How to Use This Document

Self Assessment Booklet
2016

matrix Self Assessment

This self assessment booklet will provide you with a simple overview of how you currently fare against the requirements of the matrix Standard. The responses that you give will enable you to see clearly where you may have areas that you need to focus on and develop in order to achieve the matrix Standard.

How to use this document:

1.  Review each criteria statement and identify the range of evidence available which supports each statement. Ask yourself questions such as;

a.  How embedded is the process which supports this criteria?

b.  Are we consistent across the organisation or service as a whole?

c.  Do we really believe all our staff and volunteers involved in delivering our service(s) to customer/clients and partners would be able to give a positive response if asked questions relating to this criteria (where relevant)?

d.  What is the impact on our organisational/service(s) performance if we do not ensure we are doing what the criteria asks?

2.  Then judge the strength of the evidence through a RAG rating – Red – no or insufficient evidence, Amber – evidence available but may need further development, Green – sufficient relevant evidence.

3.  Where you have judged the evidence available to support the criteria as Red, then this is clearly an area for development/exploration and should be included in your organisation improvement plan (see appendix 1). The Amber criteria will also need to be addressed before your assessment, however if you have ten or more Red criteria focus on these first before adding the Amber criteria to you improvement plan.

4.  You can either compete this self assessment with members of your information, advice and guidance team and/or with the support of a matrix Registered Adviser. If you would like to use the services of an Adviser, please contact Assessment Services. Key contact details are as follows:

Assessment Services ltd
Unit 8, Business Centre Beeston,
Technology Drive,
Beeston,
Nottinghamshire,
NG9 2ND / Tel:0044 (0) 1332 387900
Email:
https://twitter.com/matrix_standard / www.matrixstandard.com
www.assessmentservices.com

Key Linkages:

Although there is no one way to approach working with the Standard, it is important to understand the key linkages within it. You will see references within some criteria to other areas of the Standard, for example:

The main key linkages across the Standard start with criterion 1.1 and follow through to criteria in Element 4 following a ‘Plan, Do and Review cycle.

PLAN / DO / REVIEW / PLAN
The Organisation and the Service / 1.1 The service has clearly defined measurable aims and objectives which link to any wider organisational strategic aims / 3.2 The service is delivered effectively to meet its aims and objectives / 4.1 The organisation measures and evaluates the service against its stated aims and objectives and identifies improvements
Individuals/Clients / 1.5 The organisation defines client outcomes and uses them as a measure of success for the service / 3.1 The service is defined so that clients are clear about what they might expect / 4.2 The organisation monitors and evaluates client outcomes to support and improve service delivery

Being really clear about what you are trying to achieve through your information, advice and guidance delivery at your organisation, service and client level will ensure there is a firm foundation for your service delivery.

Self Assessment Preparation:

Prompts / Responses / Improvement Plan
The Organisation
This refers to the body which manages, administers and delivers the Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) service and has applied for initial accreditation or accreditation review against the matrix Standard. / s  Which teams/job roles/members of staff within your ‘organisation’ are engaged in the management, administration and delivery of the Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG) service(s)?
s  Do you have volunteers supporting the service(s)? If so, what role do they fulfil?
s  Do you have an organisational structure chart which identifies IAG roles and responsibilities?
s  Which partners do you work with to enable you to deliver the service(s)? e.g. funding partners/those you work with in collaboration/signposting and referral partners – who could talk knowledgeably about what it is like to work with you? / Xx / Xx
The Service
This is the IAG provided by the organisation to support individuals in their choice of career, learning, work and life goals. / s  What IAG is provided? If there is more than one service can you define and describe them all clearly and simply?
s  Where is the service delivered? (locations/postcodes.)
s  What role do the staff members identified above play in the delivery of your IAG service(s)? / Xx / Xx
Clients
This refers to people who access the service(s), whether they are employees of the organisation or external users of the service(s). / s  Who receives the IAG provided by the service(s)?
s  Describe your clients and what IAG they receive at different times of their relationship with you. / Xx / xx

