Issued: 10 June, 2015
The first bilingual edition of a well-established quality standard written by the third sector, for the third sector, is being launched today (10 June) at the Norwegian
Church in Cardiff Bay.
The PQASSO quality standard can help organisations to ‘do things better’, and the launch features presentations from speakers whose organisations have previously achieved the standard.
‘PQASSO has been written by the sector, for the sector and is a tried and tested approach to quality management and is flexible enough that it can be used by organisations of all sizes, and we are delighted that we now have a version which is available in Welsh for the first time and which reflects the bilingual context in which organisations work,’ said Caroline Cook, NCVO’s PQASSO Programme Manager.
‘WCVA is delighted to be working with NCVO to deliver and promote the PQASSO for Wales project’, ’ said Ruth Marks, Chief Executive of Wales Council for Voluntary
Action (WCVA).
PQASSO for Wales is a five-year project, running until the end of 2018, which aims to strengthen quality management in the third sector and create a culture of continuous improvement.
It is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led by National Council for Voluntary
Organisations (NCVO), working in partnership with WCVA. The standard is also being produced as a new online tool and in Welsh for the first time.
Ms Marks added: ‘Developing fit for purpose organisations, from providing funding advice, to training, to supporting work on demonstrating outcomes and impact and good governance, to Investing in Volunteers, all contribute to developing well-run third sector organisations and reflect the quality areas of PQASSO.

‘In an economic environment where funding sources are strained, funders and commissioners are becoming increasingly interested in quality standards as a way of demonstrating that their money is being used efficiently and effectively to produce the best outcomes for users.
‘PQASSO provides a way to do this and to look at doing things better - not just the way in which the organisation runs, but also the services it delivers.’
Along with Ruth Marks, other speakers at the event are Wales Co-operative Centre
Chief Executive Derek Walker; Becky Hancock, Deputy Chief Executive of Welsh
Centre for Action on Dependency and Addiction; and Helen Swain, Director of
Torfaen Women’s Aid.
The PQASSO for Wales project aims to:
 select 125 organisations to take part
 give 400 newly-formed and very small groups an organisational health check as a stepping stone to implementing the PQASSO standard at level 1
 recruit 25 PQASSO mentors across Wales to train and support organisations in their area to implement PQASSO
 recruit eight to 10 assessors across Wales to conduct the external assessment process for the PQASSO Quality Mark
 offer a bursary scheme for certain organisations covering the costs of the external assessment for the PQASSO Quality Mark
An expression of interest round was launched on 1 June to identify the 125 organisations taking part in the project.
‘For organisations using the PQASSO standard in Wales, it will include new requirements around identifying language requirements and demonstrating the use of the Welsh language in the development and delivery of services, and in other aspects of organisational life,’ Ruth Marks said.
For more information please contact Lynne Reynolds on 029 2043 1718 or Jackie
Huybs on 07814 070239. WCVA website www.wcva.org.uk
Notes
 WCVA supports and represents the third sector in Wales, with more than 3,000 members including a wide range of organisations working on issues such as housing, economic regeneration, childcare, community development, transport, the environment and health.
 PQASSO is the leading quality standard developed for, and by, third sector organisations. Developed in 1997, it is a tried and tested approach to quality management in the third sector. Implementing quality standards and evaluating performance are vital to ensuring organisations are effective and assuring their continued positive impact on society.
 NCVO champions the voluntary sector and volunteering across England, by connecting, representing and supporting voluntary organisations.

 The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery for good causes and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
 Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
 Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £33 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.
Data Protection Act 1998 Contact details (name, address, organisation, tel, fax, emails) of press contacts are held and processed by WCVA on computer. The information is used by
WCVA for the promotion of the voluntary sector in Wales. Contact details are disclosed to third parties for the purposes of assisting this promotion.
Swyddfa Gofrestredig – Prif Swyddfa
Tŷ Baltig, Sgwâr Mount Stuart
ffôn 0800 2888 329

ffacs 029 2043 1701
minicom 029 2043 1702 (defnyddiwch y cyhoeddwr)
ebost help@wcva.org.uk
Swyddfeydd hefyd yn y Rhyl ac Aberystwyth
Cadeirydd Peter Davies OBE
Is-Gadeiryddion Eurwen Edwards OBE BEM
Prif Weithredwraig Ruth Marks MBE
Trysorydd Anrh Mair Gwynant

Ysgrifennydd Tracey Lewis
Elusen gofrestredig 218093  Cwmni cyfyngedig drwy warant 425299  Wedi ei gofrestru yng Nghymru
Rhif cofrestru TAW 736 645 09
Registered Office – Head Office
Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff, CF10 5FH tel 0800 2888 329

fax 029 2043 1701 minicom 029 2043 1702 (use announcer) email help@wcva.org.uk
Offices also at Rhyl and Aberystwyth
Chair Peter Davies OBE
Vice-Chairs Eurwen Edwards OBE BEM
Chief Executive Ruth Marks MBE
Hon Treasurer Mair Gwynant

Secretary Tracey Lewis
Registered charity 218093  Company limited by guarantee 425299  Registered in Wales
VAT registration number 736 645 09