Capacity Mentoring and Involving Customers.

This training programme is designed to help organisations and businesses examine ways in which they can involve members of the public/service users in participation and consultation.

The course can also be delivered in order to enhance the skills and capacity of members of the public/service users/clients to contribute and take part in consultation and strategic decision-making.

This programme is built on work undertaken with Health Boards, Education authorities and learning disability service providers. However we have already successfuly delivered it to improve the consultation and customer involvement strateies of private companies.

It also seeks to introduce the concept of capacity mentoring™ which is a model for mentoring and supporting an individual or group of people who have started a process of public participation and partnership working, e.g, through a Community Planning or Community Engagement process.

The workshop lasts two days, though this may be altered depending upon the needs of the organisation.

By the end of the workshop participants will have:

• Explored the nature of consultation and participation within their own sector, including previous practice and contemporary models.
• Developed practical skills for identifying contribution and increasing the capacity of individuals to play a full part in consultation and planning.
• Introduced the nature of capacity building and capacity mentoring as a tool for supporting and deepening involvement and participation.
• Examined issues relating to good communication and group work skills.
• Explored and utilised models for community mapping and audit.
• Reflected on the importance of and developed skills around public presentation, community contact and media awareness.
• Engaged in an in-depth process of action planning around their own individual learning needs and experience in relation to consultation and participation

The workshop will be supported by a handbook which will be given to all participants.