About the project
While validation arrangements are being established in all EU countries and beyond, it remains challenging to consider the competences acquired in youth work and youth volunteering within these frameworks. To explore the current state of affairs and challenges related to the validation of competences developed in youth work, SALTO Training and Cooperation Resource Centre and the Erasmus+ National Agencies of Estonia, France, Germany, and Slovenia started a cooperation project in 2024, with the focus on validation procedures in Higher Education Institutions in these countries. As part of this cooperation, a study was compiled.
Online workshop
On 27.11.2025, an online workshop took place to present and discuss the outcomes of the study carried out in the frames of this project.
Agenda of the workshop:
| 09.30 | Introductions |
|
09.40 |
Context of the workshop |
|
10.00 |
Common insights from the study |
|
10.15 |
Panel conversation: Reflection from the country perspectives
|
|
10.45 |
Q&A |
| 11.00 | Break |
|
11.15 |
Discussion groups with guiding questions |
|
11.45 |
Sharing from the discussion groups |
|
12.05 |
Small groups - national and European delegations |
|
12.30 |
Harvesting Outlook from the policy perspective
|
|
12.55 |
Closing |
Context
With the Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (2012), EU Member States were invited to establish arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning. These should enable individuals to have competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning validated and to obtain full or partial qualifications based on validated learning experiences.
Youth work and youth volunteering are part of non-formal and informal learning contexts. Learning in youth work can involve developing skills, gaining knowledge, changing attitudes, and building confidence; it is often facilitated through activities that encourage exploration, reflection, and participation. In the context of the Erasmus+ youth and European Solidarity Corps programmes, Youthpass helps to identify and document that learning.