County Durham Sport Achieves 'Excellent' Accreditation

County Durham Sport has been rated as 'Excellent' by the UK quality scheme for the sport and leisure industry, Quest.

The team was externally assessed in March 2011 receiving the highest level of accreditation currently available, becoming only the 2nd CSP to achieve Quest accreditation in England and attaining the 6th highest ever first time Quest score for sports development with 85%.

The process will continue with an interim assessment in March 2012 to check progress, followed by a re-assessment in March 2013.

Ben Williams, County Durham Sport's Executive Director says: "The Quest process has helped the team to focus on delivering key business improvements and the excellent rating is testament to the hard work that the Team has put into improving what we do. I look forward to us further increasing our performance in support of the work of the County Durham Sport Partnership."

The following aspects of County Durham Sport's work were highlighted during the assessment as particular strengths or areas of good practice:

• The commissioning work with the Changing the Physical Activity Landscape (CPAL) project
• The focus on continuous improvement with the development of a high quality improvement plan that has made a direct impact on areas such as customer care and health and safety
• The professional and personable nature of the Team, demonstrating a good knowledge of their individual work areas whilst also being able to clearly articulate the work of the Team
• The growing understanding and use of social media
• The use of Active People and Market Segmentation Data
• The provision of information and data via the Data Observatory
• The development of "A Physical Activity Strategy for County Durham"
• The partnerships developed with the School Sport Partnerships and the value placed by both parties on this relationship
• The effort, commitment, experience and expertise of the Core Team
• The support provided by the CDS Core Team to the CSNs
• The Team's desire to provide a better service tomorrow than they do today
• The Team are supportive, committed, responsive, very approachable and keen to make a difference
• The Team's management of the highly successful Sport Unlimited project
• The Core Team staff were presentable and professional in all aspects of their conduct
• The CDS website provides a comprehensive range of quality information
• The CDS Core Team has developed a smart corporate style and branding that reflects an image that is easily recognisable
• The CDS Team should be commended for developing the area of marketing into the sophisticated resource it has become

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