The process
How do we fill out the self assessment form?
Your self assessment form has two different functions:
a) to enable you and your Advisor to compare your organisation’s practice with the standard and to plan relevant development activity
b) to communicate to you Assessor, how your organisation achieves the Investing in Volunteers standard
It is likely that you will produce a draft for the purpose of (a) and refine it for the purpose of (b).
Use the ‘Notes’ column on the right hand side to explain what you do. This may mean stating the obvious, but remember that your Assessor knows nothing about your organisation. It is better to give too much than too little information.
It is helpful to write in a positive but self-critical style. Explain how you meet the standard and any areas you are still working at, or plans for development.
Your Advisor will be able to guide you and to discuss appropriate evidence to cite.
What is the purpose of the development plan?
The development plan is your action plan, arising from doing the self assessment. Your Advisor will discuss with you which of your identified actions it is important to complete before assessment (i.e. which are required in order to satisfactorily meet the standard).
The development plan, when submitted finally to your Assessor, may include some outstanding actions which have not been completed – for example, actions which will help to strengthen your good practice but are not essential for you to meet the Investing in Volunteers Standard.
How good to we have to be?
The Assessor will be looking to verify that there is sufficient evidence of competence in each of the nine indicators of the standard. All of the 46 practices of the Investing in Volunteers standard will be looked at with your adviser, and at assessment.
It may be that a few practices are not so relevant for your organisation and some may be incompletely fulfilled, for various reasons. This would not preclude a demonstration of overall competence and achievement of the standard.
What will I need to do for the assessment visit?
Your Assessor will ask you for details of your volunteers, in order that they can choose an appropriate, balanced sample to interview. For example, details of name, age, volunteer role, length of time in post are helpful and any special needs or anything that an Assessor should be aware of concerning any volunteer.
Your Assessor will also need details of staff and board members. An organisational chart or overview of staffing structures is helpful if you have one.
You will need to work with your Assessor in arranging the timetable for the day. Your Assessor may produce a draft schedule, but this may need to be adapted in the light of people’s availability for interview.
You will need to liaise with volunteers, and to pay their expenses.
You will need to arrange a room for the interview - suitable for one to one interviews or for talking to groups of up to six people.
And when it is all over?
Your Assessor will be in touch to check that you are happy with the report and to discuss any issues arising. Once the Lead Assessor has verified the decision, then the report and the decision can be shared with others.
The decision is subject to approval by the Quality Assurance Panel and you will be notified when this has taken place.
You will receive an ‘achievers pack’ on CD, which includes advice and information about arranging your award presentation, a sample media release and includes the Investing in Volunteers Logos which you will then have the right to use.
You will be encouraged to complete and return a feedback form. A brief case study about your organisation will be posted on the website. You will receive an order form to purchase an engraved wall plaque
And of course it isn’t ‘all over’! You’ll be continuing to maintain and improve your good practice, ready for re-assessment in three years’ time!
Y Broses
Sut mae llenwi’r ffurflen hunanasesu?
Mae dwy swyddogaeth wahanol i’ch ffurflen hunanasesu:
- a) eich galluogi chi a’ch cynghorydd i gymharu ymarfer eich sefydliad â’r safon ac i gynllunio unrhyw weithgarwch datblygu perthnasol
- b) cyfleu wrth eich asesydd sut mae’ch sefydliad yn cyrraedd y safon Buddsoddi mewn Gwirfoddolwyr
Mae’n fwy na thebyg y gwnewch gynhyrchu drafft at bwrpas a) a’i gaboli at bwrpas b).
Defnyddiwch y golofn ‘nodiadau’ ar yr ochr dde i egluro’r hyn yr ydych yn ei wneud. Efallai fod hyn yn golygu datgan yr hyn sy’n amlwg, ond cofiwch nad yw’ch asesydd yn gwybod dim am eich sefydliad. Mae’n well rhoi gormod o wybodaeth na rhy ychydig.
Mae’n dda o beth ysgrifennu mewn arddull gadarnhaol ond hunan feirniadol. Eglurwch sut yr ydych yn cyrraedd y safon ac unrhyw feysydd yr ydych yn dal i weithio arnynt neu gynlluniau i ddatblygu.
Bydd eich asesydd wrth law hefyd i roi arweiniad ac i drafod tystiolaeth briodol i’w nodi.
