Assessing informal skills certification systems for ASA

In the spring of 2014, I took on a job for the ASA program. My task was to assess different possibilities to certify the skills ASA volunteers acquired in their volunteer work.

The challenge here is that skills are acquired informally and within a peer-to-peer setting, so it is unclear on what basis to certify skills.

I researched a number of preexisting certification systems and assessed their fit to the characteristics of the ASA program (including a quotation and process proposal by the most promising certification system). Further, I explored whether volunteer work could be credited in German university degrees. I also weighed arguments for and against crafting an own certificate.

I presented the results in a 30-page report to the ASA office.