The CCP Process

Each year, we offer two "cycles" of consulting to clients: one session runs February through May and another September through December. We typically work with three client organizations in each round. A consulting team of 5-7 people serves each client with a Senior Consultant supporting them.

Those interested in being consultants declare their interest on this website, by clicking on the "Volunteer" tab and following the link to sign up. Potential client organizations sign up here as well by clicking on the "Clients" tab and following the link to sign up.

Before each round begins, CCP forms three consulting teams from those who have signed up. Those three teams are brought together to form a learning community that will meet five times during their projects in addition to their weekly team meetings. Team members typically come from a wide range of backgrounds and skills. Everyone who signs up to be on a team will have the opportunity as soon as space becomes available.

In the initial orientation meeting, the teams and their respective senior consultants are joined and the project begins. It lasts three to four months. Teams begin by getting acquainted, learning more about the CCP process, and preparing to meet their client. Later, the consulting team meets with the client organization to determine what might be a useful consulting project and how to carry it out.

The consulting team usually meets at least weekly to do their consulting work, often with the senior consultant present. The teams can supplement their learning by inviting in other experts from a CCP roster.

In addition to the initial orientation meeting, the learning community (made up of the three teams, their three seniors, often the three clients) meet for four Saturday half-day sessions. These sessions emphasize learning from the consulting experience. Teams, seniors, and clients compare notes, learn from each other, and review the especially interesting aspects of their projects.