Involvement Portfolio

INVOLVEMENT PORTFOLIO

Name ______

The Involvement Portfolio was developed by the NHS RD Forum Service User and Carer Working Group. The Working Group would like to acknowledge the work of: Mary Cooke, Anne-Laure Donskoy, May Griffiths, Virginia Minogue, Mary Nettle, and Gary Young in developing the Portfolio.

Further copies of this portfolio are available at

USING YOUR INVOLVEMENT PORTFOLIO

Many people using health and social care services are involved in a range of involvement and voluntary activities such as research, teaching and training. Much of this involvement goes unrecognised although the participants are gaining valuable skills and experience as well as contributing their experience and expertise. It is vitally important that the skills and experience gained through involvement and voluntary activity are recorded and recognised as it can help with applications to undertake new activity, for educational or vocational courses, or to find employment. It is important that records and evidence of each of the involvement activities taken part in are kept.

The Involvement Portfolio has been developed by the NHS RD Forum Service User and Carer Working Group. It is a tool for those using health and social care services who are involved in voluntary or involvement activities such as consultation, committee membership, research and development, to record and provide evidence of their activities. Its use is voluntary and it is up to the individual how they use the portfolio, what they record and how they choose to use it in demonstrating their skills and expertise.

In the portfolio, the portfolio holder has the opportunity to record their employment or other experiencesincluding those gained through voluntary activity, or life experience such as being a carer or a parent. A record of training events and experience of leading or facilitating training can also be maintained. There are sections of the portfolio for recording ‘involvement activity’ and experience including taking part in committees, in consultation events, in NHS or social care research and development, or in curriculum development for educational courses. The portfolio holder has the opportunity to record the involvement activity they have taken part in, the type and level of involvement, the skills learnt, and any qualifications gained. There is also space to record feedback from others that you worked with.

Often people want to write their own personal reflections on their experience and there is a section to record those thoughts. Individuals may want to remove their own reflections from the portfolio if choosing to share it with prospective colleagues or employers. Finally, professionals or other people may wish to provide a reference or testimonial about involvement. There is a space for their contact details at the end of the portfolio.

NHS RD Forum Service User and Carer Working Group

October 2008

PORTFOLIO CONTENTS

Page
No
Using your Involvement Portfolio / 3
Personal profile / 7
Other relevant experience / 8
Training record / 9
Summary of Involvement activity
Name of activity: / 11
References

PERSONAL PROFILE

Name …………………………………………………………………
Address …………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
Post Code…………………………………….
Phone No. ……………………………………..
E-mail Address ……………………………………………………………
Education and qualifications:
Employment experience:
From – to / Post or role / Employer

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Volunteer experience

From - to / Role / Skills/learning gained

Personal experience

From - to / Role
(e.g. carer, parent) / Skills/learning gained

TRAINING RECORD

Training events attended

Date of training / Title of training
organiser / Skills/learning gained

Trainer or facilitator experience

Date of training / Title of training
who training was for / Skills/learning gained

SUMMARY OF INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

Name of activity:

Date(s) involvement took place:

Type of involvement (e.g. research and development, committee, consultation, training):
Description of involvement activity
Skills gained
Evidence of involvement
(include any certificates or qualifications gained and any feedback or testimony from activity leaders or other participants)
Other information

PERSONAL REFLECTION ON THE INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

SUMMARY OF INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

Name of activity:

Date(s) involvement took place:

PERSONAL REFLECTION ON THE INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

SUMMARY OF INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

Name of activity:

Date(s) involvement took place:

PERSONAL REFLECTION ON THE INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITY

REFERENCES

Name:
Contact details:
How known to portfolio holder:
Name:
Contact details:
How known to portfolio holder:
Name:
Contact details:
How known to portfolio holder: