Community First supports Voluntary and Community Organisations in achieving quality standards. Quality Standards provide many benefits to organisationsDemonstrate quality of services and activities to the general public, funders, local authorities, service users, clients and members.

• Foster pride and recognition amongst staff, Trustees and volunteers
• Show that voluntary does not mean amateur – groups are run according to a set of principles and, where appropriate, professional standards.
• Ensure consistency of service – especially where a local organisation is part of a federation of similar groups, working to the same standards.

Community First can provide information, signposting and practical advice to groups wishing to achieve quality standards such as PQASSO and IIV (Investors in Volunteers). Community First has itself achieved the Investors in People (IIP) quality standard and the NAVCA Quality Mark*. For more information on standards, please contact The Development Team at Community First

Further information:

Charities Evaluation Services (CES) provides information and support on quality standards, monitoring and evaluation

PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance Systems for Small Organisations), designed by CES for small not-for-profit groups and is nationally recognised and accepted.

Investors In People

Investing In Volunteers

VISIBLE (for Community Associations and other Community-based groups)

Trustee and Committee members standards (National Occupation Standards for Trustees and Committees of Voluntary and Community Organisations)

VolResource – a mine of information on a range of topics – this link takes you to their page on Quality Management

Some organisations must also adhere to specific standards concerning their field of activity e.g. childcare provision, Adult Learning, Social Care etc. These apply to agencies from any sector (Public, Private or Voluntary). Community First can advise on appropriate agencies to give further advice.

*NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) is our own national umbrella body.