OTB News: The YECh Project Finalised

YECh aims to foster the inclusion, active youth participation and enhance employability of young people by the establishment of a certificate of volunteer work. In this frame, this project revolves around the implementation of ECVET system for the validation of knowledge, skills and competencies of young volunteers and youth workers.

Through the project’s activities, we managed to:

Promote skills, competencies and knowledge that young people in participating countries and in general in Europe gained through volunteer work and informal and non-formal learning processes;
Foster the inclusion and employability of young people, including people with fewer opportunities and young immigrants and refugees;
Support improvements in quality and innovation in youth work and volunteer work in NGOs, organizations and institutions (private and public) and further develop and train people involved in the field of youth;
Foster the recognition and quality of volunteer work and promote the networking, training and exchanging of good practices among youth workers in a local, regional and European level.

YECh outcomes include:

1. Establishment of Volunteers’ Profile:

Through this first output, we defined the qualifications of volunteer workers and organized them in units according to ECVET principles. We constructed the volunteers’ profile through a literature research and field research approaching 157 young people in Europe. Then, we developed the competency matrix which displays qualifications structurally (competence areas & steps of competence development).

2. Certification Methodology:

With the contribution of experts, we developed the certification methodology of the project, which includes all the steps towards the acquisition of the certificate and is the basis of all project’s activities. Furthermore, the certification material was developed on which users are tested, before acquiring the Volunteer Worker Certificate.

3. Establishment of the credit system:

ECVET points are allocated based on the effort that is necessary for the learner to acquire the knowledge, skills and competences required for the unit. Finally a Competence Profile Schema and a Memorandum of Understanding were developed.

4. Certification Platform:

The certification platform is the main outcome of the YECh project. Through this platform, young people, volunteers, youth workers, etc. can enter, complete the tests and acquire the certificate of the Volunteer Worker. The certification process is separated into 4 main parts – the Soft & Hard Skills didactic material, CV information, General Quiz on Volunteering, Sector Specific Quiz (Migration, Education, Environment, etc.), and case studies.

5. Action Plan for affirming YECh – Policy Brief

The Action Plan will be the first document of a common advocacy strategy for affirming volunteer work at European and national levels. This document will present the partners national action oriented strategies to advocate for inclusion of certificate of volunteer work. This document is focused on advocacy at a policy level, aiming the main decision-makers and policy-makers at national and European levels.

THE YECh PARTNERSHIP