Main Mechanisms to Monitor and Ensure Quality

In Slovakia, the quality assurance of youth volunteering programmes is underpinned by an established accreditation systems according to the Act on Volunteering:

• Accreditation Process: Accreditation serves as state verification of the sending organization's or volunteer activity recipient's ability to facilitate volunteering effectively. Accreditation is not mandatory for conducting volunteer activities but is required to receive financial support for long-term volunteer programmes under the grant scheme of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. However, as of September 2023, this grant scheme lacked financial coverage, and no call for financial support was announced. By the end of 2025, 130 organisations received accreditation. 
• Additional Oversight Mechanisms: While Slovakia does not have a dedicated national registry for organizations offering youth volunteering opportunities, relevant oversight mechanisms exist. The Ministry of Education maintains a list of organizations funded within the youth work grant scheme related to volunteering. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior oversees a register of NGOs, which includes organizations involved in volunteering activities. These registers contribute to transparency and offer a level of oversight regarding the organizations engaged in volunteering, although they do not directly assess the quality of volunteering experiences. There is also a list of organisations with the accreditation in volunte;ering provided by the Office for plenipotentiary for civil society development.
• Education and Training: To enhance the quality of volunteer management, several accredited educational programmes are in place. Between 2018 and 2023, five programs focused on developing competencies in volunteer management were accredited by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic. These include:
  • Service learning in education and upbringing of children and youth towards volunteering (PDCO)
  • Management of young foreign volunteers (Bratislava Volunteer Centre)
  • Management of volunteers in a multicultural environment (INEX SLOVAKIA)
  • Management of short-term volunteering activities (Volunteer Centre, n.o.)
  • Volunteer University eRko – department of Five Skills of a Volunteer (eRko – Movement of Christian Communities of Children)

In the 2018-2023, 395 individuals completed these programmes. Additionally, PDCO offers an accredited course related to volunteer management and, during the reporting period, trained more than 200 volunteer coordinators.

Main Criteria/Indicators/Standards Used to Assess Quality

The condition for granting accreditation is that the applicant is a legal entity acting as a sending organisation or as a recipient of volunteer assistance, which:

• has been actively ensuring the performance of volunteer activities for at least one year prior to submitting the application,
• has the material and technical resources necessary for organising volunteer activities within a volunteer programme,
• has adequate staffing to ensure the implementation of the volunteer programme,
• has concluded a written contract with a person responsible for the coordination of volunteers,
• publishes transparent information about available volunteer opportunities in a publicly accessible place or on its website,
• has established a system for maintaining records of volunteers within the organisation,
• has established a system of communication with applicants for volunteer opportunities and a procedure for the selection of volunteers,
• has established a system for the training and preparation of volunteers,
• has established a system for the support and motivation of volunteers, as well as a system for their evaluation and recognition,
• has established a system for the evaluation of the volunteer programme.

Main Outcomes of Quality Assurance Mechanisms

• Accredited organisations are eligible for financial support under state grant schemes (when available).
• Feedback mechanisms exist through educational programmes, where participants can provide insights into the quality and relevance of the programme.
• Organisations that fail to meet quality criteria may not be eligible for funding, thereby, incentivising adherence to established standards.