative will come from FCSCT as an invitation to take advantage of an added service
• the consultant will reflect our values and modus operandus … which are:
  • Respect for the skills of charity leaders
  • Valuing the contribution of volunteers
  • Understanding the unique demands of the charitable sector
  • Enabling learning rather than ‘doing it for them’
  • Outcome/change focussed

Targeted areas of support

As a local trust we are aware of the many challenges facing charity/project leaders but with our Step Change consultancy, we only offer support in the following areas:

• key person mentoring and development
• organisational development (e.g. structure, financial reporting, governance)
• fundraising strategy
• board facilitation (away-days)
• strategic planning

What are we (FCSCT) seeking?

• to ensure that any future support is used to its optimum level by higher performing individuals and organisations
• to better equip individuals and organisations for the challenges ahead
• to upskill the sector

The process

• no consultancy happens without the charity agreeing to it and committing to engaging with the process
• if the charity is interested, a no obligation first meeting is arranged between the consultant and the charity leader
• if all parties agree, a consultancy agreement is then drawn up (including a plan of work over a specified time) and
  signed by the funder, the charity and the consultant
• any reporting back to the funder is with the explicit agreement and approval of the charity