International Seminar: Fostering Accreditation E+ Youth KA1

This seminar will bring together accredited organisations responsible for managing projects under Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth and non-accredited organisations with relevant experience in youth work who are interested in further developing their approach and potentially accessing accreditation in the future.

This seminar aims to get to the heart of accreditation: sInce Accreditation allows organisations to receive annual project funding without needing to describe each activity in advance, on a long-term framework, it means you can focus directly on creating strong, quality projects, fostering long term impact in your own contexts, deepening more focused methodoligies and enhancing project learning objectives. 

Who can join?

This seminar is open to 30 participants from programme countries. Participants must:
● be representatives of accredited organisations who manage projects under Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth and...
● have a decision-making role in their organisation regarding the design, management and coordination of their accreditation activities: youth workers, trainers, project managers, international cooperation coordinators or...
● have an interest in understanding the Erasmus accreditation and in applying to obtain it in the future;
● be willing to share their experience and learn together;
● be able to work in understandable English;
● be available to actively participate for the whole duration of the seminar.

Sharing, learning, improving
The aim of the seminar is to create a space for mutual learning among organisations at different stages of their accreditation journey, where participants can reflect on the changes that the accreditation generates in their youth work. By making implicit practices explicit and transferable, participants will explore how accreditation can be further developed, adapted and strengthened in different organisational contexts. The activity is built on the idea of accreditation as a shared learning journey, moving from access to development.

Objectives
● To explore challenges, practices and approaches in managing accreditation, through peer exchange among participants;
● To reflect on the alignment between organisations’ mission, vision and values and the priorities promoted by the Erasmus+ accreditation;
● To analyse the organisational change generated by the accreditation, such as sustainability, involvement of young people in youth work, partnership, impact;
● To support participants in developing new ideas, approaches and potential collaborations that can be applied in their own contexts, enhancing the projects’ quality.

What will you gain?

For accredited organisations:
● You will have the opportunity to exchange your experience with other accredited and non accredited organisations, learning new practices and approaches to integrate in your accreditation;
● By presenting your goals and challenges with other participants, you will reflect on your organisational development on several aspects;
● You will increase your knowledge in monitoring, assessing and evaluating the quality and impact of the activities implemented with the accreditation framework.

For non accredited organisations:
● You will better understand accreditation through interaction with trainers, representatives from NA, accredited organisations and youth workers, and through discussions on real experiences and challenges;
● You will be more informed and proactive if you intend to apply for the accreditation, and gain insights into how to further develop your organisational approach;
● You will get to know potential partners for your projects and be inspired by effective activities, topics and methods for your future activities;

For all participants:
● You will explore possible future directions of accreditation and reflect on how to position your organisation in a changing programme landscape and have the opportunity for networking and for expanding your partnership;
● You will be part of a learning environment where different levels of experience contribute to a shared process of reflection and development.
● You will work on how to further develop your practices in youth work, particularly in relation to quality, impact and the alignment between your organisational values, vision and mission with the Erasmus+ programme.

What is it NOT?
● The activity will not focus on administrative aspects (such as budgeting, reporting or financial management), but will prioritise the qualitative and strategic dimensions of accreditation.

Online Pre-Meeting
Before the activity, participants will meet online for a 90 minutes introductory session for getting to know the group, learn about participating organisations, and prepare for the seminar. Further details will be shared later on with the selected participants.