THE Island's Sports Development Unit has been rated as excellent for the continuous improvement of its service delivery.
The unit has been awarded the Quest accreditation, following a recent assessment, and has been placed in the top 10 sports development teams in the British Isles.
Quest is a UK quality accreditation scheme for sport and leisure which helps to assist sports development organisations improve the quality of their service provision.
This is the third time the unit has undergone the assessment. Two years ago the unit was awarded a score of 82 percent. This year that score has risen to 92 percent which places it in the "excellent" category.
Paul Bridson, sports development manager, said: "The team has worked extremely hard and been very successful in fulfilling the aims and objectives that we established two years ago.
"The score is always very rewarding but it is the process and improvement plans which are the focus of what we do that is most important.
"A further plan for improvements will be formulated over the next few weeks and implemented over the next two years as we aim to build on an already successful service."
The assessment analyses all areas of work undertaken by the Sports Development Unit and focuses on strategy, research, planning, partnerships, management and leadership, delivery, health and safety, customer relations and marketing.
Each area is analysed and a final assessment score is awarded which is benchmarked against numerous other organisations throughout the British Isles.
David Cretney MHK, Minister for Community Culture and Leisure said: "I am delighted that the Sports Development Unit has been awarded the status of an excellent organisation.
"It is extremely pleasing to see such significant improvements that have been made over the last two years and knowing that through this hard work our young people in the Island are receiving such positive experiences which are contributing to their health and social well being."
For more information about the Sports Development Unit visit www.gov.im/sport/sportsdevelopment.
