Project Quality Award

Scottish Mentoring Network has its own Quality Standard, along with a corresponding Good Practice Guide.

The Quality Award is a benchmark for organisations providing mentoring. The award aims to independently assess mentoring practice and certify that programmes are operating in a safe and effective manner. We are now able to offer the Quality Award to Associate member organisations, e.g. mentoring services operating outside of Scotland. 

Benefits from undertaking the Quality Award process include:

  • Recognition for current good practice.
  • An independent “health check” of current practice resulting in a development plan for the
    programme.
  • Formal certification resulting in increased credibility for the programme with
    stakeholders and funding bodies.
  • Increased confidence in the programme from referrers, potential mentors and mentees.

The Quality Award process is supported by our good practice guide that will provide details of the elements required to achieve the standard. Applying for a quality standard accreditation demonstrates the commitment of a mentoring project to delivering a service which focuses on the expectations and requirements of its stakeholders. Achieving the Quality Award shows that a project is applying good practice to all aspects of its work.

The standard is designed around six core quality practice elements:

  1. Matching purpose with performance
  2. Managing resources and accountability
  3. Putting the client first
  4. Providing committed mentors
  5. Employing skilled staff
  6. Active safeguarding

Each element addresses the performance level a project is expected to demonstrate in order to achieve the Quality Standard.

Once achieved, the Quality Award will apply to a project for three years providing there are no significant changes in the project's operations. To be eligible to apply, projects will need to have completed one full cycle of matches. The whole application process can be completed online helping projects save time and costs.

Our Good Practice Guide provides invaluable advice on how to set up a mentoring project. It has been written to match the format of the Project Quality Award and gives very useful guidance, practical examples and checklists to assist in completing the Project Quality Award Application.

The Quality Award process is as follows:

1. Register for 'Working Towards' status- £300/£450 for Associate Members 

2 You will have up to a year to  work on your application

3. Submit for Assessment within one year - £300/£450 for Associate Members 

4. Accreditation lasts for three years.

The Quality Award is good value it works out as 55 pence a day/82 pence a day for three years. There are no hidden extras either, no VAT or expenses added on.

We will provide support throughout the application process and at the end of the process you will be able to download your final application as a PDF report detailing how your project meets the standard that you will then be able to use when completing funding applications and
evaluation reports for funders.

For more information on the Quality Award please contact us, or download this information pack. 

e: amanda@scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk

 

 

Current Quality Award Holders