2.6 Quality assurance
A formal monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assure the quality of the Youth Voluntary Service programme is set in place and is managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector.
This happens through a system of accreditation that is required for Voluntary Organisations to host Youth Volunteers under the Youth Voluntary Service programme. It is designed to ensure consistently high standards in the Programme and to help Youth Volunteers find placement in Voluntary Organisations and vice versa.
All accredited Voluntary Organisations must show they have the capacity and structure to be able to engage, train, manage, monitor, and support Youth Volunteers.
The accreditors' assessment of an applicant Voluntary Organisation will be based on the following:
- Motivation and experience in hosting volunteers.
- The organisation’s aims, activities and capacities for the youth placement.
- Risk, safety and well-being procedures.
- The training and managing of Youth Volunteers especially those working with Voluntary Organisations in the areas of Health, Social and Humanitarian Action.
- Awareness of and ideas for well-defined tasks constituting of maximum 15 hours per week, avoiding job substitution and routine tasks.
- Familiarity with the concepts of non-formal learning and learning opportunities offered through the service.
The plans for evaluation during and after placement and ideas concerning the visibility of the Youth Voluntary Service programme.
Accredited host Voluntary Organisations are listed in the Youth Voluntary Service database of accredited organisations in. The database is the main tool for Youth Volunteers to find host Voluntary Organisations.
Host voluntary organisations are required to submit an application highlighting all the assessment criteria within their organisation on a yearly basis. Evaluators monitor and evaluate the structures set by the voluntary organisation in order to have assurance of the host quality of the organisation.