The Consult Crew

The Consult Crew is an extension of our team and the first place we look when we need extra help in a meeting. It's made up of smart, enthusiastic people who have interest or experience in consultation and who help us deliver smooth, constructive meetings. Consult Crew members usually have one of three roles:

Supporting

  • Staff sign in tables

  • Welcome meeting participants

  • Distribute meeting materials

  • Help with room setup

Documenting 

  • Take raw notes in a meeting

  • Draft a detailed summary of feedback 

Facilitating

  • Facilitate a meeting or group discussion

  • Report back on discussion

  • Identify key messages

How we work with the consult crew

Before a meeting, we figure out what kind of help we need to make it a success. Then, we reach out to see who is available. Sometimes we send a call out to the entire group and assign people roles on a first-come, first-served basis. Other times we reach out to people with specific interests related to the meeting's topic. We also occasionally reach out to people with specific skills that we know would help us in the meeting. We then brief Consult Crew members on the meeting's purpose, agenda, and their role to make sure they're comfortable and confident going in. Finally, we work with Consult Crew members on reporting if necessary and make sure they receive the final meeting summary.

Most Consult Crew members begin to work with us in a supporting role and, over time, can move into either documenting or facilitating roles. We maintain our Consult Crew roster on an on-going basis to track which of our projects they have worked on, what their interests and skills are, and what roles they've had.

We always pay Consult Crew members for their time.

Joining the Consult Crew

Joining the Consult Crew is a great way to build up your experience and understanding of consultation and get an up-close look at our team's work. You should talk to us about joining the Consult Crew if you're:

  • Interested in or passionate about engagement

  • Available to work on evenings or weekends

  • Comfortable talking to people

  • A proactive problem-solver

The first step in joining the Consult Crew is to meet with someone from our team for a 30-minute chat. We're always looking to meet and work with great people, so if you're interested you should get in touch at either +1 (416) 572-4365 or hello@thirdpartypublic.ca.