Once there is a commitment to proceed, and a level of ‘buy-in’ reached among potential stakeholders, the scoping phase can begin. The purpose of this phase is to fully scope what will be required for the LCO to form and operate. The scoping activities may be undertaken internally by members of the community, or by an independent consultant who can provide a degree of independence.
The commitment to proceed to the next phase may involve a financial contribution from each participating school or organisation to support the work that will be required in coming up with a detailed plan.
Also important in the scoping process is to draw on the experience of other LCOs that are already formed and operating – their experience and insights may save a lot of time and wasted effort in establishing a new LCO.
The perspectives of parents/whanau and students must not be neglected in this phase, as their needs must be paramount in terms of defining the intent and nature of the LCO formation.
Commitment from participating members of the group to participate in the planning and further development of the LCO. This may be formalised through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Boards of Trustees.