 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
| Primary purpose Summary Potential benefits Who can use the tool? What resources are needed? Development, ownership and support Social enterprise examples Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) PQASSO is a quality assurance system that helps management to run an organisation effectively and efficiently. Created by and for the voluntary sector, it asks organisations to take a systematic look at what they do and to decide exactly where improvements are needed. It seeks to assist managers to plan, budget and allocate necessary resources for making these improvements over a realistic period. PQASSO is an ‘off-the-shelf’ quality assurance system, designed specifically for use within voluntary and community sector organisations. It provides a step-by-step approach to working out what an organisation is doing well and what could be improved. Designed as a work pack, it is simple and straightforward to use. It offers a flexible approach to quality enabling an organisation to work at its own pace without consultancy fees. It aims to help organisations to set priorities for the future to improve their performance. The Charities Evaluation Services (CES) has also designed a CD ROM to complement the work pack and make the self-assessment process more manageable. It has many useful features that save time and create more efficient ways of working. PQASSO covers 12 quality standards and promotes continuous improvement through self assessment. The 12 quality standards are:
PQASSO offers a staged approach to implementing quality through three levels of achievement. Very small or newly formed organisations may decide to work towards achieving Level 1 only. After achieving Level 1, more established or complex organisations may decide to progress to Level 2 and then to Level 3. Each level offers guidance on what is required to run a healthy, efficient and effective organisation. The benefits of working with PQASSO rely on everyone involved being committed to making the necessary changes. A part of gaining that commitment involves stakeholders understanding the benefits for their organisations. PQASSO can be used for a single project or as a self-assessment tool for understanding the quality of whole organisation. It is not externally evaluated. Update: The PQASSO Quality Mark Following a survey of PQASSO stakeholders and further research into an external verfication process for PQASSO, the PQASSO Quality Mark is close to being finalised following a successful pilot study in 2006. Following its research and consultation, CES selected peer review as the preferred model that would deliver the most benefits to the sector. Peer review approach The peer review approach to external verification will involve training a pool of peer reviewers from a range of voluntary and community organisations. Reviewers will come from a range of different operational and practitioner job roles, but all will work within the sector, and generally come from organisations with an interest in gaining certification through the service. The organisation will be expected to agree to release the staff member for a number of days to undertake a certain number of reviews and in return will be paid an agreed daily rate for that individual’s time. In this way, CES believe that the organisational learning from the peer reviews will stay within and be shared across the sector. The development phase Following further development it is expected that the service will launch in November 2007. Peer reviewers will be recruited from late 2007 / early 2008 onwards. Organisations wishing to apply for the PQASSO Quality Mark will be invited to apply for a peer review. CES anticipate the first reviews taking place in the first quarter of 2008.
Potential limitations
PQASSO was designed for small and medium-sized organisations and projects but can be used by voluntary and community organisations of all sizes, in all stages of development in the voluntary sector both in the UK and internationally. Over 9,000 copies of the work pack have been sold. Leadership The implementation of PQASSO will need to be supported by senior management and trustees, who must be visibly committed to the process. The process would also benefit from someone to drive the it forward – a ‘quality champion’. Proficiencies or skills Honesty, a commitment to quality, and a desire to improve are the attributes required in a group wanting to implement PQASSO. Aside from knowledge and skills relating to the 12 individual quality areas being present in the organisation, no additional specialist skills are required. Staff time Implementing a quality assurance system does require staff time and resources, particularly at the outset. Time will be required for self-assessment, action planning and implementing improvement actions as a result of these activities. Courses, support, and information CES offers a range of training courses designed to support organisations to implement PQASSO. All CES courses can be run at a venue of the organisation’s choice or participants may attend CES’s subsidised training in London. CES also coordinates a licensed PQASSO Mentor scheme which enables them to enhance the quality of support available in the voluntary and community sector to organisations that have chosen to implement PQASSO. Details of the licensed PQASSO Mentor training programme and contact details of licensed Mentors are available from CES. Free telephone advice and support is also available from CES. Development, ownership and support PQASSO is produced by the Charities Evaluation Services (CES). The PQASSO work pack costs around £75 and the CD ROM around £50. The CD ROM must be used in conjunction with the work pack; you will not be able to implement PQASSO using the CD ROM alone. A demonstration copy of the CD ROM is available free of charge and will allow you to see what PQASSO is like before you buy the work pack. Organisations that have used PQASSO:
|
