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