ELEMENT ONE: LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Criteria / What This Might Mean / Prompts / Evidence Available / RAG / Improvement Plan Reference
1.1 The service has clearly defined measurable aims and objectives which link to any wider organisational strategic aims. / Milestones or targets for the service need to be clear, for example; the number of job outcomes and qualifications to be achieved. However, you need to be clear about the contribution IAG makes to the achievement of your organisational aims. Your Assessor will want to speak to a senior person within your organisation to confirm the overall strategic aims and how the IAG service fits with these. Useful documents may include vision, mission statement and planning documents. This criteria links closely to 3.2 and 4.1 / s  What are the key aims and objectives of your IAG service(s)?
s  How are these key aims and objectives developed and reviewed – who is involved, when and how?
s  How does the IAG service delivery support achievement of wider organisational aims? / X / X / x
1.2 The service is provided with clear leadership and direction. / Your leadership team has effectively communicated what the organisation is striving to achieve and how this relates to the service(s) being delivered. Staff can clearly describe what the organisation is trying to achieve and have a clear understanding of where it is heading. / s  How do you communicate the purpose of the IAG service(s) to staff/volunteers, etc?
s  How do staff/volunteers know what is to be achieved?
s  How do staff/volunteers know the ‘sense of direction’ of the organisation and the service(s)? / X / X / x
1.3 The organisation implements policies to promote equality and diversity, impartiality, confidentiality and professional integrity in all aspects of service delivery. / The implementation of equality and diversity could be demonstrated by providing materials in a range of formats, or by using monitoring data to target specific groups; for example, you may have found through monitoring that there is an attainment gap between different types of client and so you implement new approaches to address this.
You could give examples of how you refer clients to other providers to demonstrate impartiality. Confidentiality can be demonstrated by staff explaining how they cover it at the start of an interview; or by being described in client materials or records stored in locked cabinets. Clients confirm their understanding of how the service is confidential. You can also describe how you uphold any professional codes of practice in your work with clients. / s  What policies, do you have in place and how do you ensure they are implemented?
s  How are these policies reviewed and updated?
s  Can you give some examples of how these policies are implemented?
s  What does E&D, impartiality, confidentiality and professional integrity mean to the organisation, the service(s) and staff/volunteers? / X / X / x
1.4 The organisation complies with existing and new legislation which might impact upon the service. / Appropriate legislation is likely to vary depending upon the nature of the service(s) being delivered and the client group. However, it is likely to include areas such as health and safety, equal opportunities, data protection and employment legislation as a minimum. It is important that all staff, including volunteers, can provide examples of appropriate legislation and how they are updated with any changes. For example, staff should be able to describe how the organisation has ensured rigorous safeguarding and/or how health and safety legislation is an integral part of day-to-day activities. / s  What key pieces of legislation does your organisation/service(s) need to comply with?
s  How do they impact on IAG service delivery?
s  How do you ensure that staff/volunteers maintain compliance? / X / x / x
1.5 The organisation defines client outcomes and uses them as a measure of success for the service. / You can describe how as part of your planning process, you have identified the impacts/outcomes you expect from your service(s) for your clients.
These could include knowledge of options and what to do next, increased confidence/motivation, improved communication skills, making progress etc.
For clients whom are employers, examples could include increased skills, productivity, staff retention, etc.
In addition to achieving contractual deliverables think about other added value benefits you offer that will have a greater impact on the service(s) being delivered. These will have been identified at the beginning of the clients’ journey/intervention. Consider the intended client outcomes in the context of the aims and objectives you have established for your organisation and your service(s). This criterion is linked closely to criteria 3.1 and 4.2. / s  What sort of client outcomes do you use to measure the success of your IAG service(s)?
s  Who sets and reviews them, how and when?
s  What difference are you trying to make to clients by the IAG you deliver?
s  What does success look like to you and to your clients? / X / X / x
1.6 The organisation promotes the service in ways which are accessible to all those eligible to use it. / Consider how your service(s) is promoted including how different methods of marketing and promotion have been used to ensure that information about the service(s) is accessible to all clients. You should be able to describe which promotional activity works best and why in relation to the eligible client group(s). Examples could include your website, leaflets, Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), learner handbook, induction, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, attendance at events or outreach venues etc. If referral from another organisation is a key feature, consider how you keep them up to date with your current service offer. / s  How do you ensure that eligible clients know about your IAG service(s) and what it can do for them?
s  Which marketing activities have worked well and not so well? Why? What changes have you made as a result? / X / X / x
1.7 Clients and staff influence the design and development of the service. / This is about the opportunities you provide for clients and staff to influence the service. For example, you may have a client involvement strategy which outlines the different ways in which clients are involved in developing the service, your staff may input their ideas at staff/team meetings. You will need to give examples to demonstrate changes as a result of this involvement and show how this feedback has helped shape the current service. / s  How do you ensure that staff/volunteers and clients have opportunities to influence IAG service design and development?
s  What examples can you give of changes that have happened as a result of clients/volunteers and staff influence? / X / X / x
1.8 The organisation establishes effective links with other appropriate partnerships and networks to enhance the service. / You can describe the partnerships and networks you are involved with and how these have benefited your service(s). This could be organisations with whom you have a contractual relationship, those that you network with in order to provide wider support to your clients, or information sharing to inform your own practice. This criterion links closely to criterion 4.4 so you will need to describe how you evaluate the effectiveness of the relationships. / s  What links do you have with other agencies (networks, partnerships etc) that support your IAG service(s)?
s  How do these add value to your service(s)? How do you know?
s  What is gained by working together?
s  Which partner organisations do you believe should be included in your matrix assessment? (A minimum of 3 partners should normally be included as part of any assessment). / X / X / x

