CORE QUALITY CRITERIA: PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP

Main aspects important for quality assurance in the case of a specific quality area (i.e. Participation)

QUALITY INDICATORS
(CORE AND ADDITIONAL/DESCRIPTORS)

What might indicate quality in the partnership?

EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT INDICATORS

What evidence is available to support the inclusion of the indicators?

Relevant key stakeholders are actively engaged in the partnership/network

Definition: 

A stakeholder is any person or organization, who can be positively or negatively impacted by, or cause an impact on the actions of the partnership / network.

Types of stakeholders are:  

• Primary stakeholders : are those ultimately affected, either positively or negatively by the network's actions.

• Secondary stakeholders : are the ‘intermediaries’, that is, persons or organizations who are indirectly affected by the network's actions.

• Key stakeholders : (who can also belong to the first two groups) have significant influence upon or importance within the network.

Stakeholders of public and private organisations - including civil society organisations and social partners - are represented in the partnership/network.

Stakeholders are engaged in the partnership with relevant roles and tasks.

Stakeholders assume responsibilities assigned and have initiatives within the partnership/network

Inventories of stakeholders for specific areas (national, regional and local level).

Activity reports and other internal documents produced within the partnership/network.

Activity reports and other internal documents produced by individual stakeholders included in the partnership/network. 

Involves the wider public or community

Strategy, approach and methods to reaching out and involve different target groups are in place

Means of feedback and interactive communication are in place and accessible to different target groups

Website/database open to the public – interactive usage, frequency of visits to website/database

Regular use of social media

Growth of number of learners and contributions

Results gained from audit of outreach and awareness-building actions

Network is known and understood by general public

Promotional activities are defined, conducted and followed up on a regular basis

Dissemination plan in accordance with different audiences' needs

Initiatives make their way into the popular media 

In order to render transparent the network,

• formal commitments made through agreements of collaboration and
• resources allocated to the partnership (human, physical, financial, time etc.) are presented to the general public

Availability and number of items distributed, such as media, leaflets, posters, brochures

Analysis of informational needs of the different target groups

Review of dissemination activities in the light of the needs structures

Results gained from local media audit

Results gained from monitoring the degree of knowledge of the agreements and on the amount

and type of resources allocated to the partnership 

Clear measures to involve those most distant from learning opportunities

Besides key stakeholders, primary and secondary stakeholdershave a chance to express their needs, are involved in decision-making (governance) and review of network interventions

Feedback mechanisms are in place, which allow for

• the expression of needs of persons or organizations, who are directly or indirectly affected by the partnership / network's actions,

• review of network interventions in the light of primary and secondary stakeholder experience

Governance principles and methods are established, ensuring that primary and secondary stakeholders' voice is heard

Formal mechanisms for monitoring:

People reached through feedback means, such as public consultation, public hearings etc.

Number of people / organisations who use means of feedback, such as online forums, feedback forms, email contacts etc.

Number of inquiries, comments and suggestions received from actors / benificiaries not directly associated with the local network

Stakeholder organisations might change representative and involvement basis

Assessment of key stakeholder agency review and evaluation process

What dissemination strategies exist to inform constituents?