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CWE-CWR-09 Compassion, Welfare & Environment Community Welfare & Relief CORE Excellence v2.9.7

Needs-assessment with stakeholders

Assesses whether the organization conducts systematic, mixed-method needs and assets assessments with community stakeholders (including marginalised groups) to ensure its welfare and health services are relevant, safe, accessible, effective, and co-designed where appropriate. This collaborative approach embodies the Islamic principle of shura (mutual consultation), ensuring interventions address the community's true maslahah (public interest). Engaging vulnerable populations helps fulfill the Maqasid al-Shariah (objectives of Islamic law) aimed at hifz al-nafs (preservation of life) and upholding human dignity.

Assessment Questions
  1. How does the organization gather feedback from community stakeholders to understand their needs for welfare and health services?
  2. Is there a formal, documented process for conducting needs assessments? How often is it conducted and who is responsible?
  3. Which specific stakeholder groups are included in your needs assessments (e.g., service users, community leaders, families, other organizations)?
  4. Show the DPIA (and APD where applicable) and the privacy notice used for engagement.
  5. Show the safeguarding/H&S risk assessment and disclosure protocol for engagement activities.
  6. Show how accessibility was implemented (translations, BSL/Easy Read, offline routes) and uptake by group.
  7. Provide the Needs-to-Decisions Log showing which recommendations were costed, approved, and implemented.
  8. How are the results of needs assessments integrated into the organization's strategic planning, budgeting, and performance monitoring processes?
Evidence Requirements
  • Completed needs assessment instruments (e.g., surveys, interview scripts, focus group guides).
  • Needs assessment reports summarizing findings, analysis, and recommendations.
  • DPIA + APD (if Schedule 1 used), ROPA entry screenshot, and privacy notices.
  • Safeguarding risk assessment, disclosure/incident log (redacted), and briefing/training records.
  • Needs-to-Decisions Log showing recommendation → decision → budget line/owner.
  • Published community summary and 'You said, we did' action log.
  • Communication materials (e.g., newsletters, annual reports) informing stakeholders how their feedback was incorporated.
Scoring Guidelines
LevelRatingDescription
5 5/5 Deep-dive within 3 years + annual pulse; strong representation (incl. marginalized), DPIA/APD/safeguarding fully operational, published summary ≤60 days, action conversion ≥70%, clear budget/resource linkage via decision log.
4 4/5 Within 3 years; good representation; DPIA/safeguarding evidenced; public summary; action conversion ≥50%; clear link to planning.
3 3/5 Conducted but limited representation and/or weak evidence-to-decision linkage; partial compliance with DPIA/safeguarding; summary not timely.
2 2/5 Over 3 years old or ad hoc; minimal representation; no DPIA/safeguarding evidence; limited application.
1 1/5 None

Related Criteria

CWE-CWR-01 Weekly Dignified Food Support Service (Food Bank, Pantry, or Hot Meals) CWE-CWR-02 Hardship-grant / zakāt emergency fund CWE-CWR-03 Volunteer management: hours logging, safer recruitment & safeguarding CWE-CWR-04 Partnerships with local authorities and community organisations (NGOs/VCSE) CWE-CWR-05 User-impact survey results
Version
2.9.7 2025-11-05

Discussion (1)

Administrator 2026-03-07 11:08:00.608816

📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json

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