Charity Commission Endorses Community Matters' VISIBLE Standards 2011

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales has endorsed Community Matters' VISIBLE Standards 2011.

This comes as part of the Commission's Quality Standards Endorsement Programme, which supports the development of quality standards used to assess how well charities are run.

Community Matters (The National Federation of Community Organisations - 1002383) is the umbrella body for 1200 member organisations across the UK, many of them charitable community associations in England and Wales.  The VISIBLE  Standards 2011 define best practice for individual charities, and will be used to accredit those organisations that achieve the standards.

 The Commission has helped Community Matters develop the standards, which are now formally endorsed. The Commission's endorsement process assesses whether the quality standards are in line with the Commission's guidance Hallmarks of and Effective Charity and whether the accreditation process meets the requirements of the Commission's Terms of Endorsement.

 Sam Younger, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

"I am delighted that we are able to endorse Community Matters' VISIBLE Standards 2011. The new standards are a clear and continuing demonstration of Community Matters' commitment to encourage best practice in the sector.  We are going to rely ever more heavily as a regulator on the work of umbrella bodies like Community Matters to help charities avoid problems from occurring.'' 

Community Matters Chief Executive David Tyler said:

"We are delighted to renew our relationship with the Charity Commission and to receive this endorsement. VISIBLE continues to be one of the leading quality standards for the community sector and is a very effective way of developing and implementing best practice in community organisations."

Other charities whose quality standards have been recently endorsed by the Commission include Community Foundation Network, ACRE and YMCA.

Learn more about changes to VISIBLE 2011.