ELEMENT TWO: RESOURCES

Criteria / What This Might Mean / Prompts / Evidence Available / RAG / Improvement Plan Reference
2.1 The organisation uses its resources effectively to deliver the service. / Managers and staff are able to explain what resources – including human, physical and financial are needed to deliver the service(s). Managers and staff are able to explain how the level of resource, in relation to client needs, are established and can give examples of how effectively the resources are used. / s  What resources (human, physical & financial) are used to deliver the IAG service/s?
s  Are these resources sufficient? How do you know?
s  How effectively do you believe current resources are being used? / X / X / X
2.2 Clients are provided with current, accurate and quality assured information which is inclusive. / Clients and staff are able to describe and give examples of the types of information they were able to access and explain how appropriate it was to their needs. Managers and staff are able to describe what quality assurance systems are in place to ensure information is current, accurate and is written in plain English, free from bias and takes account of diversity. Managers and staff delivering the service are able to explain how they support clients and how the resources they use are quality assured. / s  How do you ensure that information you give to clients is; current, accurate, in plain English, free from bias and takes account of diversity?
·  How is your website/intranet etc managed and kept up to date? Who is responsible? / X / X / X
2.3 The organisation defines the skills, knowledge, competencies and qualifications,
in line with current national recognised professional qualifications and frameworks, for individual staff roles, linked to the aims and objectives of the service. / Managers can describe and give examples of how they identify and define the skills, knowledge and competencies of staff roles linked to achieving the aims and objectives of the service(s). Including being aware of the boundaries of their role. Managers and staff can describe the qualifications and frameworks which are appropriate to their role in delivering the aims and objectives of the service(s). For careers guidance staff in England this should include professional standards and qualifications determined by the Career Development Institute or other representative bodies. / s  What skills, knowledge and competencies do your staff/volunteers need to enable them to deliver the IAG service(s)?
s  How do you ensure that staff/volunteers know the boundaries of their roles?
s  What qualifications/other development frameworks are appropriate for people delivering your IAG services?*
s  How do you ensure that staff/volunteers have appropriate qualifications?
*For careers guidance staff in England these should include professional standards and qualifications determined by the Career Development Institute or other recognised body. / X / X / X
2.4 Staff are supported
in undertaking continuous professional development and provided with opportunities for career progression. / Managers and staff can explain and give examples of how they are supported in continually developing their skills, knowledge and competence. Including any appropriate qualifications for their role. Managers and staff are able to describe how they are involved in the process of identifying their needs and appropriate learning and development activities, including career progression opportunities. / s  How do you encourage and support the continuous professional development of staff/volunteers?
s  What examples can you provide of CPD activities?
s  What are the results of the support provided to staff?
s  What career progression opportunities have you recently been able to offer to staff? / X / X / X
2.5 Effective induction processes are in place for all staff. / Managers are able to describe the induction process for all roles including staff employed by the organisation and any volunteers. Newly recruited staff and those who have recently changed roles can describe the induction process and how this has helped them perform effectively. / ·  What are the induction processes for staff/volunteers – including those that change roles?
·  How do know that your induction processes are effective? / X / X / x

ELEMENT THREE: SERVICE DELIVERY