The SIQAF Self Assessment Tool Explained

The Supported Internships Quality Assurance Framework (SIQAF) Self-Assessment is a vital tool crafted to empower your institution in evaluating the quality and success of your Supported Internship (SI) programme. As a Provider/College, understanding its significance and functionality is key to programme excellence.

Here's what matters to you about the SIQAF:

Self-Assessment Tool

The SIQAF Self-assessment tool is custom-tailored to equip you with the means to assess the effectiveness of your SI programme. When paired with the Supported Internship Guidance, it becomes a powerful resource for shaping the future of your programme.

Highlighting Your Strengths

One of its primary roles is to illuminate the strengths of your programme. Consider it an annual compass for continuous improvement, guiding you towards enhancing quality assurance and achieving programme excellence.

Facilitating Reflection and Self-Assessment

The SIQAF actively encourages self-reflection, fostering an environment where reviews lead to actionable plans for improvement. It acts as a catalyst for transformative change, supporting you in optimising the effectiveness of your SI programme.

Framework Overview

The SIQAF consists of six comprehensive sections covering critical aspects of your programme: leadership, planning, partnership, preparedness, progress, and results. Each section contains specific criteria, often scored between 0 to 3, with some sections allowing scores up to 0 to 5. The maximum total score achievable is 117.

Collaborative Process

While it's designed to be led by the Supported Internship provider, the SIQAF actively involves all partners engaged in programme delivery. This includes your institution, local authorities, employers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Peer Reviewing and Validation

When you undertake the SIQAF as part of the Internships Work programme, you gain the opportunity to enhance your self-assessment through peer review. This free service adds a valuable layer of validation. Two trained peer reviewers, a lead reviewer, and another peer reviewer, will visit your Supported Internship programme, evaluate your self-assessment score, and provide support for continuous improvement, complete with recommended actions and best practice examples.

Unlocking Long-Term Benefits

Participation in the SIQAF not only refines your programme's quality but also provides tangible proof of your commitment to excellence. This proof becomes a valuable asset when attracting additional funding for your provision and enhancing your institution's reputation. As word spreads about the quality of your Supported Internship programme, you're likely to attract more students, ensuring the continued success and impact of your programme.

Recruitment of Peer Reviewers

We are actively seeking individuals interested in becoming peer reviewers to support the delivery of over 200 peer-reviewed SIQAF self-assessments as part of the Internships Work project. As a Provider/College, this is an opportunity for you to actively shape and improve the Supported Internship landscape.

Comprehensive Training and Expense Coverage

If you decide to become a peer reviewer, you will receive thorough training to ensure you're well-prepared for the role. Additionally, your expenses will be covered by Internships Work, making participation even more accessible.

Join the Discussion

To explore this opportunity further, connect with Amy Martin, Project Lead, amy.martin@base-uk.org.

Your active participation contributes to the collective efforts to elevate the quality and effectiveness of Supported Internship programmes.

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