Volunteer to Help Senior Center Get Nod

Barrington Senior Center Director Louise House is about halfway there. 

House is looking for about 25 volunteers who can help the Senior Center earn accreditation again. She has a dozen volunteers so far.

“A first step is a community self-assessment,” said House.

The 25 people will serve on a committee that will assess how the senior center measures up to nine standards of excellence. The group will meet two or three times over six months, House said, beginning in early March.

“They will review the senior center and see how we stack up against the federally accepted standards,” she said.

The Senior Center has been accredited for 10 years. It is one of a dozen or so out of 50 in Rhode Island with the accreditation. But it must be renewed every five years, House said. So it’s time to go through the process again.

The National Institute of Senior Centers describes accreditation as “the official recognition that a senior center is meeting its mission in a nationally accepted professional fashion.”

The nine standards of operations include:

1. Purpose – written statement of its mission.
2. Community – serve as a focal point in a community and offer information, education, advocacy and opportunities for older adults.
3. Governance – be organized to create effective relationships to achieve its goals.
4. Administration and Human Resources – have clear policies and procedures that contribute to effective management.
5. Program Planning – offer a broad range of group and individual activities and services that respond to needs and interests of older adults.
6. Evaluation – have appropriate arrangements to evaluate on its operations and program.
7. Fiscal Management – practice sound fiscal planning and management, record-keeping and reporting.
8. Records and Reports – keep complete records required to operate, plan and review programs.
9. Facility -- make use of facilities that promote effective program operation and provide for health, safety, and comfort.

Contact House at 247-1926 if you want to help the Senior Center earn another accredition.