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Glossary
Some of the terms and initiatives that you are likely to come across within the mentoring and befriending community are outlined below with a short explanation of each. If there are any additions you’d like us to add please contact us.
Accreditation
A process whereby an organisation’s activities, products or services are externally verified and certified as having met a particular standard. At an individual level, accreditation can mean recognising an individual volunteer or member of staff’s achievements or learning. See also our information sheet on ‘Getting your training accredited’.
Approved Provider Standard (APS)
APS is the national benchmark for organisations providing a mentoring or befriending service. It aims to provide projects with a badge of competence and safe practice in mentoring or befriending. More on APS
Befriendee
A user of a befriending service who requires support from a befriender.
Befriender
A trained volunteer within a befriending service who is matched with a befriendee to offer them support.
Befriending
Offers supportive relationships through volunteer befrienders to people who would otherwise be socially isolated.
Big Society
The Big Society is a flagship policy of the Government and aims “to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a big society that will ‘take power away from politicians and give it to people’.” See Big Society Network website
Buddying
A form of mentoring or befriending where the volunteers that offer the support are called ‘buddies’ – tends to be used more in peer support settings.
Capacity building
Includes a wide range of support, techniques and initiatives that aim to build the capacity of individuals, organisations or communities e.g., developing an organisation’s internal structures and systems and also their external relationships.
Citizenship
A government policy designed to promote people becoming more active in their local community through greater engagement and volunteering. Citizenship education is compulsory for young people in secondary schools.
Civil society (see also Third sector)
Refers to those organisations that are not run by the public or private sector and includes charities, community groups, faith-based organisations, trade unions, self-help groups, social movements etc.
Commissioning
The process used as part of planning public services to assess the needs of people in an area, considering how best and by whom those needs can be met and then planning the provision of services.
Community cohesion
To appreciate and celebrate diversity between people in local communities, and to promote understanding and reduce hostilities.
Compact
An agreement between the Government and Civil Society designed to improve their relationship to mutual advantage. More on the Compact
Community sector
Those organisations or groups active on a local or community level, usually small, modestly funded and largely dependent on voluntary rather than paid effort. It can be seen as distinct from the larger, professionally staffed agencies which are most visible in voluntary sector profiles.
Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) or Local Infrastructure Organisation (LIO)
A voluntary organisation which aims to support, promote and develop local voluntary and community action – they provide a range of services to members and act as a voice for the local voluntary and community sector. There is a CVS or LIO in almost every district and city in England. Find your local CVS
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
The CRB helps organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable to work with children or other vulnerable members of society. Link to CRB site
Distance travelled
Generally refers to the progress that a mentee or befriendee makes towards desired outcomes as a result of the project. This may include differences in attitudes, perceptions or skills over time.
Full cost recovery
The process by which voluntary groups delivering public services ensure that the full costs of the activities are reflected in the price they expect for the contract or service level agreement.
Governance
Refers to the process by which charity management and trustees oversee and determine the -direction, finance and day-to-day running of a charity. Governance is overseen and accountable to the Charity Commission.
Grants
Sums of money given to a charity, organisation or individual, usually from some kind of grant-making body such as a charitable foundation or government department. A grant is different to a donation in that it is usually applied for along strict criteria drawn up by the grant-maker that the applicant must adhere to in order to receive the money.
Hard outcomes
Outcomes that are easily observed and counted. They are often quantitative and are generally easier to measure than soft outcomes (see also ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Soft outcomes’)
Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)
A body set up to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. It requires potential employees and volunteers to register with the ISA before they can work with children and vulnerable adults. There is currently a review taking place to assess the scope of its work. See ISA website.
Infrastructure organisation
Organisations that provide services to frontline organisations usually in relation to physical facilities, structures, systems, relationships, people, knowledge and skills.
