Charity for socially excluded people wins quality award
Developing Health and Independence (DHI), the charity helping socially excluded people in the West Country, has been awarded a nationally-recognised quality mark.
Developing Health and Independence (DHI), the charity helping socially excluded people in the West Country, has been awarded a nationally-recognised quality mark.
DHI received the 'matrix standard' mark after an evaluation of its services by the company emqc, which assesses organisations providing information and advice to people to help them get back into independent living.
DHI supports people who are socially excluded for reasons such as homelessness, old age, learning disabilities, or alcohol or drug addiction.
The emqc assessors looked at the policies and procedures at DHI, interviewed its staff and visited its projects. They found that the charity was consistent in its approach across its centres in Bath, Midsomer Norton, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire and Somerset, that its staff were committed to their work and its clients were complimentary about its services.
The DHI services that the assessors looked at included its drugs and alcohol services, which help people on their journey to abstinence, and which include counselling, group meetings and activities.
They also looked at DHI's housing services, which accommodate people as a step on the way to independent living and give advice to those in their own homes who are struggling to pay the rent or facing eviction. It also assessed DHI's family services, which help people who have a family member or friend with an addiction.
The projects emqc looked at included DHI's Information Takeaway service in Monmouth Street, Bath, where people can come in without an appointment and be helped to find local groups, clubs and activities that they can take part in, and its 'social prescribing' service which helps people in Kingswood who see their GP frequently with problems that might be partly social as well as medical.
"We are very pleased that our work has been recognised by this quality mark," said DHI spokesman Tony Trueman. "But we're not complacent about our services - DHI is always seeking to extend and develop our work for socially excluded people."
DHI is holding its annual event on 30 November, between 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square, at which clients will tell the story of their progress and staff will talk about their work. Members of the public are welcome to attend for free and should contact Tony Trueman on 07792 062 154 or at: tonytrueman@dhibath.org.uk to book a place.
For more information contact:
Tony Trueman
DHI PR/Fundraiser
07792 062 154
tonytrueman@dhibath.org.uk
