Supporting & Encouraging the
Development of Robust &
Proportionate Quality Assurance Systems
in all parts of the Youth Service
Guidance Documentation
Developed by the Quality Assurance Sub-Group as part of the Regional Youth
Development Plan.
Quality Assurance Task
The Quality Assurance Sub-Group was established to assist in the
achievement of Priorities for Youth Action 4.6.3 which states that:
‘EA and YCNI will support and encourage the development
of robust and proportionate quality assurance systems in all
parts of the youth service’. (p.17)
Its work is part of an overarching commitment to enhancing the
contribution of youth work to raising standards for all.
Agreed Aim of Quality Assurance in Youth Service
• An on-going, sharply focused, feedback and evaluation process
which tracks the effectiveness of existing provision and the
learning outcomes for young people.
• Supports continuous improvement in the quality of youth work at
all levels (including part-time and voluntary unit level).
• Involves managers, youth-workers, volunteers, children and
young people, management committees, as well as policy
makers.
Principles to Guide the Implementation of Quality
Assurance Systems across Youth
• All youth organisations/units/groups will be required (mandated) to
implement A quality assurance system.
• Quality assurance systems must:
o Be proportional
o Be wider than front-line delivery
o Track the effectiveness of existing provision, measure outcomes
against identified need and demonstrate how it will support
continuous improvement
Principles to Guide the Implementation of Quality
Assurance Systems across Youth
The agreement that all youth organisations/units/groups will be required
(mandated) to implement A quality assurance system was reached on the
understanding that:
• On-going support is a necessary component to
mandating all youth organisations/units and
groups to implement quality assurance systems;
with input required from across Voluntary and
Statutory service providers.
Other Areas Considered:
1. Quality Assurance and the Inspection Process
2. Quality Assurance - Tracking Learning Outcomes
for Young People
3. Quality Assurance – Monitoring and Support
4. Quality Assurance – Draft Baseline or Minimum
Requirement across Practice/People/Organisation
Summary of Recommendations for 2016-17
1. As part funding applications to EA, all RVYOs and
large organisations or youth groups will be invited
to report on their use of quality assurance
(including any support needs) from April 2016.
2. Linked to the above data collection, the current
QA Systems being used by all RVYOs and funded
groups will be mapped, and training and support
needs identified by September 2016.
3. All major funded groups will have a Quality
Assurance System in place by March 2017.
Summary of Recommendations for 2016-17
4. The current QA Framework (2012) will be
reviewed to embed the Outcomes Framework by
January 2017.
5. The EA will have a single system in place, inclusive
of delegated support and monitoring duties for
staff by March 2017.
6. Existing quality assurance resources to be
transitioned from CDU into the proposed system
of practice development for youth work.