Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation opens for applications

We believe that every community should have access to high quality volunteering services in their local area. To support this, we offer all Volunteer Centres the opportunity to undertake the Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA), to reflect on their work and demonstrate that they fulfil the five functions of volunteer centres. This blog explores why organisations should undertake the VCQA, and how to get involved.

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As explored in our last blog post on volunteering, there are many issues with the current volunteering landscape. From the impact of the cost of living crisis to a decline in volunteer satisfaction, it is more important than ever to continue to develop good practice in volunteering. We believe that our members, local infrastructure organisations, and other volunteer centres are vital in leading in this area. In order to positively influence strategies and volunteer development, organisations need to make sure that they are meeting the volunteering needs of their local community. Through the VCQA process, organisations have a valuable opportunity to reflect on their work, learn more about their strengths and areas for development and, ultimately, ensure that their work has impact and value.

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From matching volunteers to the right opportunity, to developing good practice with volunteer-involving organisations, volunteer centres are at the heart of making volunteering more accessible and inclusive for everyone. To ensure that communities, whether that's individuals or organisations, can have confidence in their local volunteer centre, we encourage volunteer centres to undertake the VCQA. The VCQA is an accreditation, independently peer-assessed and then awarded by NAVCA, that requires organisations to demonstrate that they provide excellent services across five functions: strategic development of volunteering; good practice development; brokerage; developing volunteering opportunities; and being the voice of volunteering locally. Through the VCQA, organisations can demonstrate their work across these functions.

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So, we've explained what the VCQA is and why it's important - but what is the VCQA process actually like (in a nutshell!)? When an organisation, usually a volunteer centre or a local infrastructure organisation, expresses interest for the VCQA, our membership team will contact them for a chat about the process to make sure it's the right fit. Then, organisations will sign an agreement to begin the process. We use a peer assessment model, so organisations will be matched with a trained, experienced assessor - usually someone who has been through a Quality Accreditation process themselves. Organisations taking part in the VCQA provide evidence, which could be anything from videos to reports, against the five functions of volunteer centres. Assessors produce a final report and make a recommendation for accreditation. Then, NAVCA will award the VCQA, provide promotional materials and a certificate, and will promote your work on our website.

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Find out more about the VCQA here.