Seminar for EVS Accreditors: Accreditation as a Tool for Developing Quality in EVS

Context EVS accreditation should ensure that organisations fulfil minimum standards as a basis for being able to apply for project grants from the Erasmus+ Programme. The accreditation process thus helps to ensure a certain level of quality in EVS right from the start. Experience has shown that National Agencies share a basic understanding of what criteria are important for the accreditation process, but also that there are many differences in practice in how standards are defined and applied. The need to further work towards harmonizing understandings and practices in the field of accreditation, as a means of ensuring quality in EVS, was agreed during the Youth in Action programme (National Agency staff training on EVS accreditation, December 2013). This seminar should bring together accreditors (external and internal NA + SALTO staff) from across Europe and Partner regions to take this process a step further. Objectives of the seminar: • Provide an update on EVS and EVS accreditation under Erasmus+ and discuss related challenges and consequences (regarding process, content, target group and aims of accreditation), • Exchange views on the concept of quality and expected outcomes of EVS in the framework of Erasmus+, • Deepen the understanding of what quality assurance in, through and of EVS accreditation can mean, • Discuss “burning issues” with regard to defining minimum criteria for accreditation as well as main challenges and needs for further development of criteria or standards, • Create awareness of roles, profile and needed competences of accreditors (external and internal, in different national/regional contexts), • Contribute to the process of harmonisation of quality standards and processes used in accreditation across the participating countries, • Collect and define needs for future support for accreditors helping them to improve their work (guidelines, training, other tools…), • Support contacts and networking among accreditors.