Health Quality Mark
NYCI has developed the Health Quality Mark (HQ Mark) as a health promotion initiative with a view to enhancing best practice and a high standard of quality in all aspects of health promotion in youth organisations.
The HQ Mark is a set of quality standards in youth health promotion and takes the form of an award conferred on organisations that satisfy agreed quality criteria. The criteria, twelve in total, have been drawn up by the NYCI and are based on best practice in health promotion at a regional and national level as outlined in various strategy documents.
Much of the criteria have been drawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria that were developed for the Health Promoting Schools Initiative and adapted by the NYCI. As a result, varying levels of the HQ Mark are available – bronze, silver and gold, according to the levels of the criteria achieved.
Support Manual
This support manual has been designed to support youth organisations in pursuit of the NYHP’s Health Quality Mark (HQM) and includes:
- An introduction to the National Youth Health Programme.
- An overview of the principles and concepts which underwrite the HQM.
- An overview of the HQM and accompanying criteria.
- An overview of the assessment process.
- A range of support materials in relation to the achievement of each criterion.
- Information on links with other relevant quality frameworks, particularly
- the National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF).
The aim of the health quality mark is to recognise and acknowledge quality health promotion in youth organisations.
- To develop and sustain quality health promotion in youth organisations.
- To ensure good practice in health promotion through needs assesment, planning, implementation and evaluation of all health promotion activities throughouth the organisation.To increase team work for all those involved in the health quality mark.
- To enhance a teamwork approach and sense of ownership for all those involved.
- To ensure that health related policies, practice and programmes are integrated effectively.
- To promote the health of all those involved in the youth organisation including young people, staff, volunteers and management.
- To ensure that work is consistently documented
- To stimulate and encourage a culture of assessing quality.
The HQ Mark will:
- Recognise and acknowledge good practice and a high standard of quality in all aspects of health promotion in the successful organisations.
- Positively differentiate ‘health promoting youth organisations’ from other service providers.
- Improve competitiveness in Health Promotion provision in youth organisations.
- Increase the public profile of organisations who achieve the HQ Mark.
- Ensure ongoing support and training from the NYCI to successful organisations so that they continue to maintain their HQ Mark.
- Raise standards of Health Promotion in organisations.
To be eligible to apply for the HQ Mark, organisations must satisfy all of the following conditions.
Organisations must have successfully completed the Specialist Certificate in Youth Health Promotion, i.e have a Health Promoter who successfully completed the Specialist Certificate and/or National Training in Health Promotion.
Organisations must have participated in a health quality mark workshop organised and delivered by the NYCI
Develop a close working relationship with the NYCI.
Phase 1
Expression of interest on completition of Specialist Certificate in Youth Health Promotion
Phase 2
Inital Information meeting with the Health Programme Staff
Phase 3
Develop and implement links and support structures.
Phase 4
Submission of portfolio of evidence
Phase 5
Assesment of portfolio and site visit by Health Programme and HSE Staff.
| Health Quality Mark Organisation | Level of Award |
| Galway Diocesan Youth Service | Gold |
| Irish Girl Guides | Gold |
| Catholic Guides of Ireland | Gold |
| KDYS | Gold |
| Swan Youth Service | Gold |
| Midlands Regional Youth Service | Gold |
| Buncrana Youthreach | Silver |
| North Connaught Youth and Community Service | Silver |
| Lifford Youthreach | Gold |
| Cork Foyer | Silver |
| Rush Youthreach | Gold |
| Arklow Springboard | Gold |
| Blakestown Mountview Youth Initiative | Gold |
| Newbridge YTDC | Gold |
| Hospital Youthreach | Gold |
| Sligo Community Training Centre | Gold |
| Blanchardstown Youthreach | Gold |
| Tipperary Regional Youth Service | Silver |
| Carlow Regional Youth Service | Silver |
| Youthreach Miltown Malbay | Bronze |
| No Name Club | Gold |
| St Andrews Resource Centre | Bronze |
Health Quality Mark Support Manual 2011
Health Quality Mark Support Templates
Health Quality Mark Criteria Audit Template
Health Quality Mark Remonitoring Criteria Template
Criteria 2 – Health Promotion Team Terms of Reference Template
Sample Meeting Record Template
/sites/youthhealth.ie/files/u5/Sample%20Meeting%20Record%20Template.doc
Criteria 3 – Organisational Health Promotion Strategy Template
/sites/youthhealth.ie/files/u5/Health%20promotion%20strategy%20template.doc
Criteria 5 – Peer Health Promotion Initative Planning Template
Criteria 7 – Training Plan for Staff/Volunteers and Management
Indivdual Training Needs Analysis
Checklist for Training and Development – Indivdual and Organisational
Organisational Training Report Template
/sites/youthhealth.ie/files/u5/Organisational%20Training%20Report%20Template.doc
Criteria 8 – Framework for evaluating Partnerships
/sites/youthhealth.ie/files/u5/Framework%20for%20evaluating%20partnerships%20-%20Template.doc
Criteria 9 – Model of Good Practice for Health Promotion
Template for application of Model of Good Practice
Checklist for the APIE Model of Good Practice
/sites/youthhealth.ie/files/u5/Checklist%20for%20the%20APIE%20Model%20of%20Good%20Practice.doc
Criteria 10 – Health and Safety Policy and Procedures
Checklist for Health Safety Resources
Checklist for dealing with emergency situations
Checklist for instruction, training and supervision
Criteria 11 – Ensuring and promoting equality and inclusiveness
Criterion 12 – Child Protection Policy and Procedures
Health Quality Mark News
Finglas Youth Resource Centre awarded Gold Health Quality Mark
Finglas Youth Resource Centre was awarded a Gold Standard Health Quality Mark (HQM) by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of their work […]
Cork Foyer awarded Silver Health Quality Mark
Cork Foyer was awarded a Silver Standard Health Quality Mark (HQM) by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of their work on health […]
Priory Youthreach Tallaght awarded national Health Quality Mark
Priory Youthreach Tallaght was awarded a Silver Standard Health Quality Mark (HQM) by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in recognition of their work on […]
; Welcome An Taoiseach's remarks regarding making Ireland a great place for young people to grow up. A €15m investment in youth work in #Budget25 will make a big difference to a sector that stretches every euro, says NYCI Chair Denis O’Brien at National Economic Dialogue #NED24
; B4u Decide training, exploring the concept of delaying early sex by supporting the development of sexual health competencies, is coming to Letterkenny this Wednesday!
@HSEhealthW @HealthyIreland @dcediy
Just a few free places left:
; We’re hiring!
We’re looking for a global youth work trainer to be our new Training Project Officer.
Deadline 14 June!