The Befriending Scheme is celebrating a major achievement this year as it is once again awarded the respected Community Action Suffolk Quality Standard, a recognition of excellence that reflects the organisation’s commitment to safety, good governance, and outstanding practice across all its services.
For Emma Lowery, Business Development Manager for The Befriending Scheme, who has been with the organisation for six years, this milestone is far more than a certificate. It is, in her words, “a process that strengthens your foundations, like scaffolding that helps everything else grow.”
A Journey of Learning, Growth, and Confidence
When Emma engaged with the Quality Standard the first time, she was understandably daunted.
“I was nervous… I felt like we maybe hadn’t got everything we needed, and I didn’t want to miss anything. But with support, I learned an awful lot. It helped me understand the organisation more deeply than I ever expected.”
Working through the award it led Emma to dig into every policy, every procedure, and every operational detail, ensuring that they were not “bits of paper sitting on a shelf,” but real tools used by the team every day.
Three years later, as the organisation repeated the process for reaccreditation, Emma found the experience just as valuable, if not more so.
“It really makes you look deeper and see why all of these things are so important… With funding, being able to say we have these sound foundations makes such a difference.”
A Quality Standard That Drives Real Change
What makes this Quality Standard particularly powerful is that it genuinely shapes practice rather than encouraging a tick‑box exercise.
Emma shared that each time she completes it, she finds ways to make policies clearer, processes stronger, and systems more user-friendly for frontline teams delivering services.
“It makes you think about how people understand and use the policies on a daily basis… not just creating something that exists but doesn’t really impact the organisation.”
This impact is significant. Staff have told Emma that things now “make more sense” because she truly understands the policies herself, and can explain them clearly, in new ways thanks to her embracing the full benefit of the Quality Standard.
Unexpected Benefits: Wellbeing, Strategy & Team Voice
Achieving the award has opened doors that Emma never expected.
Through contacts made during the process, Emma began working on the Wellbeing at Work Bronze Award, completing a staff wellbeing survey and uncovering new ways to support the organisation.
The Quality Standard process also strengthened organisational strategy. With business planning training and support from Community Action Suffolk the process suddenly became much clearer and less daunting:
“It made me able to put a clear mission statement in place, understand the strategy process, and develop a five‑year plan with feedback from staff, volunteers and members.”
A new forum has even been established where elected member representatives share views from across all services, ensuring the organisation’s future is built on the voices of the people it supports.
A Message to Other Organisations: Don’t Be Afraid of the Process
Emma is the first to acknowledge that organisations may be put off doing the Quality Standard because it feels overwhelming. She felt the same at the beginning.
But her advice now is simple:
“Don’t see it as something to be frightened of. It isn’t about judgement. It’s a partnership. See it as a supportive tool.”
Emma explains that even if gaps are identified, the process guides you to put things in place in a meaningful, practical way. It is about getting stronger, not about being perfect from the start.
“People don’t realise how much stronger doing the Quality Standard makes you.”
Real Impact on Funding Success
The Quality Standard has also proved helpful in funding applications.
Emma includes it in every bid:
“It shows funders you’re an organisation they can trust—transparent, knowledgeable and grounded in good practice.”
And the organisation has seen tangible success as a result.
Celebrating 36 Years of Impact and Innovation
Founded in 1989 by Shirley Moore, The Befriending Scheme began as a simple but powerful idea: reducing loneliness for people with learning disabilities through volunteer befriending.
Today, 36 years later, it has grown into a thriving network of services including:
- Daytime hub groups offering social activities
- A community care farm near Sudbury supporting around 40 members a week
- Evening groups for young people (16–24) and adults
- Support for families of children with SEND
- School partnerships, including cookery clubs and farm-based wellbeing sessions that have boosted attendance and engagement
- Two miniature donkeys, that will forever be known as ‘Dinky Donkey’s’ recently added to the farm, bringing joy to members and visitors alike
The Quality Standard offers a way to celebrate these successes, recognising all the good that the organisation was already doing, even when they hadn’t realised it themselves.
Why Other VCSE Organisations Should Consider the Quality Standard
Emma’s story shows that the Quality Standard:
✔ Strengthens governance and confidence
✔ Improves service delivery
✔ Enhances funding credibility
✔ Builds staff and volunteer understanding
✔ Supports wellbeing and team voice
✔ Helps organisations grow with purpose
✔ Celebrates achievements and identifies strengths
Most importantly, it is a supportive, developmental process—one that makes organisations stronger, more resilient, and more connected to the communities they serve.
A Final Word of Thanks
Emma offered thanks to everyone who supported The Befriending Scheme on its journey:
“Thank you for all your support. It has been really valuable.”
The reaccreditation of the Quality Standard is not just a mark of quality, it is a testament to the organisation’s dedication, compassion, and constant drive to improve the lives of people across Suffolk.
If you want to start your Quality Standards journey you can register here, or contact Jacqui Wilkinson, Organisation Development Officer | Safeguarding and Quality Assurance at Community Action Suffolk e: [email protected] t. 01473 345312
