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Administrative
Officer's report on Core Standards
I have the pleasure
of providing the report on the progress that NNREC has made in reaching
our Core Standards targets. This year has been one of many changes
in the voluntary and statutory sectors. Legislation has been changing
as well and we now have the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
and the Human Rights Act 1998 to help in our fight to rid our communities
of racism and promote good race relations amongst different people.
NNREC has changed
to keep up with the new demands and we now expect to increase staff
to 6 by 1st of April 2001 and have increased our partnership links
throughout the county, region and nationally. This year the CRE
has provided RECs across the country with a great opportunity to
show how good we really are by the evidence of the Core Standards.
The Core Standards
[CS] is a model of assessment by which RECs may measure the level
and quality of services provided. There are 20 Quality Areas with
each area containing 3 levels to reach. RECs will be able to use
the CS as a method for documenting and qualifying the good work
that many of us are already doing.
We will also
be able to receive clear guidance on future improvements we can
be making to our services. The deadlines for reaching the 3 levels
in each quality area have been staggered and spread out over 3-5
years.
CRE Grant Aid
criteria will require compliance with Core Standards within the
required deadlines. By the first deadline of 31st March 2001 all
RECs were expected to reach the first level in the following 7 Quality
Areas:
路 User Centred
Service
路 The Executive
Committee
路 Management
路 Financial
Management
路 Administration
路 Staffing
路 Equal Opportunities
The CRE have
informed NNREC that we have reached level 1 in all 7 of the Quality
Areas required and in some areas have exceeded the requirements
for level 1 compliance.
In addition
to the good practice already in place NNREC has made several improvements
to come into compliance with the CS. These include drafted and adopted
NNREC policies on the following:
路 Health &
Safety Policy
路 NNREC Grievance
and Disciplinary Procedure
路 NNREC External
Complaints Procedure
路 NNREC Policy
on Confidentiality
路 NNREC Probationary
Policy for New Staff
I would like
to thank all of the members who have contributed to the work of
complying with the CS. I wish to particularly thank David Russell
for the initiative he has taken in preparing and drafting NNREC鈥檚
Health & Safety Policy for the Executive Committee鈥檚 approval. The
extensive time and effort he has put into helping NNREC reach its
CS targets and fulfilling the commitment he has made is greatly
appreciated. We are now into phase 2 of the CS and will begin working
towards level 2 in the 7 Quality Areas and level 1 in an additional
6 Quality Areas for the next work programme year 2001 / 2002.
CS are truly
an opportunity for NNREC to shine and to qualify the good work being
done towards an ever improved service provision agenda. The Community
Legal Services will be looking at the framework of the CS as a possible
basis for achieving the Quality Mark.
Through the
NNREC Director鈥檚 membership of the CRE / REC Joint Consultative
Forum on CS we will have input on these developments and look forward
to the opportunities the CS will open to new accreditations and
possible resources. The CS is about working together, Staff & Full
Council Members, RECs & the CRE, local voluntary sector & statutory
sector, to achieve a high quality human rights service for all.
Finally, I am
proud to inform you that NNREC has already been successful in accessing
additional resources through the Community Fund and have recruited
an Administrative Assistant post to increase NNREC鈥檚 capacity. The
successful candidate Anushka Mirando will be taking joining the
team by the 1st week of April.
Read
more of the report
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