Q5 and Ahead Partnership launch pro bono consulting offering
Consultancy Q5 and UK charity Ahead Partnership have partnered to launch a new pro bono consulting offering to distressed mid-size organisations, amid the current economic turbulence most markets face. Since March, the group has been working with business and charity leaders chart the course to recovery.
Before 2020, Charities in the UK were already struggling to stay afloat in the UK thanks to downturns in donations and cuts to government support of the third sector. Meanwhile many mid-sized businesses were living in limbo, as tumultuous Brexit negotiations saw economic growth become extremely sluggish. As a result, the economic chaos brought on by the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic has left many organisations fighting for their lives.
Since March, consulting firm Q5 and Leeds based charity Ahead Partnership have been collaborating to help organisations facing hard times during the current crisis. Called Pop-up Consulting, the new group offers a one-to-two days of pro bono consulting intervention to medium-sized businesses and charities, who would welcome some help, but do not have budget for consulting support.
A statement from Q5 read, “It has been a great thing for Q5 colleagues to be involved in too, keeping team members actively engaged and energised on 'purposeful' work during the Lockdown period. It has kept the team motivated, productive and healthy… If you are connected to a smaller business or not-for-profit that might be interested, please get in touch. Please note that due to exceptional demand, these mini-projects are now being scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis.”
During the sessions with clients, Pop-up Consulting works with leaders to tackle issues specific to their organisation; acting as an emergency service for everything from strategy to design, change, people and culture. The group uses an accelerated and focused method that confronts challenges at pace, identifies potential options for recovery and creates clear action plans for them to take forward.
Almost booked up until early June, Pop-up Consulting has already conducted 16 of these interventions. These have included the restaurant chain Pizza Pilgrims to Policy in Practice – the company which built the UK Government’s Universal Benefit Calculator – with each of the beneficiaries having since lauded the support they have received.
Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said, “As a team, like many of you, we have been incredibly busy re-reorienting our software to support people affected by Coronavirus. The work hasn't stopped, but this was a powerful session that allowed us to take a step back, be introspective and ask how we can do even better in the future. Huge thanks to Q5 – I would recommend their Pop up Advisory to any company needing to reflect amidst these crazy times.”
