Citizen‘s Charter

Elements of a Charter

Elke Löffler and Salvador Parrado
Governance International and Spanish Distance Learning University
28th November 2006

Objectives of the charter

• Focus on clients
• Manage the expectations of clients
• Measure and assess performance
• Initiate performance improvement not just of processes but also of outcomes

What are the key elements of a Charter?

• Information: Clarity about who is eligible, when and where the service is available, any pre-requisites (e.g. papers to bring with you)
• Standards: Committments on the level and quality of service to which users are entitled.
• Redress: How to complain and what redress to expect in the case the service deliverer falls short of the standards it promises

Elements of a Charter

• what the organisation does;
• contact and communication with the agency;
• the standard of service clients can expect;
• clients’ basic rights and responsibilities;
• how to make a complaint.

What the organisation does

• organisation’s name and logo;
• what the organisation or program covered by the Charter does;
• who the clients or potential clients are;
• relationship to parent organisation.

Contact and communication with the agency

• relevant contact details; postal or street address, phone, fax, email and Web site;
• hours of opening;
• online services whenever applied

The standard of service clients can expect

• the quality of the relationship with the client (compliance, advice, staff manner);
• the quality of the services provided (responsiveness, clarity, accuracy, appropriateness)
• the timeliness of service delivery (speed and availability of service).

Clients’ basic rights and responsibilities

• the right to review, appeal and complain; to privacy, confidentiality, and to see information related to the service or user
• the obligation to treat organisation staff with courtesy; to attend scheduled appointments punctually; to respond to requests for information by the organisation accurately, thoroughly and in a timely manner;

How to make a complaint a complaint

• A service charter must contain information on the feedback and complaints processes.
  (with attention to the following aspects)
• procedure
• ease of use
• instrument for service improvement