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Quality Improvement
Customer First Compliance
VAB is delighted to announce that it achieved compliance with the Customer First requirements
at its first assessment in January 2007. This is a tremendous achievement for us as we are now
part of an "elite group" (the assessors words not ours!) who achieved at the first assessment
and was even more impressive because we did not receive any external funding or specialist
support as we worked towards compliance.
Areas of best practice as identified by the assessor include:
- Very effective customer engagement
- Excellent internal and external communications
- An effective approach ot people manangement that supports customer development
- Extensive and effective partnerships that also facilitate sound customer services
- Motivated teams and individuals
Our customer evaluations aimed at all the organisations that we have supported indicates high levels of satisfication. In the latest survey 97% of respondents said they were at least satisfied with the service and 96% said that information provided by VAB was useful. However, we take continous quality improvements very seriously at VAB and aim to demonstrate out commitment to the princlples of Customer First in all that we do in the future.
Link to directory of Customer First directory of providers: www.customerfirst.org
Link to our Customer charter:www.vabarnsley.org.uk
Link to our Customer Comliments, Complaints and Comments Procedure: CCC Leaflet (pdf)
Matrix
The Matrix Standard is a national quality standard designed for organisations that deliver information, advice and / or guidance on work and learning.
Voluntary Action Barnsley was awarded the Matrix Standard in January 2008 following an assessment process, which involved interviews with staff, clients and VAB partners. This accreditation confirmed that Voluntary Action Barnsley is offering a consistently high standard of information, advice and guidance throughout the organisation.
The Matrix Assessment is based around eight elements – four focussing on how the service is delivered and four focused on how the service is managed.
Investors in People
Investors in People is one of the best known quality standards in the UK, providing a framework that assists organisations to improve performance and realise objectives through the effective management and development of their people.
Voluntary Action Barnsley first achieved the standard in 1996. Once accredited, an organisation must undertake an assessment review every three years to maintain its Investors in People status. The most recent of these reviews took place in June 2008 and confirmed that VAB continues to be an Investor in People.
At a recent health check, the Assessor reported that “the culture of continuous improvement is well established at Voluntary Action Barnsley”
The next review for the standard will take place in 2011.