The Quality Brand “We can do it with volunteers” shows that the organisation works well with volunteers and understands volunteering.

It is the trademark or evaluation of an organisation based on the validation of the methods it uses when working with volunteers. The Quality Brand is awarded to organisations by the Volunteer Centres and Organisations Platform after reviewing specific practices in managing volunteers and reviewing evidence of their application, using the so-called Quality Standards.

The standards focus on the following areas of work with volunteers:

  • Coordination of volunteers
  • Legal and ethical framework
  • Financial and material resources for volunteering
  • Integration into the team
  • Job description and profile of volunteers
  • Recruitment and selection of volunteers
  • Training and preparation of volunteers
  • Communicating with and supporting volunteers
  • Awards and recognition
  • Recording, documentation, evaluation of the volunteer programme

An organisation can obtain the Quality Brand by going through a specified process of self-assessment and external evaluation by trained assessors. It has 3 levels and is awarded for three years. 

An organisation can receive one, two or three stars, which refer to the quality level of volunteer management. The more stars, the better the management system the organisation has set up.

The awarded Quality Brand is intended to guarantee prospective volunteers that the decision to volunteer with the organisation that holds it will not lead to disappointment with the organisation’s approach to volunteers. 

Obtaining the Quality Brand is a signal to potential volunteers or the public who might be interested in volunteering with the organisation that the organisation recognises the immeasurable value of the work of volunteers, cares about them, wants them to feel good about the organisation, wants to look after them and treat them fairly. It is also a signal to donors that the organisation works well with volunteers and can be a strong partner for them.

The Platform of Volunteer Centres and Organisations provides a 10% discount on its education, trainings or workshops to holders of the Quality Brand.

Benefits in foundation grant programmes.
The following foundations also ask about the Quality Brand on their grant application forms:

 

The Quality Brand has also become part of the volunteer offers of the regional volunteer centres. 

This project was supported by the grant of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic “Programmes for Youth 2014 – 2020”, administered by IUVENTA – Slovak Youth Institute.