London Youth Quality Assurance Programme

We are committed to supporting our members in delivering the highest standard of youth work across our capital. The Quality Mark is London Youth’s flagship Quality Assurance programme, and provides youth organisations with a badge of excellence that is recognised by local authorities and funders. There is also a financial incentive as your organisation can apply for a grant once you achieve it. 

quality mark

 

Quality Mark Levels

The Quality Mark has been developed specifically for organisations delivering youth work in London.  

There are three levels in our Quality Assurance programme: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level will assess your organisation against several criteria, including outcomes and aims for young people, safeguarding, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, partnerships, leadership and management. 

The Quality Marks must be completed in order, starting with the Bronze. Quality Marks are assessed separately and cannot be assessed at the same time. All three London Youth Quality Mark levels are valid for a total of three years. You must have a valid Quality Mark to move on to the next level. 

Bronze

It focuses on the policies and procedures that organisations need to have in place to ensure they operate legally and provide a safe environment for young people.

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Silver

It examines the quality of an organisation’s youth offer and the opportunities provided to young people. This includes training and support provided to staff and volunteers.

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Gold

It examines the impact of an organisation for those they serve. Organisations must evidence its commitment to improvement and how it involves young people in their organisational development. 

Learn more >

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the Quality Assurance programme, organisations will need to be:

  • A current member of London Youth (2023 – 2024 membership).
  • A youth organisation that delivers direct youth work to young people.
  • A registered organisation that delivers the majority of its direct youth work in London.

Note: Umbrella or multi-site organisations are not eligible to undertake the quality mark. However individual venues or clubs that are a part of those umbrella organisations can, but they must join London Youth as individual member first. Apply for membership here

If your organisation is an unincorporated community group – you are not eligible for the Quality Assurance programme. However, if you require support or guidance relating to your organisations development please email membership@londonyouth.org

 

Quality Mark Grants 

London Youth are able to offer grants to organisations completing a Quality Mark thanks to the generous donations of our supporters and grant funders.  As such, this feature of our offer to members is subject to us securing sufficient funds to distribute.
From October 2023 there will be a change to the grant amount offered for completing a Quality Mark. Organisations who achieve a Quality Mark will now be able to claim a grant for each level Quality Mark they achieve.
  • Bronze – Organisations that achieve this Quality Mark level for the first time can claim a £2,000
  • Silver – Organisations that achieve this Quality Mark level for the first time can claim a £1,500
  • Gold – Organisations that achieve this Quality Mark level for the first time can claim a £1,500

Members can claim a total of £5,000 for completing all three Quality Mark levels.

We are unable to offer a grant for revalidating a Quality Mark. This may be something we offer again in future depending on future funding. 

If you have submitted an invoice for an old Quality Mark grant amount before Monday 9th October 2023, we will honour this grant amount. If you submit an invoice after this date, you will receive the new grant amount.

If you have any questions about our Quality Mark grants, please email qualitymark@londonyouth.org and a member of the team will get back to you.

 

Resource Library 

London Youth have created a resource library that can support you in undertaking a Quality Mark. The library currently provides comprehensive tools and resources for the Bronze level Quality Mark and we are working on developing the same for the Silver and Gold levels (this will be created once the redesign for both silver and gold frameworks has been completed).

You can access our free Resources Library here.

Please get in touch if there are any resources you require from us, or would like to see featured in the resources library (for any Quality Mark level).

We encourage our members to share good practice and useful tools with each other.  If you are on your Quality Assurance journey and would be happy for us to feature one of your resources in our library, please reach out to Quality Mark Team on qualitymark@londonyouth.org

Quality Assurance Programme: FAQs Feedback, Complaints and Appeals Policy