Over 200 organisations have used the CAS Quality Framework to help them strengthen, build their confidence and embed effective practice across the organisation. Don’t just take our word for it, here are their stories.
The power of the CAS Quality Standard? We do believe we had literally saved this person’s life because the threat was so great – November 2024
What do you know about CAS Quality Standards? If you are reading this as a Voluntary, Community, Faith or Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisation in Suffolk I am sure you are juggling a hundred competing priorities, diligently ensuring that your service users get the best outcomes and that all of your stakeholders are happy. The thought of adding something else to your to do list is probably the last thing you want to hear.
We asked those who have taken part in the accreditation process if it was really worth it, so we sat down with Liz Jenkins CEO of Alumah.
Alumah are a busy, local charity working directly with vulnerable people in crisis situations so why did they decide to allocate some of their valuable time taking part in this accreditation process? We asked Liz to tell us what difference the accreditation has made to her, this is what she had to say.
Perhaps the most important concern of any charity is ensuring the safety of those they work with from staff, volunteers and service users. The CAS Quality Standard has a large focus on safeguarding. Policies and procedures are carefully reviewed to ensure they are effective and relevant. Liz bought this to life by telling us of a time when a safeguarding issue arose whilst she was unavailable. The staff member involved knew exactly where to find the safeguarding policy and procedure and was aware of what actions needed to be taken as a result of going through the accreditation process. This allowed the staff member to act quickly and it is believed the results of this fast action saved a persons life!
The CAS quality Standard ensure that these policies are more than ornamental but an effective tool to ensure that action can be taken quickly. This not only brings confidence to Staff and Trustees but also to funders, external colleagues and most importantly service users. Liz explained, “I think when people can put their policies, procedures into that perspective of it’s what we do to keep people safe, it’s what we do to keep ourselves safe, it’s what we do to give our organisation a chance to be sustainable”
'CAS provide great support to help organisations work through the assessment. As always thank you for your brilliant help.
‘As always thank you for your brilliant help.
Community Action Suffolk’s Quality Standard provides an effective way to ensure our charity’s policies and procedures are current and relevant. The resources available include model policies and procedures and the framework provides a good structure for reviewing our compliance. Jacqui Wilkinson and the team at CAS provide great support to help organisations work through the assessment. Having appropriate policies and procedures contribute to managing our organisation well and providing a high quality of service’. – Suffolk Artlink December 2022
The Trustees and detached youth workers identified the achievement of the Quality Standard as key to enable us to demonstrate to clients, donors and supporters that we have robust, independently reviewed policies in place and that we take a clear, safe and transparent professional approach to our detached work. We have consistently met the Quality Standard since our inception, and are proud to have once again achieved it in 2021.
As a voluntary project, we are strong supporters of the Quality Standard and consider the significant amount of time and effort to go through the application process as well spent. In addition, the Project is hoping to register with the Charity Commission in 2022 and we are in no doubt that the Quality Standard we have achieved will help to ensure the registration process goes smoothly.
We undertake detached youth work in the community with young people who are involved in antisocial behaviour in Suffolk and Norfolk
The Project was formed by a very small but concerned group of individuals with experience in undertaking detached youth work in the Summer/Autumn of 2011 to provide a resource to local councils and community groups. We target and try to improve specific problems that young people aged 13 – 24 years encounter who are involved in antisocial behaviour and enable them to participate in the community where they live. These problems include NEET (not in education, employment or training), drugs & alcohol, sexual health and teenage pregnancy amongst other issues…
At the Project’s inaugural meeting back in 2011, the Trustees and detached youth workers identified the achievement of the Quality Standard as key to enable us to demonstrate to clients, donors and supporters that we have robust, independently reviewed policies in place and that we take a clear, safe and transparent professional approach to our detached work. We have consistently met the Quality Standard since our inception, and are proud to have once again achieved it in 2021.
As a voluntary project, we are strong supporters of the Quality Standard and consider the significant amount of time and effort to go through the application process as well spent. In addition, the Project is hoping to register with the Charity Commission in 2022 and we are in no doubt that the Quality Standard we have achieved will help to ensure the registration process goes smoothly.
The Project uses face to face negotiation and dialogue, to engage with and to challenge young people’s attitudes and behaviour where they impact negatively on themselves and the local community. It supports meaningful participation of young people in political decision making processes, ensuring their voices are heard and support the progressive personal development of all young people. Our detached workers are qualified youth workers, extensively trained in various disciplines and have been working with young people in various roles in Lowestoft and surrounding areas for a number of years. The most senior youth worker having been active in this type of work for about 20 years.
IMPACT Detached Project believes there is strong and clear evidence that youth workers engaging with young people in their own environment achieve positive results for the young people and the local community. The detached workers have been asked by agencies including Suffolk Police, District and Parish Councils, youth and community organisations to work with young people identified as ‘at risk’ of or engaging in offending behaviour. The Covid flu pandemic of the last two years has presented some very special, previously unknown challenges for all. IMPACT has recognised many of these and developed procedures to ensure that not only can support be given to the young people but that it is done so with minimal risk to our detached workers. Generally due to the weather, December and January are traditionally quiet months for the team who will be out again in force in February.
Achieved 2021
Some more quotes
‘Improved confidence, resilience and efficiency through the implementation of robust policies and procedures‘.
‘Engaged staff across the organisation to be a part of embedding quality and development‘.
‘Working towards CAS quality standards award helped us secure robust policies and procedures. Through this work we not only learnt a great deal, but also found it helped us on many practical levels.‘
‘It gives us peace of mind that we are working in line both with legal requirements and with best practice. Having the award helps us to show our funders and clients that we take governance seriously and are a trustworthy organisation‘.
Organisation HealthCheck
‘I have revisited my policies and will update them and keep them up to date. They will ensure my group follows safety guidelines to ensure vulnerable members are protected. February 2023
‘The help and support that Community Action Suffolk provides. Great to know that we can email CAS HealthCheck support staff whenever we have a query about something regarding the Health Check. Thank you for your support!‘ February 2023
