![S 9021_preview[1].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5b73f_38a3b65eb42f407faf432deb4dbef212~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_338,h_555,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/S%209021_preview%5B1%5D.jpeg)
About Silvia Passoni
As the founder of Evolve Consulting, I am dedicated to transforming third-sector organizations with innovative solutions focused on sustainability and leadership development.
My expertise includes:
Executive Coaching: Providing personalized guidance to enhance leadership skills.
Strategic Planning: Crafting and implementing effective strategies for growth and sustainability.
Process Optimization: Streamlining operations for greater efficiency and impact.
Hands-On Support: Ensuring practical, measurable results through active involvement.
I have a long-standing, proven track record of success in the nonprofit sector and have held senior leadership roles—Executive Director and COO—in various nonprofit organizations both in South Africa and abroad.
Key focus areas include:
Healthcare and HIV/AIDS: Driving impactful initiatives in these critical areas.
Children/Youth Services: Enhancing programs that support young people.
Community Development: Contributing to local growth and resilience.
Food Security and Education: Addressing essential needs and promoting learning.
Enterprise Development: Fostering job creation and business growth.
Notable credentials:
-
Graduated with distinction and received the top student award from the Gordon Institute’s Social Entrepreneurship Programme.
-
Awarded by USAID (PEPFAR) for exceptional community health service.
-
Higher National Diploma in Public Relations and Communication.
-
Internationally qualified facilitator at the Social Enterprise Academy, leading leadership programs for impactful social change.
-
Mentor and Coach at the Entrepreneurship Development Academy unit within the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
​
Driven by a passion for social development, I am open to new opportunities and collaborations. Let’s connect to explore how we can work together to achieve transformative results for your organization.
Silvia is an excellent business development professional with a particularly rare talent for social entrepreneurship development, organizational skills strategy, personal leadership and corporate governance.
I was able to learn a great deal from her and the skills that she taught me helped me to identify my own unique strengths in business development.
I recommend her as an exceptional human being and wonderful mentor.
As a result of the advice that I received from her, I was able to complete my JP Morgan Chase Program with 100% results from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).
Nkanyiso Madlala
CEO, Energy Efficiency (South Africa)
Services
Social Development:
In an era of heightened concern for organisational performance, results, and accountability, we hear more and more about organisational effectiveness and our need to ensure it. The reality is that most non-profit leaders or social entrepreneurs struggle with the concept of organisational effectiveness and how to make it meaningful in their own organisations.
Organisations must continually evolve to stay relevant, innovative and competitive. To choose the path to grow smartly, a company first needs to shape the decision-making context in such a way that there is diversity of opinion.
Capacity building within an organisation requires team effort – a team who has the primary responsibility for leading the organisation’s engagement in the core capacity building activities.
There are, however, instances where non-profits or social enterprises would need to consider outsourcing certain functions. They may consider external help solving issues and executing strategies where their skillsets and knowledge are insufficient. There could be urgent additional staffing needs for a variety of factors including downsizings and sudden expansion, where a consultant can play the role of a full time employee.
There are several advantages to this integrated group approach. By sharing multiple perspectives on some of the problems and issues needed to be addressed it is less likely that problems will be misdiagnosed or that key issues will be overlooked. Another advantage is that more people will gain a deeper understanding of critical organisational challenges that can be addressed through the capacity building efforts.
If this describes your current scenario, or perhaps you need help starting a non-profit organisation, consider calling on Evolve for discussion on a possible partnership. You are guaranteed of effective and affordable consultation, significant experience, relevant qualification and a collaborative and complete approach.
Contracts may be long- or short-term, hourly, or project-based. All work is grounded by a thorough understanding of client goals and a clear set of deliverables.
Areas of Support
-
Board Governance
-
Capacity Building
-
Project Management
-
Stakeholder Management
-
Learning and Development
-
Fundraising/Income Generation
-
Interim Executive Services
-
Change Management
-
Organisational Development
-
Social Entrepreneurship
-
Office Administration
-
Strategic and Operational Planning
-
Start-up Organisational Assessments
-
Operations Management
-
Special Projects
-
Ad Hoc Support Services
Personal and Organisational Advancement:
Learning and development is vital for a thriving, entrepreneurial social change sector, as well as individual growth.
The Social Enterprise Academy is a non-profit organisation specialising in the facilitation of practical learning programmes for individuals and organisations with a social mission. The organisation has a proven track record with experience of social enterprise development in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Through practical, collaborative learning programmes they help non-profits and social enterprises find new ways of meeting the challenges of financial sustainability and of delivering high social impact.
By learning with the Social Enterprise Academy you can develop clarity about challenges and potential, confidence to lead organisational growth and change, understanding of values and how to act on them, ability to get the best from others and lead changes to develop stronger and healthier organisations.
As a facilitator for the Social Enterprise Academy, I have been entrusted to create a safe space for powerful learning. Through my extensive experience, I am able to support non-profit leaders and social entrepreneurs to develop and create social change.
To learn more about the programmes on offer, please visit: www.socialenterprise.academy/za/
Corporate Social Investment:
Non-profits and social enterprises truly value long-term partnerships with small and large businesses and can provide many benefits in return. Corporate Social Investment (CSI) is not just about making donations, it’s about building a mutually beneficial partnership that can provide volunteer opportunities for your staff, marketing exposure for your products, and strengthen both your brand and that of your partner.
For-profit companies often seek assistance to help them align with mission-driven organisations and leverage these relationships to maximize the positive impact on their community.
Whether you need to establish a CSI function or have a fully fledged department, Evolve has the skills, expertise and tools to add value to your company.
Contracts may be long- or short-term, hourly, or project-based. All work is grounded by a thorough understanding of client goals and a clear set of deliverables.
Areas of Support
-
Research
-
Partner Identification and Management
-
Monitoring and Evaluation
-
Audits
-
Stakeholder Management
-
Project Management
-
Reporting
-
Site visit Evaluations
-
Capacity Assessments
-
Ad Hoc Support Services
Value Add
Best practices across industries and functions
Common attributes of effective solutions are recognised by applying lessons learned in applicable situations and by serving clients in the same sector and serving multiple clients facing similar problems.
Experience and knowledge
Hands-on experience and a broad knowledge in the development field. Proven organisational leadership with wisdom that comes from past experiences will help you avoid the same mistakes and improve management and control.
Fresh perspective
A fresh set of eyes is often needed – an enormous amount of value is added based on external observations and insights which increases flexibility and control. This could also assist when there are differences of opinion between members of the board of directors and the staff and/or volunteers regarding directions a certain initiative could take.
Training and skillset augmentation
Client training as a major ingredient. The best recommendations are worthless if clients can’t implement and maintain suggested changes. Client employees are educated on necessary knowledge, skills, and mindsets which increases organisational impact.
Connecting you with people
Continuous involvement with many non-profits, social enterprises and corporate donors assists in creating valuable partnerships.
Beneficiary awareness
A particular understanding of social issues within communities.
Expertise and discipline
An impeccable work ethic coupled with an excellent understanding of general project management and business principles.
Economically viable
Affordable consulting support to organisations of all sizes and opportunity to reduce operating costs.
Proven results
Measurable progress made in reasonable time.
Vested Partnership
A keen interest in learning about your organisation and striving for excellence and progress in attaining realistic solutions.