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Monday Dec 11, 2006
I consult, therefore I am
A new Committee On Consultations has been established to explore issues relating to consultations within the voluntary sector. A steering group drawn from across the sector will oversee twelve months of surveys, workshops, plenaries, and a national roadshow.
The Committee will seek views on a wide range of current, past and future practices relating to consultations, with guidance from leading consultation consultants. The aim is to produce a practical 280-page guide to running consultations, along with a draft Consultation Strategy. Following meetings with the relevant authorities, the Committee will then circulate the Strategy for further consultation.
Initially you are invited to complete one or all of five online surveys. Where possible you are urged to complete one copy of each survey in your professional role (following internal consultation if appropriate) and one as a private individual. If necessary you can complete further copies of the same survey wearing other ‘hats’, e.g. as a trustee, parent, private donor, volunteer, dog owner etc. A prize of a subscription to Consultation Now! magazine will be awarded to the person who completes the highest number of surveys.
A spokesperson for the Committee said: “Recent surveys suggest that there can be as few as a dozen consultations happening within the voluntary sector at any one time. We hope to raise the profile of consultations and increase their frequency so that we can, one day, reach the point where work is only ever talked about rather than done.”
Posted by Tom Green ( 5:14 PM ) Link to this post Comments[5]
Posted by Paul Webster on December 12, 2006 at 12:36 AM GMT+00:00 #
Posted by Dom on December 12, 2006 at 10:08 AM GMT+00:00 #
Trixy Proudfoot, official consultant spokesperson for the Committee On Consultations
Posted by Trixy Proudfoot on December 12, 2006 at 10:31 AM GMT+00:00 #
Someone raises your hopes that there will be a consultation with a promise of funding at the end, you attend endless consultation meetings and feel that you have been consulted. You are even invited for one-to-one consultation in a faraway city at great expense, staying in an expensive hotel that sends your finance team mad as the consultants haven't though about Full Cost Recovery. Finally after many months the final draft of the draft consultation report is produced (for consultation purposes only of course!) and after another round of consultation meetings a final report is produced. Then just a month into the delivery from the recommendations someone realises that the project is running far too smoothly and that a consultation must be required to see what future consultation is needed.
Posted by Paul Webster on December 12, 2006 at 11:12 AM GMT+00:00 #
Well, when I say 'campaign' what I mean is that I'm going to be consulting people to see if they think it would be a good idea...
Posted by Tom Green on December 12, 2006 at 02:34 PM GMT+00:00 #