QUALITY ASSURANCE MARK
For the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector providing health and wellbeing services and activities in Torbay and South Devon
This Quality Mark is a locally developed initiative supported by the community and voluntary service infrastructure organisations in Teignbridge, South Hams and Torbay and funded by the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.
Open to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations who provide support, services and activities to improve the health and wellbeing of people in our communities.
This VCSE sector is diverse, ranging from local branches of national charities to local organisations and support groups and often managed by volunteers. For this reason, the Quality Assurance Mark has been designed to reflect the range of organisations and the services on offer.
This scheme provides the opportunity to describe how your services are delivered and show the relevant policies and practices that your organisation applies to ensure safe, caring, effective, and responsive services.
The Application Process
Why should my organisation apply?
- Recognition award of the quality services you provide
- Provide confidence for people working in health and wellbeing to signpost people to other services, as well as, make referrals or contracts for local services
- Better promotion of the voluntary services available
- Opportunity for small organisations to engage in the process
- All governance in one place can help with future planning and funding applications
The questions in the application form are based on 5 quality measures which constituent the components of well-led organisations providing safe and caring services:
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- Organisation – management structure
- Supported and well-trained volunteers
- Engagement with clients and community
- Legal requirements – safe and caring practices
- Employment – recruiting and developing (for employer organisations only)
The application process
- Step 1: Register your interest by sending email to services@teigncvs.org.uk. You will receive an email with the name of your assessor
- Step 2: Complete your Application Form and submit to the CVS
- Step 3: Take part in an Assessment Interview via telephone call and/or 1-2-1 session, where we will ask you about the sources of evidence to support your application. Where there are gaps or weak evidence, we will advise you on how to strengthen this evidence base through a ‘Targeted Action Plan.’
- Step 4: Following the Assessment Interview, we will ask you to send us:
- relevant supporting evidence, (i.e evidence that we do not already have or cannot access via public sources.)
- Progress against the ‘Targeted Action Plan’ (if issued.)
- Step 5: Following final submission of evidence (and progress against action plan – if issued), you will be contacted within 6 weeks with the outcome.
Note: If you have an existing quality assurance award in place, we will take this into consideration to avoid duplication in requesting sources of evidence.
How long will it take?
This will depend on the size of your organisation, the services/activities you offer and the types of evidence you can provide. Some organisations will be able to complete the Application Form within a few hours, for others it will take a little longer. Upon receipt of your Application Form, you will be contacted by your assessor to set a date for an Assessment Interview. This interview will take 1-2 hours. Following acknowledgement of the final sources of evidence, you will be informed of the outcome within 6 weeks
Who is the awarding body?
An Awards Panel with representatives from Teignbridge CVS, your local infrastructure organisation.
How long is the Certificate valid for?
The Quality Assurance Certificate is valid for 2 years. A re-accreditation application form will be sent to you every two years to ask if any significant changes have been made and to submit any relevant documents to evidence these changes.
Publicity
You will be supplied with the Quality Assurance logo for your own branding and publicity. All awardees will receive a certificate and be invited to participate in promotional activity to promote the scheme in your locality.
How do I start?
Contact Teignbridge CVS for more information to register your interest. Upon registering you will be sent a welcome pack with application form, guidance notes, and a named officer to support you through the process.
What support is available?
Your nominated assessor at Teignbridge CVS for the Quality Mark can support, advise and signpost you to the resources available to strengthen the management, governance and operations of your voluntary sector organisation.