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The Cloak of Quality / Te Korowai Kounga
A Quality Assurance Plan for the OSCAR Sector 
The OSCAR Foundation is very excited to announce the development of The Cloak of Quality / Te Korowai Kounga; a Quality Assurance Plan for the OSCAR sector.
Te Korowai Kounga Pilot Project
A selection of OSCAR programmes are currently participating in a pilot project for our new quality assurance plan, Te Korowai Kounga/The Cloak of Quality.
The selected pilot programmes are going through the quality assurance system and providing feedback on how they have found the process. All programmes participating in the pilot are receiving a high level of support from the OSCAR Foundation.
The pilot programme includes a wide range of programmes, including before school, after school, holiday programmes, and camps.
The pilot began on 21st September 2009, and will run until early 2010.
Te Korowai Kounga Document
 The Cloak of Quality / Te Korowai Kounga - Information for Pilot Programmes  (664KB)
The Cloak of Quality / Te Korowai Kounga - A Quality Assurance Plan for the OSCAR Sector (730KB)
Background Of The Quality Assurance Plan
The Cloak of Quality / Te Korowai Kounga was developed by The OSCAR Foundation Board and CEO in response to the clear need for a national Quality Assurance plan. This was identified by The OSCAR Foundation, the OSCAR sector and the Government.
Consultation occurred with the sector at The OSCAR Foundation’s National Conference in 2008 and later with The OSCAR Foundation staff.
The weaving together of Te Korowai Kounga is based on the idea that there are many strands, or threads that make up a quality OSCAR programme.
Like a treasured cloak (or korowai) these strands are interwoven, with each being as important as the other strands, not only to hold the cloak together but also to create its beauty. Each strand must rely on the other strands to give it strength and purpose.
From the draft plan The OSCAR Foundation’s Quality Assurance team (Murray Upton, Julie King, Marnie Carter and Tina Green) has developed one key principle and four secondary principles, along with supporting goals and objectives.
It was important that every OSCAR programme in New Zealand would have the potential to achieve these goals and objectives. They also needed to reflect the diversity of the sector and ensure that the individual identity of each programme was maintained and indeed enhanced.
We are confident that Te Korowai Kounga will ensure OSCAR programmes are the best they can be for our children. Each programme will be able to weave their own individualised version of Te Korowai Kounga.
Next Steps
Official launch of Te Korowai Kounga will happen at The OSCAR Foundation National Conference in May 2010 in Wellington.
Te Korowai Kounga will be available to the OSCAR sector in July 2010.
*These dates are subject to change.
Contact
If you would like to contact the Quality Assurance team developing Te Korowai Kounga, please email 
or phone 07 839 6570.
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