Organisations and bodies wishing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps to promote volunteering activities, host volunteers and support those who wish to participate in projects abroad, must possess accreditation, Named Quality labels. An exception is made for "Solidarity Projects," for which funding can be requested without first requesting accreditation.
The Quality Label award is a process that certifies that an organization can and intends to carry out high-quality solidarity activities in accordance with the principles, objectives and standards of the European Solidarity Corps.
There are two main types of Quality Mark, depending on the role (or roles) that the organization intends to perform:
- welcoming role, which includes the full range of activities related to the hosting of a Solidarity Corps participant, including the programme and support during the project phases;
- supporting role, which consists of supporting, preparing and/or training participants before departure, carrying out mediation activities between them and the host organizations and/or providing support to participants once they return from the activity.
In addition to these roles, organisations wishing to apply for funding to implement volunteering projects, manage and coordinate volunteering activities, will need to obtain a Quality Mark for lead organizationsOrganizations that do not hold a Lead Organization Quality Label participate in projects as partners.
The requirements for obtaining the Quality Mark vary depending on the type of Quality Mark requested and organisations must be able to demonstrate their ability to carry out the tasks and responsibilities relevant to the role for which they are applying.
Organizations applying for the lead role will be required to complete additional sections of the application form, outlining their long-term objectives and business plan, expected benefits, and their approach to project management.
Once the Quality Label has been obtained, organisations and bodies can participate in the European Corps by submitting projects or joining as partners; they also have the right to appear in the European Solidarity Corps Portal, where the opportunities offered by organizations with the Quality Label are published, and access the database of young people registered for the European Solidarity Corps.
Before making the request you need to prepare!
All details are available in the Guide to the European Solidarity Corps Programme, which dedicates a specific chapter to the Quality LabelThe application evaluation process includes reviewing the submitted application, conducting a telephone interview with the contact person, and possibly conducting an on-site visit. Agency staff then assess both the applicant's knowledge of the Program's principles and procedures, the appropriateness of the proposed activities, the learning path for participants, and the support measures available to them.
To find out more, read the Help section specification on the Quality Mark
Return to the general Help page on “European Solidarity Corps” Program
This Guide has been produced as part of the annual work plan of the European network IGNet, co-financed by the European Union. The content of this guide reflects the views of the authors only, and neither the European Commission nor any of its agencies can be held responsible for its content or any use made of it. The content of this guide has no official value for the purposes of submitting applications or projects; only the official guides or calls for proposals for individual programmes and initiatives are valid for these.