A Youth Work Portfolio includes a self-assessment based on the Portfolio competence framework and a learning development plan that allows the user to set up their own learning goals. It also allows for organisational use for on-boarding and assessment of youth workers. Making one’s Portfolio is not a one-off process. It is dynamic, from self-reflection and self-assessment to setting learning goals, to self-assessment of achieved goals and learning, to setting up other learning goals, and so on.


How to fill in the self-assessment form

The self-assessment form is organised by the functions of youth work in a matrix with the competences of youth workers.

For each youth work function, you will first be asked to rate the relevance of that function for your work on a three-point scale (not relevant at all; somewhat relevant; highly relevant). Here, you will be asked to provide reasons for why you have rated each as relevant or not.

If you decide that a function is not relevant for your youth work, then you will not be asked to assess it, but only to provide some reasons why it is not relevant.

For example, you may explain that a function is not relevant because your current youth work practice is not at all related to it, or because there are other members of your team specifically dealing with this aspect of youth work.

Further on, you will be asked to assess your level of competence on a scale of 1 – 5 (1 = not competent at all; 5 = highly competent) for all the functions that are relevant for your youth work.

You will also be asked to justify the level of competence you have assessed by providing examples: these will be descriptions of how you acquired certain competences, or youth work situations in which you demonstrated such competence.

One of the main ways to check that what you see as your competence is also what others you work with see is to ask for feedback.

For example, you may indicate that you participated in training on a specific theme or skill. You may provide concrete examples of how you use your competence when working with young people. You may also indicate that you have received feedback from your colleagues or the young people you work with, pointing out that you have a certain level of that competence. Other ways to describe your competence include testimonies from young people, reference letters or recommendations from your employer or volunteer manager, certificates from courses and/or examinations, and/or proof that you participated in or tried to access on-the-job or other training.

The section on giving and receiving feedback provides some useful advice for this part of the assessment.

 

The last step of the self-assessment for each competence is to indicate if there are any aspects that you would like to improve. Be concise and specific if you indicate something you want to learn in relation to this competence. What you insert in the answer to this question will guide your work and reflection on your learning development plan based on technical capabilities: You may reflect on the specified resources and opportunities provided by the Council of Europe and Youth Partnership for inspiration.

You may first want to check the description of that specific competence to get some ideas of what you want to learn. You may also want to reflect on your own or discuss with others about what you could improve on in relation to that competence.

If you choose to create a printed Portfolio, you will need to print a self-assessment questionnaire for each competence and use it to assess your competence. For your ‘physical’ Portfolio, all you need is a folder, a print-out of your self-assessment form, and print-outs of any documentary evidence you wish to provide to justify your self-assessment. (Relevant products from your youth work activity include photos, drawings, texts; testimonies of colleagues or young people you worked with; reference letters by colleagues and/or supervisors; diplomas attesting to acquiring certain competence; excerpts from evaluation of your youth work activities; a concise description of a situation when your use of a specific competence has brought value; etc.) In this way, the Portfolio can be a useful tool when discussing or demonstrating your competence to employers or managers, or when reworking your CV or preparing for an appraisal.



How to fill in the learning and development plan

A Learning and Development Plan (LDP) focuses on the competences you want to improve, develop, learn or acquire within a specific period after you have completed your Portfolio self- assessment, and which you identify for yourself as appropriate. In the self-assessment, you will be asked if there is anything more about a competence that you would like to learn or develop.

The LDP helps you to organise your learning and development in youth work. It can help you put into practice the learning and development you have identified as necessary for improving your competence.

The self-assessment form is based on those aspects you want to develop or learn more about that you have identified when doing your self-assessment (the last question in the questionnaire

The LDP asks you to identify ‘how’ you want to develop your competence further, by asking you to choose from a list of learning opportunities. You can decide for yourself what you think the most adapted approach or method is for pursuing your learning and development needs according to your own preferences.

Next, you will be asked to set up a time frame for your learning, and a moment when you would like to check your learning progress on that specific competence . You are the one to choose your time frame. Try to make it realistic enough for doing both short personal and professional development activities, such as enrolling in a one-day refresher course or doing some reading on an important theme, and also for more intensive and demanding activities, such as going back into education to gain a new qualification.