Introduction
This Document outlines for voluntary organisations in receipt of EA Youth Service Funding for Regional and Local Voluntary organisations the requirements for;
- Moderation of Practice or Service Delivery
- Monitoring of Key Performance Indicators in relation to the funding opportunity
Moderation and Monitoring are requirements for all organisations funded under the scheme, organisations who do not facilitate this process may have their funding withheld or withdrawn which may include recovery of funds
This guide is also available in PDF format, click the button below to download:
Overview of Moderation & Monitoring
Moderation of practice/service delivery and Monitoring of Key Performance Indicators are carried out at the same time. The frequency of moderation and monitoring is dependent on the level of funding awarded per opportunity. The frequency of moderation and monitoring is outlined below.
| Level of Funding Per Funding Opportunity | Number of Moderation & Monitoring Visits |
|---|---|
Up to £30,000 Per Annum of Funding | 1 Moderation Per Annum/Project |
£30,001 to £60,000 Per Annum Funding | 2 Moderations Per Annum/Project |
£60,001 to £80,000 Per Annum Funding | 3 Moderations Per Annum/Project |
£80,001 or more Funding Per Annum | 4 Moderations Per Annum/Project |
If you are in receipt of two different funding opportunities, for example a Local Area Based Fund at £100,000 and a Local Project Fund at £30,000, you will receive four moderation and monitoring visits for the Local Area Based Funding and one for the Local Project Funding.
Moderation and Monitoring is per funding opportunity and not per organisation, as each opportunity has a different focus on practice delivery and/or key performance indicator sets. Organisations are required to maintain a minimum level of ‘Good’ for all moderation and monitoring visits. The Education Authority will facilitate support if required to address issues raised and review the continuation of funding for organisations who are graded lower than good.
Moderation Quality Indicators
The EA Youth Service’s Moderation is modelled on the construct of the Education & Training Inspectorate’s (ETI) publication “Inspection and Self-Evaluation Framework, Effective Practice and Self-Evaluation Questions for Youth”. The ETi publication considers three core themes, each with three focus areas that underpin the core theme:
Each focus area noted above has five unique assessment areas (click here to see assessment matrix) which are scored during the moderation visit. Moderation visits will assess one focus area per moderation visit and this will be selected by the visiting EA officer based on the nature of the delivery of practice/project.
Safeguarding
An aspect of Safeguarding will be examined at every moderation. The statements used in the Safeguarding matrix (click here to see assessment matrix) are taken directly from the ETI’s Youth Safeguarding Proforma, but have been clustered under four headings, one of which will be moderated alongside the focus of the visit:
- Policies & Procedures
- Structures
- Awareness of legislation, policies and systems
- Training
Further information of how these are assessed and measured can be viewed in the Moderator Recording Booklet, which will be used by the Moderator during their visit (click below to download)
Moderation Scores
Each of the five areas associated with the focus of the moderation are assessed using the assessment matrix and following marks awarded:
- Outstanding
- Good
- Requires Improvement
- Inadequate
After each of the five areas are assessed the Moderator will assign an overall mark for the focus area based on evidence gathered/observations using the same criteria above. It is this mark that should be maintained as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ by all organisations funded under the scheme.
Key Performance Indicators Monitoring
Each funding opportunity has key performance indicators aligned to them. These were available to all applicant organisations at the point of application. During the moderation and monitoring visit, Key Performance Indicators will be monitored and recorded. Key Performance indicators are aligned to the five priorities for youth areas and assessment of these are defined below:
| Assessment | Description or use of measure |
|---|---|
YES | Used when the Key Performance Indicator has been met or is maintained to date |
On Track to Complete | When the indicator is in progress and will be completed with no issues |
Not on Track to Complete | When the indicator is not in progress, delayed being started but may still be achieved but at a later date |
Failed to Achieve KPI | When the organisation will not meet the indicator within the timeframe of the funding opportunity |
Not Applicable at this Visit | When the indicator is not due to be complete until a later moderation and monitoring visit |
For organisations ‘Not on Track to Complete’ or have failed to ‘Achieve KPI’ the Education Authority will facilitate support if required to address issues raised and review the continuation of funding.
Moderation and Monitoring Process
Moderation and Monitoring is not planned randomly or without notice, it is important that all organisations know what to expect during their moderation and monitoring visit by an Education Authority Officer. For that reason, organisations will receive a notification of a visit (click here to view notification form) which will outline the theme and focus area of moderation at least two weeks before it takes place. Visits will also be planned out across the quarters of each financial year.
Organisations should facilitate the date provided when notified, however if there is an issue with the date the details of the assigned moderator will be on the notification to rearrange a more suitable time. Organisations cannot refuse moderation visits as it is a condition of accepting their formal offer of funding, and to do so may impact your next funding payment.
Moderators are identified by the Education Authority and will not be the same moderator per visit to ensure equity and transparency of assessment for all organisations. Outlined below is the workflow for each moderation and monitoring visit.
Support and Information
Please visit the Support Section for more information and guidance at on this website or email:
