Seeking accreditation: External evaluation
External evaluation
Organisations seeking accreditation undertake an external evaluation following completion of the self-evaluation or following implementation of a Quality Improvement Plan. The external evaluation is conducted by a small team of evaluators over one or two days. The process involves:
Meetings with staff and committee members: A series of interviews are held between the evaluation team and members of the management committee and, where applicable, the staff of the organisation.
Discussions with tenants and other organisations: The evaluation team will have some form of direct contact with tenants and other service providers. The approaches used will vary and may include:
- an informal meeting with a group of tenants
- telephone or face-to-face interviews with a sample of tenants
- telephone interviews with representatives of other organisations that the community housing provider works with, and
- meetings with the area office staff and the Community Housing Resource Worker for the region, where appropriate.
Review of tenant files and property records: The evaluation team will examine a sample of tenant files, to verify the results of the organisation's file audit. Tenants’ written consent must first be obtained by the organisation. The evaluation team will also examine property records. Where the organisation has a computerised record system, the team will look at the adequacy of the data management system.
Site inspection: Standards 6.4 and 7.4 of the National Community Housing Standards relate to the community housing provider's office facilities and equipment. A site inspection will allow the evaluation team to assess the service against these standards.
Document inspection: The evaluation team will inspect documentation that can support, and provide evidence of, good practice, e.g. policies, eligibility criteria, asset management plans, etc.
Evaluation briefing: At the completion of the external evaluation, the evaluation team will provide the organisation with a briefing that identifies its major achievements and areas for improvement. The aim of the briefing is to provide the organisation with immediate feedback prior to receipt of a Draft Accreditation Evaluation Report.
Analysis of results and scoring: Following the external evaluation, the evaluation team will discuss the organisation's performance against the standards and agree on their recommendations. To assist in their decisions, the team will score the organisation's compliance with each standard using the following scale:
*The three categories of evidence are documentation, processes and measuring outcomes.
Accreditation Evaluation Report: The evaluation team will write a draft report of its findings, including achievements identified in relation to the standards, areas for improvement and recommendations.
A copy of the draft report will be given to the organisation to consider. The community housing provider has up to four weeks to consider the draft report and advise the Coordinating Evaluator of any incorrect information or inconsistencies in the document. Any factual errors will be corrected. Once this process has been concluded the draft report will be submitted to an Accreditation Assessment Panel, which consists of three members of the Queensland Community Housing Standards and Accreditation Council. The panel will consider the recommendations of the evaluation team and determine the community housing provider's accreditation status.
For more information on the accreditation process, view Evaluation team and Accreditation decision.
Last updated 22 October 2008
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