Quality
Assurance
Identifying the Jewels in your Crown
Andrew Kay
Quality Assurance & Impact Co-ordinator, CANWe Solutions CIC
Today’s Agenda
•
•
•
•
A bit of background: CANW PQASSO and me
What does ‘Quality Assurance’ mean to you?
‘Quality’ in your Organisation
Identifying the Jewels in your Crown
– Revisiting ‘Quality Assurance’
– Looking at the areas to be considered
– Identifying the first steps, with examples
• How much will it cost?
• But look at the benefits!!!!!
• Case Study – Smile Mediation
A bit of background
• 2009 - first organisation in the UK to achieve
Andrew Kay
• January 2013 - achieved
Business Development and
Project Management
Quality Manager
BS5750/ISO9001
PQASSO
Until 2012 …….
Now
Practical
Quality
Assurance
System for
Small
Organisations
“The leading quality
standard developed
for the third sector
by the sector, for
organisations of all
sizes”
Charities Evaluation Services
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Q
A
S
S
O
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
A
S
S
O
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
S
S
O
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
S
O
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
O
What does ‘Quality
Assurance’ mean to you?
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
OTT for our needs?
‘Quality' in your
Organisation
Recruitment
Learning and Development
Contract Negotiations
External Meetings with clients,
stakeholders, agencies, etc
Feedback, monitoring, evaluation
Internal Meetings: Trustees,
Managers, Services, Projects, etc
Supervision and Assessment
Networking
External Assessments
‘Quality' in your
Organisation
Nearly everything you do
in your day-to-day work
involves ‘quality’
So, who is responsible
for ‘Quality’ in your
organisation?
EVERYBODY!
Questions you may
have asked
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
OTT for our needs?
No - because you
probably aren’t
going to be doing
anything extra!
Questions you may
have asked
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
OTT for our needs?
No - because you
probably aren’t
going to be doing
anything extra!
Questions you may
have asked
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
OTT for our needs?
No - because you
probably aren’t
going to be doing
anything extra!
Questions you may
have asked
Probably a waste of time?
Quite complicated?
Another lot of rules to learn?
Seems a lot of extra work?
Stops us being ‘creative’?
OTT for our needs?
No - because you
probably aren’t
going to be doing
anything extra!
So, what’s it all about?
Trustees/
Directors
Partners
Involving
Everybody
Volunteers
Managers
Staff
Everybody? Really? (1)
• Planning
• Governance
• Leadership and
Management
• User-Centred
Services
• Managing People
• Learning and
Development
• Managing Money
• Managing Resources
• Communications and
Promotion
• Working with Others
• Monitoring and
Evaluation
• Results
Everybody? Really? (2)
Planning – Level 1
Indicators
Sources of Evidence
The organisation’s mission, values
and aims are clear and are in line with
its governing document
Mission Statement
Governing document (constitution,
memorandum and articles of
association, or rules)
There is a realistic and achievable
operational plan for the current year,
with targets for the most important
outputs
Operational Plan
Clearly-defined Targets
Progress Reports
Major risks are identified, including
Health & Safety Policy
risks to the safety of people, and plans Risk Assessments
address ways to manage these
Reports to the Board on ‘risk’
Everybody? Really? (3)
• Recommended First Step
Carry out an initial self-assessment review of the
12 areas
• Commitment
Maximum one day per ‘Level’
Key person(s) from each area, when needed
• Purpose
To identify where you are in terms of ‘Quality’
• Key Criterion
And then…
That’s up to you!
Detailed
Self-Assessment
So how much does
it cost, then ???
•
•
•
•
•
First meeting / presentation
PQASSO Manual (from CES)
Initial Self-Assessment (per ‘Level’)
Detailed Self-Assessment (per ‘Level’)
‘Consultancy’ per day (incl expenses)
• CES PQASSO Assessment
Free of Charge
See CES website
£250
£250
£190
See CES website
What are the benefits?
• Commissioning / Funding Applications
– Charity Commission Endorsement for PQASSO Level 2
– Multiple layers of impact in PQQs (Pre-Qualification Questionnaires)
• Be able to state that you have – or are working towards – a recognised Quality Mark
• Show awareness of – and practice of - ‘Quality’ in day-to-day operations
• Refer to your ability to meet PQASSO standards
• From a recent PQQ from Salford City Council, Child Action Northwest were able to
quote their conformance to PQASSO standards in every single category in the PQQ:
The Organisation
Economic and Financial Standing
Insurance
Health and Safety
Equality and Diversity
Sustainability
Business Continuity
Technical and Professional Ability
Data Protection
Safeguarding
Outcome Measurement
Working with Service Users
What are the benefits?
Within your organisation
• Awareness across the organisation that ‘Quality’ is an integral
aspect of day-to-day operations – not something separate
• If self-assessments are done well (by involving ‘everybody’):
– People will feel that they have been given ‘a voice’ in influencing the way that the
organisation is run
– Major and other problems/omissions may be identified, and then rectified
– Opportunities may be identified, discussed and – where appropriate –
implemented
– If the intention is to be assessed for a Quality Mark, the external assessors will
find an organisation with good working practices, increased awareness of what
‘Quality’ is, and positive attitudes to maintaining the standards
Case Study:
Smile Mediation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
August 2010 – Karen Ainsworth joined as manager
January 2011 – Marketing Collateral
March 2011 - Present – Marketing Strategy
September 2012 - PQASSO Initial Self-Assessment
Oct 2012 – April 2013 – Consultancy / Practical Help
January 2013 – Business / Operation Plan Template
April 2013 – ‘Live’ on Business / Operation Plan
September 2013 – PQASSO Detail Self-Assessment
2014 (Targeted) – PQASSO Level 1 Assessment
What we can offer in
terms of QA:
•
•
•
•
Mentoring
Consultancy
Project Management
Practical Assistance
Also:
• Marketing Support and Consultancy
• Business Planning Support and Consultancy
• Social Return on Investment Support and Consultancy
• Website Design and Maintenance
• Design and Print Services
Contact: Andrew Kay or Lindsey Duckworth
t: 01254 244716 twitter: @CANWeCIC
e: akay@canwesolutions.org.uk or lduckworth@canwesolutions.org.uk
www.canwesolutions.org.uk