4/02/2026
By Anna Hammond FIEP, Quality & Excellence Project Lead
In January, I led a series of Quality Assurance (QA) visits to Belfast in my role as Quality & Excellence Project Lead for the IEP. These visits focused on employability academies delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council (BCC), providing valuable insight into how quality improvement is being understood and embedded across delivery.
Quality can mean different things depending on context and opinion, but within employability services its purpose is clear: to understand how provision operates in practice, recognise what is working well, and identify where targeted improvements can enhance outcomes for participants, employers, and staff. At its best, quality assurance is not about compliance, but about collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement.
This approach was clearly reflected during the Belfast visits. Providers engaged openly and constructively with the QA process, viewing it as an opportunity to reflect, share good practice, and strengthen delivery. Working within the IEP’s Quality Improvement Framework (QIF), teams demonstrated a people-centred approach that brought together staff perspectives, participant feedback, and employer insight to inform self-assessment and improvement planning.
Quality improvement was not treated as a standalone activity, but as an integral part of everyday practice. This level of embedding requires sustained commitment from both leadership and frontline staff, whose daily actions directly influence participant outcomes.
The impact of this approach was particularly evident in conversations with participants on all employability academies. Providers had implemented small but deliberate improvements informed by previous QA activity and participant feedback. Participants spoke about renewed confidence, a sense of purpose, and successful transitions into employment – clear examples of how continuous improvement translates into meaningful outcomes.
My discussions with staff reinforced that many practitioners want to engage with quality improvement but are unsure where to begin. The IEP’s Quality Improvement Framework offers a practical and flexible starting point, supporting teams to turn reflection into action and embed improvement into daily practice.
Quality improvement is not the responsibility of specialists or leaders alone. It thrives when a range of perspectives are welcomed and when staff at all levels feel confident to contribute ideas, ask questions, and share learning. The Belfast visits demonstrated how inclusive, collaborative approaches to quality can strengthen delivery and, ultimately, improve outcomes for participants.
Quality, when understood as a shared commitment to learning and improvement, becomes more than a process. It becomes a way of working – one that supports excellence, builds confidence, and has the potential to change lives.
For support embedding the IEP QIF into your organisation, get in touch today at quality@iemployability.org or click here for more information.