Level 2 Social Sector Accreditation

What does this actually mean and how did we get it?

We are assessed against a very (and I mean VERY) strict and all-encompassing set of rules by the Government's Te Kāhui Kāhu agency that has oversight functions on behalf of all New Zealand government agencies. This is what they say about the accreditation standards:

Accreditation standards are operating principles that organisations need to follow. This is to show they can deliver safe, quality services to their community (or communities) and government agencies. Accredited organisations must meet and follow the same accreditation standards. The standards are there to ensure everyone is treated fairly. 

Organisations are assessed against the standards that are appropriate for the services they deliver.

If you are wanting to know the principles we are measured against, here they are [PDF].

It is a rigorous process that was undertaken by the previous Manager, Natalie, and it was perfect timing for me as it cleaned up and consolidated all the policies and procedures that we as an organisation need ... a lot of work. I was lucky enough to only sort out a few items at the end and voila!

I'd like to thank the team, our Chairperson Stewart, our previous Manager Natalie, and Nurul from Te Kāhui Kāhu who was strict but fair and made sure we knew what we needed to complete and by when.

What next, well now we have the certificate (we are very proud) it means we can complete the internal Age Concern NZ Level 7 audit (something all Age Concerns have to do) a lot quicker - yay! It's good to know we're doing what we do in a safe, impactful, and appropriate manner.