Arbeiterwohlfahrt Nürnberg

Contact:

QM officer: Thomas Rüger

Phone: (+49|0)911 - 450 60 130
Fax: (+49|0)911 - 450 60 122
E-Mail: thomas.rueger(at)awo-nbg.de

Quality is a relatively undefined term. It deals with values, standards and the ideals adhered to by those involved (e.g. employees and clients). For the workers’ welfare organization their guidelines of service (Leitbild) are of paramount importance. These guidelines determine the structure of the social services.

The AWO Federal Association decided to develop a Quality Management System and to ask for input from the branches. This system is based on the world-wide valid standards of the DIN ISO 9001 as well as on the quality recommendations contained in the guidelines.

Quality Management at AWO Nuremberg

The AWO Nuremberg decided in 2000 after wide-ranging consultations to follow their own innovative path.

This means they will not just put in place the recommendations of a prescribed QM System but want to establish their own version of Quality Management based on their own work experience of dealing with clients.

Focus is on the clients

Every QM System is designed to serve the needs of the clients. The client idea has taken hold in the context of social services. The spread of clients and their needs is huge – from nursery school children to the elderly in care homes.

The aim is to deal in the best possible way with the needs and expectations of the clients.

Improving the quality of service is an ongoing process. Legal requirements alone are an insufficient basis on which to base a permanent QM system as expressed in the philosophical maxim:"The goal is achieved by any old means."

Quality Management at AWO Nuremberg – a success story in small steps

The task

• To develop and establish an independent QM system based on the branch’s experience
• To develop a QM system for its organisation and staff

The aim – to develop and maintain quality

• in management
• in service
• in the structure of the organisation

The 3 phases of development

Phase 1: Management (2001 – 2003)
(concentrating on the quality of communication & co-operation)

Developing standards for

• understanding the required tasks
• deciding on which actions to take
• managing conflicts of interest

Phase 2: Quality of Service (2002 – 2005)
(dealing with the quality of the services involved)

Developing standards for
organisation, case studies and the resulting objectives

Phase 3: Quality of re-organisation (2005 until probably 2007/08)
(dealing with the envisaged re-organisation)

• re-evaluation of the entire organisation
• re-evaluation of confidentiality

establishing the QM System

Standards and guidelines

Why standards and guidelines?

For the development of the QM System at AWO Nuremberg committees employees of all the relevant departments were used.

The tasks of these committees is to look at the improvements suggested above and to evaluate them in the light of their own work experience.

As the improvement of quality of service is linked to legal requirements and precedents it will have to undergo continuous evaluation.

Guidelines serve for:
Co-operation
Clarity of intention
Services offered
Confidentiality
Basis for feedback
Conflict solutions

Guidelines for Management and Co-operation

All AWO dealings are based on the guidelines and aims laid down in “Leitsaetze und das Leitbild “. They determine our method of working and apply to all our full-time employees as well as to our volunteers. Only on this basis can there be a successful outcome to the proposed changes.