Consultants are the driving force behind WOSM Services, the biggest support system provided by WOSM to National Scout Organizations (NSOs). This year, more than 120 consultants will join our existing global network of highly-skilled consultants who cover a wide range of topics in 12 service areas.
Each new consultant is given expert training to enhance key consultancy skills and service area knowledge. Among the first in this series was training held between 23-27 February in Pforzheim, Germany, during which 34 consultants learnt about various topics such as building rapport, leadership, managing change, and coaching techniques. Two more training events followed - one for Spanish speakers held in Colombia in April, and the other for Arabic and English speakers in Malaysia in May.
This important and comprehensive training was designed over the course of a year by experienced trainers and coaches, many of whom are professional consultants. The experts who delivered the five-day consultancy skills training events were selected from each region, trained, and coached to increase the capacity of the participant. They are now all part of the Global Consultants Support Group and support consultants with additional development sessions and individual coaching.
One of the participants, Mahmoud El-Shenawy from Egypt, shared the following:
"The WOSM Consultants Training was a unique experience, rich with knowledge; I remember especially standing around the DISC map exploring our profiles and their characteristics, and the role the profiles play in conducting an effective meeting with the NSO representatives; it motivated us to explore a new side of ourselves. The training made me more confident that I can be professional, culture-sensitive, and supportive with NSO representatives, understanding their needs and supporting them effectively.”
From this latest group, 78 consultants from every region in WOSM have so far been trained in consultancy skills and can already be assigned to deliver or shadow services. All consultants are also undergoing online service training to ensure that they are ready to support a specific service area. Two more consultancy skills training events are expected to be held in September - one between 13-17 September in Kenya, and the other between 20-24 September in Belgium.
Consultancy skills equip our volunteer consultants to better understand the needs of an NSO, enabling them to tailor proposed solutions to meet an NSO’s reality and long-term goals, and increase the sustainability of the service delivery so that NSOs can produce a more meaningful impact in their communities.
Service testimonials from NSOs that have benefitted from a service delivery can be found on each service page on Treehouse.
This training was funded with the kind support of Alwaleed Philanthropies.