Beth yw pwrpas y cynllun datblygu?
Y cynllun datblygu yw’ch cynllun gweithredu, yn deillio o wneud yr hunanasesiad. Bydd eich cynghorydd yn trafod gyda chi pa rai o’r camau a nodwyd y mae’n bwysig eu cwblhau cyn yr asesiad (h.y. pa rai sy’n ofynnol er mwyn cyrraedd y safon yn foddhaol).
Efallai y bydd y cynllun datblygu, pan gyflwynir ef yn derfynol i’ch asesydd, yn cynnwys rhai camau nad ydynt eto wedi cael eu cwblhau – er enghraifft, camau a fydd yn help i gryfhau eich ymarfer da ond nad ydynt yn hanfodol er mwyn ichi gyrraedd y Safon Buddsoddi mewn Gwirfoddolwyr.
Pa mor dda mae rhaid inni fod?
Bydd yr asesydd yn ceisio gwirio bod digon o dystiolaeth o gymhwysedd ym mhob un o’r 9 dangosydd yn y safon. Byddwch yn edrych ar bob un o’r 46 o arferion yn y safon Buddsoddi mewn Gwirfoddolwyr gyda’ch cynghorydd, ac edrychir arnynt eto yn ystod yr asesiad.
Efallai na fydd ambell un o’r arferon mor berthnasol i’ch sefydliad chi ac efallai na fydd rhai wedi cael ei cyflawni’n llwyr, am resymau amrywiol. Ni fyddai hynny’n eich rhwystro rhag dangos cymhwysedd drwyddi draw a’ch bod yn cyrraedd y safon.
Beth fydd angen imi ei wneud ar gyfer yr ymweliad asesu?
Bydd eich asesydd yn gofyn ichi am fanylion eich gwirfoddolwyr, er mwyn dewis sampl priodol, cytbwys, i’w gyfweld. Er enghraifft, mae manylion enw, oed, y rôl wirfoddoli ac ers faint y buont yn y swydd o gymorth, ynghyd ag unrhyw anghenion arbennig neu unrhyw beth ynglŷn ag unrhyw wirfoddolwr y dylai asesydd fod yn ymwybodol ohono.
Bydd ar asesydd hefyd angen manylion y staff ac aelodau’r bwrdd. Mae siart y sefydliad neu drosolwg o’r strwythurau staffio o gymorth, os oes gennych un.
Bydd angen ichi weithio gyda’ch asesydd i drefnu’r amserlen ar gyfer y diwrnod. Efallai y gwnaiff eich asesydd lunio amserlen ddrafft, ond maen bosibl y bydd gofyn newid honno i adlewyrchu pryd mae pobl ar gael i’w cyfweld.
Bydd angen ichi gysylltu â’r gwirfoddolwyr, a thalu eu treuliau iddynt.
Bydd angen ichi drefnu ystafell ar gyfer y cyfweliad – addas ar gyfer cyfweliadau un wrth un neu i siarad â grwpiau o hyd at chwech o bobl.
A phan fydd hynny i gyd ar ben?
Bydd eich asesydd yn cysylltu â chi i wneud yn siŵr eich bod yn hapus â’r adroddiad ac i drafod unrhyw faterion sy’n codi. Unwaith y mae’r Asesydd Arwain wedi gwirio’r penderfyniad, cewch rannu’r adroddiad a’r penderfyniad ag eraill.
Mae’r penderfyniad yn amodol ar gymeradwyaeth y Panel Sicrhau Ansawdd a chewch eich hysbysu pan fydd hynny wedi digwydd.
Byddwch yn cael pecyn i’r rhai sy’n llwyddo ar CD, sy’n cynnwys cyngor a gwybodaeth am drefnu’ch seremoni cyflwyno’r dyfarniad a enghraifft o ddatganiadau i’r cyfryngau, ynghyd â’r logos Buddsoddi mewn Gwirfoddolwyr y bydd gennych hawl eu defnyddio wedyn.
Cewch eich annog i lenwi a dychwelyd ffurflen adborth. Caiff astudiaeth achos fer am eich sefydliad ei rhoi ar y wefan.
Ac, wrth gwrs, nid yw’r cyfan ‘ar ben’! Byddwch yn parhau i gynnal a gwella eich arferion da, yn barod ar gyfer yr ailasesiad ymhen tair blynedd!
