Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering

Scope:QUALITY LABEL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID VOLUNTEERING WHAT IS THE QUALITY LABEL?The Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering certifies that an organisation is able to carry out high quality solidarity activities in compliance with the principles, objectives and requirements of the action ‘European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps’. Obtaining this Quality Label is a precondition for participation only in volunteering activities in support of humanitarian aid operations.WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUALITY LABEL?When applying for a Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, applicant organisations can choose one of the following roles:Support role - entails supporting, preparing and/or training participants before departure, mediation between them and their host organisations and/or providing support to participants upon return from their activity. The support role also entitles the organisation to submit project applications and coordinate partnerships for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering projects;Host role - covers the full range of activities related to hosting a Solidarity Corps participant, including the development of a programme of the young person's activities and providing guidance and support to the participant during all the phases as appropriate HOW DOES IT WORK?The Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering is awarded following a selection process, involving three main stages: submission of application, assessment and award.The applications for the Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering can be submitted on a continuous basis (i.e. at any time) during the programming period, to the Executive Agency, which is the sole implementing body for this action. The applications will be evaluated at set intervals, according to an annual timetable, which is aligned to the timetable of the Humanitarian Aid Volunteering call for projects.Applications will be assessed against eligibility, selection, exclusion and award criteria (for more information on the selection and exclusion criteria, see Part E of this Guide). Successful organisations will be awarded the Quality Label for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering. The Executive Agency will award this Quality Label and monitor compliance and may carry out periodical reassessments. The Quality Label will be valid for the entire duration of the programming period and until the end of the last project in which the organisation is involved.In order to facilitate partner-finding and the setting up of project consortia, profiles of all organisations holding this Quality Label are published in a database of Quality Label organisations on the European Solidarity Corps Portal. To identify potential partners, partner searching tool on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal can be used.Once awarded a Quality Label, organisations gain access to the European Solidarity Corps Portal where they are invited to advertise activities. Organisations have to make use of the European Solidarity Corps Portal's database to search for potential partners and participants. Information in the database is published as it is formulated in the Quality Label application form.APPLYING FOR A QUALITY LABEL ON BEHALF OF HOSTING ORGANISATION - THE SIMPLIFIED HOST PROCEDUREAn organisation established in a programme country that applies for support role may also apply for host role on behalf of its branches located in non programme countries with which it shares the same legal personality (simplified hosting procedure). This procedure is designed to help larger organisations, with several branches located in different countries.The applicant supporting organisation is accountable for the quality and safety of activities offered by simplified hosting organisation(s) on behalf of which it is applying.WHAT ARE THE QUALITY STANDARDS?The European Solidarity Corps guarantees high-quality volunteering activities, through the Quality Label process. Participating organisations must respect the following principles and standards:Equal opportunities and non-discrimination. Volunteers are to be selected in a fair, transparent and objective way, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political opinion or disability. No previous qualifications, educational level, specific experience or language knowledge must be required. A more specific profile of the volunteer might be drawn up if justified by the nature of the tasks of the activity or by the project context. In order to promote inclusion, participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer, with the exception of possible contributions to travel costs (if the grant does not fully cover these costs). The activities should respect the principles set out in Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Avoidance of job substitution. Volunteering activities must not substitute traineeships or jobs, so that any adverse effect on potential or existing paid employment is avoided. The involvement of volunteers should complement the work of paid staff. They should not replace paid staff or undercut their pay and conditions of service.Avoidance of harmful activities. Security and safety of the participants, participating organisations and target groups must be ensured. Such security and safety should include appropriate clearance requirements for participants working with vulnerable groups in accordance with applicable national law. Volunteering activities should be implemented with due consideration for the impact of unforeseen circumstances such as environmental crises, conflicts or pandemics. The activities should respect the principles set out in the EU Guidelines for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child (https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/eu_guidelines_rights_of_child_0.pdf)Provision of high quality, easily accessible and inclusive activities. The volunteering tasks should enable partici