Slimming World seeks Consultants to help grow groups

Recognising the key role that social support plays in achieving long term behaviour change, Slimming World is inviting members, former members and family and friends to attend an Opportunity Event to find out more about the Consultant role.

The opportunity comes as many of us continue to struggle with weight and associated health risks including hypertension, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. According to the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), overweight and obesity are the fifth leading risk for global deaths. EASO also reports that 44% of the diabetes burden, 23% of the ischaemic heart disease burden and between 7% and 41% of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity.

Evidence suggests too that obesity rates have risen during the Covid pandemic. However recent research by Slimming World looked at how losing weight as part of a socially connected group can help achieve weight loss success. Slimming World polled members of Slimming World’s 7,700 community weight loss groups. Three in four group members who responded said they were more confident and self-assured (74%) as a result and 93% of Slimming World members felt committed to their weight loss.

“Being a Slimming World Consultant is a hugely rewarding role,” says Slimming World Director of Field Management UK West and Ireland, Wendy Cosgrove. “It’s a role that gives the unique satisfaction of helping people to live healthier, happier lives.

“Providing opportunities for real-life connection with others, in a powerfully motivating weight loss group setting, is key to stemming the tide of the obesity epidemic and provide the authentic sense of belonging that people are searching for. We’d welcome anyone affiliated to Slimming World who is passionate about motivating and supporting members through empathy and compassion, to apply,” she says.

The role offers the chance as a self-employed franchisee to work flexible hours to suit most lifestyles. Slimming World offers full training and ongoing support to help Consultants promote and build a successful franchise as part of a brand that has been helping people to lose weight and lead healthier lives for more than 50 years.

Members join a Slimming World local group to lose weight by following a healthy eating plan that is based on filling up on and enjoying normal everyday foods without ever having to go hungry. They get support to gradually becoming more active so that exercise becomes part of their daily routine and commit to regular weekly support and motivation to reach their personal target weight.

“Slimming World is so successful because we recruit people who understand and empathise with those who struggle with their weight. Everyone who works with Slimming World is instinctively warm, caring and kind, with a sense of fun. We all have a real desire to share the life-changing benefits of losing weight and leading a healthier, happier, more fulfilled life,” says Fiona Manwell, Director of Field Management for UK East and Scotland, echoing Wendy’s views.

“We’ve recently launched a new website which sets out what it takes to become a Slimming World Consultant and why it is such a rewarding role. We have Consultants who run several groups and it’s their full-time role as well as Consultants who work part-time and work it around their family or another job. If you want to make a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing and you’re looking for a role that is flexible and fits around your lifestyle, as a self-employed franchisee, we’d love to hear from you,” she adds.

Anna Mangan, Slimming World Consultant, Chorlton, Manchester.

Anna had a trampolining accident which led to spinal surgery and was medically retired at just 30. She felt adrift and anxious about what to do with her life. “The perfect solution was right in front of me,” says Anna. "Slimming World had become a real positive in my life, and I wanted to pass that on to others. Of course, as much as I genuinely love helping other people, my new role had to work for me and the life I wanted to lead. I knew I couldn’t be tied to a desk all day, and having so much flexibility around where, when and how much I wanted to work was so freeing. I had the power to set my own work/life balance, and to influence my own earning power, too.

“It sounds like a strange thing to say, but I’m so thankful for my accident, as it forced me to rethink my life and led to a fantastic, flexible career where I get to help people every day.”