Our licensed affiliates

Our affiliate package supports other organisations to implement the tried and tested peer support programme that we operate in South Essex (pregnancy, birth and beyond).

The NESTA and Cabinet Office Social Action Innovation Fund supported us to develop the affiliate package in order to:

• Prevent poor practice by monitoring quality and standards across UK programmes;

• Provide a central package of workshops, guidance, and up to date high quality operational resources;

• Ensure a shared robust evaluation strategy that measures impact across the affiliate programmes;

• Provide a central City & Guilds accredited training and qualification package for volunteer peer supporters;

• Provide a national learning network that shares best practice, motivates and inspires.

How it works

The Local Hub (local provider organisation) manages and delivers the programme in their local community. The Local Hub signs up to a Licensed Affiliation Agreement with Parents 1st (Central Support Organisation). Each party is responsible for carrying out complementary functions to ensure the Local Hub operates successfully, meets Parents 1st quality standards and achieves the envisioned impact.

Benefits include:

• Extensive setup support during the first 2 years of establishing a new programme;

• Comprehensive on-line evaluation database, data collection tools and outcome reporting service;

• City & Guilds accreditation centre services for coordinators and volunteers;

• On-going supervision and workshops for programme coordinators; and

• Policies and procedures that embed the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) 'Investing in Volunteers' standards.

If you are interested in finding out more about being a Parents 1st affiliate please contact us.