EQUASS Newsflash - February 2014, Issue XX

Welcome to the first issue of the year! This publication is an initiative of the European Quality in Social Services to provide you with regular updates about the most recent developments and achievements of the EQUASS System.

 


Twitter LinkedinEQUASS and social media

EQUASS is now available on Twitter: @EQUASS_Europe
We also have a Linked In group for EQUASS professionals and stakeholders on www.linkedin.com/groups - EQUASS - European Quality in Social Services

 


DesqualDeSqual Project Kick off meeting

On 23 and 24 October 2013 the DeSqual (Development of Sustainable Quality assurance in VET) partners met for a kick-off of the project. DeSqual is a collaboration of 4 Quality assurance expert organisations and 10 social service/ VET providers for people with disabilities, who will pilot a newly-developed training for sustainable quality assurance. Read more

 


Prime PRIME final conference

On 24 October 2013 the PRIME project partners met for a final conference to reflect upon the 2 years of work.  PRIME was launched in November 2011 and it aimed at using EQUASS as a tool for the implementation on the EQAVET framework for quality in the provision of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Europe. Read more

 


arcialAPQ Quality conference and EQUASS Awarding ceremony

On 14 and 15 November of 2013, APQ held its 38th Colóquio da Qualidade in Lisbon. EQUASS Key Expert Guus van Beek contributed to a workshop on the topic of quality for Portuguese social responses. Read more

 


APPACDMBenchmarking in APPACDM Vila Nova de Gaia

On 15 November, EPR member APPACDM de Vila Nova de Gaia organised a training session on benchmarking with EQUASS, supported by Guus van Beek, EQUASS Key Expert. The programme focused on outcomes measurement and the use of Key Performance Indicators in the social services sector, as well as the benchmarking initiatives facilitated by the European Platform for Rehabilitation and its members.

 


IMG 9914Information session in Vilnius on 28/11

On 28 November 2013, the representative of EQUASS in Lithuania, Valakupių Rehabilitation Center (VRC), organised an information event in Vilnius that was attended by local stakeholders and organisations from the Baltic countries interested in applying for EQUASS certification. Read more

 


astangu conference Estonian December Conference

On 11 December 2013, EQUASS Estonian representative Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Center held its conference on quality in social services entitled “Made it Ourselves, Made it Well”. EQUASS Key Expert Guus van Beek contributed to the event and its Awarding Ceremony to the Estonian organisations certified with EQUASS.

 


 photo 1EQUASS Calibration training for EQUASS Assurance auditors in Oslo

One 6 February 2014, the Norwegian EQUASS representative, EQUASS Norge, held a calibration session for nine of its trained auditors. Among the topics discussed were the auditing procedures, the validation of the evidence during the audit and new bilingual reporting requirements.

 


Info session GreeceEQUASS Information event in Greece

On 14 January 2014, EQUASS Key Expert Guus van Beek contributed to a quality seminar organised by Panagia Eleousa in the region of Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece. The event included an in-house training on Key Performance indicators for Panagia Eleousa staff, and a dissemination event to local stakeholders and partners. Read more

 

 


Riga

EQUASS Information seminar in Latvia

On 27 January 2013, EQUASS contributed to an information seminar on Quality in Social Services, in Riga, Latvia. The event was organised and coordinated at the initiative of the organisation SOS Children's Village in Riga, Latvia. SOS Children’s Villages is an international NGO with 450 centers worldwide, and mainly focuses on providing care, education and health services to children that are orphaned or separated from their parents.

 

 Excellence-markEQUASS Excellence certifications

Since our last publication in October 2013, 4 organisations were certified with EQUASS Excellence: Benediktushof gGmbH (Germany), APPACDM de Viseu (Portugal), CERCIGUI (Portugal), APPACDM de Soure (Portugal). Read more