Quality Assurance System for Non-profit Organisations SOKNO

Zagreb, 14-15th October 2010.Association for Civil Society Development SMART

SOKNO is designed to enable non-profit organisations to develop a quality system which:

¨Addresses all key areas of organisational life¨Promotes continuous improvement, and¨Provides a useful promotional tool with beneficiaries and donors

Quality Assurance System - SOKNO?Quality Assurance System - SOKNO?

¨ Preparation of SOKNO since 2002.¨ Second edition 2007.

SOKNO- Development processSOKNO- Development process

PQASSOPractical Quality Assurance System for Small Organization

OKNOQuality Assurance for Non-profit Organisations

SOKNOQuality Assurance System for Non-profit Organisations

SOKNO – Quality Standards (13)SOKNO – Quality Standards (13)

¨ Planning for Quality

¨ Good governance

¨ Management

¨ User-centered Services

¨ Staff

¨ Volunteers

¨ Training and Development

¨ Managing Money

¨ Managing Resources

¨ Managing Activities

¨ Networking and Advocacy

¨ Monitoring and evaluation

¨ Results

¨ Standard¨ Benefits of the standards for the

organisation¨ Essential Definitions¨ Levels of achievement¨ Examples of suggested evidence¨ Self-assessment¨ Action planning

Quality StandardQuality Standard

Level 1Helps you lay a sound foundation on which your organization can develop.

Level 2Helps you build on what you have achieved in level 1 by developing further in all areas of organisational life.

Level 3Helps you maintain good practice throughout your organisation.

Levels of achievementLevels of achievement

¨ Individually or with SOKNO mentor

¨ SOKNO working group

¨ Quality Champion

¨ Levels of achievement vs. Time

¨ Dynamics of implementation

¨ Self-assessment vs. Certification

Implementing SOKNOImplementing SOKNO

History of SOKNO development and History of SOKNO development and implementationimplementation

SOKNO development financed as a part of

the CroNGO programme, USAID/AED

2002 -200767 CSO’s

implemented SOKNO

21 SOKNO certified mentors

(5 licenced trainers for

mentors by CES)

2007 to 2009 there was no activity2007 to 2009 there was no activity

2009 - present

“Agreement on

development cooperation

through systematic

investement in civil society development

– SOKNO”

16 persons educated

for SOKNO presenters

52 CSO’s received

introductory/ presentational

workshop

200 SOKNO manuals

distributed / 3rd

edition in preparation

20 CSO’stated interest for

SOKNO implementation

with mentorship

¨ 32 out of 43 CSO’s continued with implementation since 2002

¨ Most CSO’s are on the 2nd level of achievement

¨ Most common challenges in the implementation are: continuance, frequency of meetings, finances, time, turnover of staff and volunteers in the CSO

¨ Reasons for stopping the implementation: lack of human resources, switch to another QAS, decreasing activity of CSO

Survey on implementation of SOKNO Survey on implementation of SOKNO October 2010, SMARTOctober 2010, SMART

CSO’s motivation to start implementing CSO’s motivation to start implementing SOKNOSOKNO

Benefits of implementing SOKNOBenefits of implementing SOKNO

¨ Minimum requirements for SOKNO implementation – operational budget (€7000 - €8000), one employee, space

¨ It takes at least one year to go through all 13 quality areas

¨ Should build on what organisation is already doing well

¨ Timing for implementation is crucial¨ Investment in mentor showed crucial¨ Limit the paperwork¨ Implementing SOKNO is as a continual process

Lessons learnedLessons learned

¨ Permanent promotion – as part of the organisational development of CSO’s

¨ Promoting SOKNO in the non-profit sector and within the donor community

¨ Financially support implementation of SOKNO with the mentors assistance

¨ Certification of SOKNO

Further steps/challenges in promoting and Further steps/challenges in promoting and developing SOKNO in Croatiadeveloping SOKNO in Croatia

Blaža Polića 2/4, RijekaTel. 051/332-750Fax. 051/320-792smart@smart.hr

www.smart.hr

Thank you for the attention...Thank you for the attention...