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This is the first of a series of six case studies where we address common problems experienced by voluntary
and community organisations by looking at how an infrastructure organisation experienced the same
problem and came up with a successful strategy to overcome it.

1. Getting

the

process

started.

It is often the case that organisations such as ours have a real difficulty in understanding the
quality issue and how it affects our organisation. The concept of managing quality itself an
abstract term seems cloaked in mystery and far away from the day to day challenges of keeping
the organisation afloat, achieving the goals set by our Board or satisfying the varied wants and
needs of our customers. One of the biggest problems may be getting people to accept that we
need to manage the quality of our organisation and that our quality isn't just implicit by our
existence. This matters to everyone in the organisation - from the person who picks up the mail to
the Chair of the Board. Here is how one organisation got started on the process.

Organisation:

Voluntary Action Barnsley (VAB) governed by a Board of T
40 staff

rustees.

Quality Management Status

n achieved 1994, Customer

oluntary Action Barnsley's mission is to create an informed, cohesive and effective voluntary and

then

Investors in People (IIP) recognitio
First compliant January 2007, PQASSO level 1 complete, working towards NAVCA Kitemarkin

V
community sector by providing management services, advocacy and networking opportunities
based on identified need. Ian Ireland, the Deputy Chief Executive, describes himself as `The
Facilitator' in the quality management process, getting people to agree what needs doing and
making sure the resources are there to get it done. Working with him is Ros Winsor, the Quality
Champion and `Expert' supplying the roles of evaluator, coach and mentor liaising with the Quality
Working Group.

VAB Board and Staff on a 'self-assessment' Away Day