Frequently asked questions
Why should an organisation consider performance improvement?
Voluntary and community organisations want to show that they are working to a high standard. Over the past four years, the government has invested heavily in the development of quality standards for the voluntary and community sector. Funders in Gloucestershire and beyond are becoming more aware of the range of quality standards on offer and are beginning to ask for evidence that the Third Sector organisations they fund are attaining or working towards these standards.
Organisations which have been through the process of analysing their activities and methods of working have reported that the process has allowed them to improve their organisation, become more focused and cater far better for their users’ needs. It has given them an evidence base to demonstrate that they are fit for purpose.
What does quality mean?
Quality is essentially about learning what you are doing well and doing it better. It also means finding out what you may need to change to make sure you meet the needs of your users. Quality is about:
- Knowing what you want to do and how to do it
- Learning from what you do
- Using what you learn to develop your organisation and its services
- Achieving what you set out to do
- Satisfying your stakeholders - those different people and groups with an interest in your organisation
“Quality is about trying to do better: better in both the services the organisation offers and in the way the organisation runs”
(Charities Evaluation Services)
What is a quality standard?
Follow this link to our quality standards page, where you can also read about the benefits of following a quality standard system and see the range of quality standards available.
What costs will be involved?
The most important cost will be that of trustee, staff and volunteer time but other tangible costs may include:
- Purchase of the standards
- Cost of any guidance material
- Training as required
- External assistance
- Self-assessment costs - time to go through the self assessment process and any expenses payable
- External recognition fees
- Cover for routine tasks while staff are working on quality issues
- Costs involved in introducing any changes
Cash bursaries are available to organisations working with the PIFA Project to attain an accredited quality standard.