Investing in Volunteers (IiV)
Investing in Volunteers is a UK quality standard for all organisations which involve volunteers in their work. The Standard enables organisations to comprehensively review their volunteer management, and also publicly demonstrates their commitment to volunteering. See IiV
Mainstreaming
The process of transferring policy, good practice or activity from area-based initiatives or special programmes into the core of mainstream service provision.
Matrix
The Matrix standard is a quality framework for the effective delivery of information, advice and/or guidance on learning and work and can be achieved for services that are provided either externally or internally. See Matrix
Mentee
A person who is mentored.
Mentor
A person who supports a mentee through a difficult time in their life.
Mentoring
Mentoring is a one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship in which an individual voluntarily gives time to support and encourage another. This is typically developed at a time of transition in the mentee’s life, and lasts for a significant and sustained period of time.
MBF
Mentoring and Befriending Foundation.
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)
Growing network of 357 CVS and other LIOs (Local Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Organisations) throughout England. NACVS promotes voluntary and community action by supporting its member CVS and by acting as a national voice for the local voluntary and community sector. See NAVCA
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
National umbrella body for voluntary organisations and charities in England. NCVO represents more than 1,000 organisations in negotiations with the Government over service levels, charity law and consultation. Also provides support and services to organisations. See NCVO
National Occupational Standards (NOS)
NOS describe competent performance in terms of outcomes. They allow a clear assessment of competence against nationally agreed standards of performance, across a range of workplace circumstances for all roles. NOS also form the basis of qualifications, most commonly National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
Outcomes
Outcomes are the changes, benefits or other results that happen as a result of your activities.
Outputs
Outputs are the services or products you put in place in order to achieve the desired change/outcomes.
Peer mentoring
Peer mentors play a strongly proactive, preventative role by helping reduce isolation, develop social skills and encourage friendships.
Peer support
The natural willingness of most people, young or old, to act in a co-operative, friendly way towards one another. It is best described as “helping and supporting people when they need it so they can help themselves”. There are different types of peer support, for example peer mediation (when children and young people are trained in conflict resolution), peer education (young people are trained to pass on academic skills and knowledge to other young people) or peer listening (trained listeners are available for others to talk to if there is a problem).
PQASSO
Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations. A quality standard developed specifically for small and medium-sized voluntary and community organisations. See PQASSO
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)
An exercise conducted by Government departments and other funders to identify and select potential providers. Organisations successful at the PQQ stage are invited to submit tenders (ITT) for future contracts.
Public Service Agreements (PSAs)
Departmental Public Service Agreements (PSA’s) link the allocation of public expenditure to published targets with the aim of delivering modern, responsive public services. Local Public Service Agreements are a package of performance targets, easing of red tape, and financial incentives designed to help local authorities deliver measurable improvements in services.
REACH
A key Communities and Local Government’s project aimed at raising the aspirations, attainment and achievement of Black boys and young Black men, enabling them to reach their potential. REACH includes proposals to establish a national role modelling programme drawing largely on the experiences on mentoring.
Restricted funds
Restricted funds are those donated to a charity that are subject to specific requirements which may be declared by the donor(s), for example to a cancer charity for breast cancer research. Or they might be restricted by the charity, for example, for a specific appeal.
Social exclusion
This term is used to describe people or areas that suffer from a combination of factors that include unemployment, high crime, low incomes and poor housing.
Social Return on Investment (SROI)
A conceptual framework for capturing social and environmental benefits of projects and programmes.
Soft outcomes
Outcomes which are typically defined as intangible and more difficult to measure. They are commonly used for changes in attitudes and self-perception.
Sustainability
Refers to moves by charities to move beyond short-term funding for their activities, to more durable and dependable funding so that work is adequately supported and expansion is possible where necessary. Strategies include selling products or services such as publications or consultancy.
Third sector – see also Civil society
Generic collective name for charity, voluntary, community, non-government and campaigning organisations.
Umbrella organisation
An organisation whose role it is to support Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations.
Volunteering England (VE)
Provides a range of services to those operating in the voluntary sector.
