Increasing quality and impact in a network context
“I am glad I came to share and exchange experiences and learn how to improve on the quality of our services at our network back home.” These words were shared by Ishmael from our partner network in Kenya, Together for Children, during a recent meeting of the six African partner networks in Uganda and succinctly capture one element of Viva’s work. The networks were gathered to understand more about Viva’s Quality Improvement System (QIS), which will be delivered by each of the six networks thanks to a recently secured grant. The workshop in Kampala, facilitated by Viva and hosted by our partner CRANE (Children at Risk Action Network), was time very well spent, both in terms of learning and growth in relationships.
Photos below are of delegates, used with permission.
The Quality Improvement System is part of Viva’s support to networks in terms of Capacity Building, one of the four ‘C’s’ that form Viva’s working model (Connecting, Collective Action and Citywide Influence being the other three - click here for more information). QIS walks alongside organisations on their journey towards attaining global standards in six areas: people care, governance, financial accountability, planning and design, child safeguarding and child wellbeing. This training course is unique in that it was developed to be delivered to churches and organisations that form a network – and not just to independent organisations, however much they may benefit from the content.
Each module has set Foundational Aims and Standards for the participating churches and organisations. A module begins with a self-assessment so the organisations can document where they are doing well and what gaps there are. After this, training related to the module’s Foundational Aims and Standards is provided. Action plans are created to bring about improvement, and mentors help by giving guidance and support. After a set time for changes to be introduced and implemented, verification is done to assess the evidence of progress made in each Foundational Aim and Standard. We summarise this as a cycle of improvement:
Commit – Assess – Equip – Improve – Review.
How QIS works - the cycle of improvement
The heart of QIS is a Biblical call to quality. When we invite churches and organisations to commit to QIS, we are encouraging them to commit to a journey to pursue quality and higher standards – because God Himself is a God of excellence. Viva delights in supporting a journey of improvement because an improved organisational environment and more confident and capable staff ensure more relevant and beneficial programmes for the children. Services for children are better planned, have bigger resources and are longer-lasting, giving continuity of care. This, in turn, should make children feel more secure and better cared for.
Feedback over the years about the impact of QIS has been very positive:
“Through QIS trainings aimed at improving children's general well-being, our organisation reviewed the child protection and safeguarding policy. This covered gaps that were identified during the child protection and safeguarding training,” – participating organisation from Viva’s partner, CRANE (Children at Risk Action Network), Uganda.
In Tanzania, a representative of Viva’s partner MCAN led a series of mentoring visits to 10 organisations and schools doing QIS and found great progress: “Some of the school's boards were able to develop and approve the plans and budgets (governance) and one visited school has managed to analyse the lists of potentials development partners to work with to improve the school's development projects (planning and design)”.
To date, 407 churches and organisations, reaching up to 10,000 children, have benefitted from QIS, with another 120 having the opportunity to gain a QIS certificate because of the current African cohort, with each planning to reach 20 organisations. A team in Viva has been going through a process of reviewing and updating the QIS materials to make them even more accessible and relevant, and the African networks are excited about what is in store. As Viva celebrates our 30th year of existence in 2026, we look forward to supporting many more churches and organisations to join together on this journey of improvement so that, in turn, more children have better care.
African network coordinators and Viva staff jumping for joy as they think about the future!