Creating your Personal Portfolio: My Volunteer or Intern Experience
Creating your Personal Portfolio
Our Volunteer Pujan Maharjan created a capacity building video on why it's important to create your personal portfolio >>here in case you don't believe me - hear it from your peers!
Personal Portfolio
Your Personal Portfolio is an opportunity to present a profile of your academic and professional work within your volunteer role or internship placement. Outlining your goals, education, skills, training, and experiences during your time with our organisation.
Each of these activities is part of the larger puzzle in developing as a professional, and can create connections and insights that are invaluable in the long run.
Your online portfolio is a public introduction to your professional story, this is part of your personal branding, starting with your personal biography and providing a written overview of the projects and activities you have undertaken or been involved with with a final summary.
Your portfolio is created using images, photos and content as evidence of your participation in activities and includes links to the work you have undertaken at Connecting Up. As this is work experience and not theory, it is a chance to demonstrate what you have learnt in a practical sense, and display what you have done, and can do, for future employers.
We use your online portfolio as a tool to track your abilities through your activities, and your commitment to your volunteer or internship experience with our organisation. This can be used to differentiate yourself from other candidates in your field, written by you, for you, and is publicly accessible, for university, or potential employers, peers, anyone, as a reflection of you.
Make it perfect in it's presentation, ensure correct spelling, relevant cropped photos and perfect projects, add your individual reflections, add to your portfolio in sections, completing each part as you accomplish it to illustrate your work and your 'work journey'.
Why are photos important?
'A picture is worth a thousand words,' we can convey many ideas about what you have completed, your progression and growth via relevant images and visual communication, with a much greater impact than over text.
If someone sees the photo and it interests them, and they need more detail the text is there. Therefore always start each section first with a photo and then follow with the explanatory heading and text. Team photos can be found here: Photos SAcommunity (internal link) and Activity/Event Banners (internal link) as well as Webinar Images (internal link) can be found in 3 sizes: At 700 for the blog's screen display, full size to link to each screen display photo, and 400 for nesting multiple activities.
Remember attach the file and select the hyperlink, and select image do not 'drag and drop' this will collapse the blog node, and we will be unable to retreive your blog and you will have to start again. You must add your photo to the files, then utilise image to add it to the body of your blog - see the instructions on creating a blog.
Portfolio photo vs Profile photo
Your Portfolio photo (at the computer) is different from your profile photo (your headshot) which you need to add to your Better Impact account, Office365 account and Slack account so that we can quickly identify and learn more about you.
Why do I use 3rd and 1st person? Often we utilise 3rd person for your personal biography - it is often easier to write about oneself as if it were a stranger observing your background and skills. We also use this to standardise an introduction to an activity, and then follow with first person, so we can hear 'your voice' and reflection to that activity in your story, demonstrating how you work independently.
i.e.Community Services in Councils Project
Olivia has selected Wattle Range for her Power BI council reports, a database of approximately 120 community services operating in the area for the financial years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
Why do I name and link the other team members in my portfolio photos? This demonstrates how you are part of a team, you have learnt about, know and understand your team members and demonstrates you can work collaboratively. In addition, this creates another point of access to and from your team members portfolios to each other, creating an internal/external network of contacts. Team members link to their SAcommunity portfolios, staff mentors to their LinkedIn profiles. This is also the start of your networking - and it acts as a great memory aid so you can remember the names of everyone you work with.
i.e. Image: Interns Olivia Thi Kim Oanh Nguyen, Sylvia Shiwen Cao, Volunteer Navodani Thennakoon and Intern Tanvi Srivastava joined one of the Lunch and Learn sessions
Why do I need to write about each activity as it happens? Can't I just submit it all at the end?
Your portfolio is a means for your coordinator, your peers, organisation-wide staff members and prospective employers to learn more about you. Your portfolio is also used for university feedback, references and is a way to track your journey, activities, and ensure you are meeting your goals, all of which need to be completed progressively before you complete your internship ends. Also, you can't assume that all team and staff members know that you are part of our organisation and all about you, without you making this process easier for them online so you can make those connections.
Examples
The following instructions cover how to write your portfolio and attach this to your LinkedIn profile. If you are looking for other examples visit the following link for other Volunteer and Intern Portfolios you can use for inspiration.
____________________________________________________________
Your Personal Portfolio Webpage Overview:
Title: (Name) University Internship Experience - Bob Smith or
My Volunteer Experience - Bob Smith
Image: Your desk portfolio photo (no image description needed)
(This is separate to your profile photo - which is a passport-sized headshot used as a short-cut recognition in communications: Office365 email, Slack account, Personal Biography)
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome - Your Introduction
The welcome is a 5 second introductory explanation of you, and what you are doing at Connecting Up. It includes:
Your name with a link to your personal LinkedIn page
Your team: Data Analytics, Media & Communication etc. with explanatory link.
Your program: joining either as a volunteer or intern
Any current study or work or other volunteering commitments you are currently undertaking
For example:
Welcome [Bob]!
[Bob Smith (LinkedIn Link)] joined our [Data Analytics Team] as a [volunteer/intern], whilst he [studies his Masters in [[Program]] at University/searches for work after completing his...] beginning with the team on the [date, 20 September 2023.] Bob has completed ___ hours as at _______.
Or
Welcome [Name]!
(Name) joined (SAcommunity Team name) as (Volunteer, Intern) they started with the Team on (Date) and attend for (hours) a week onsite at the Connecting Up Office.
Activities:
Link your name to your LinkedIn page and your LinkedIn page to your Portfolio page (add Media link) to identify yourself and your extended activities.
Summary of Hours: (Add from Better Impact approved hours)
What does this look like for example:
Welcome Pujan!
Pujan Maharjan joined our SAcommunity Data Analytics Team as a volunteer. He started with the team on the 26 July 2023 and attends for ~4 hours a week onsite at the Connecting Up Office.
Total Hours 128 This Year 69 Joined 26 July 2023 Last Check-in 31 October 2024
_____________________________________________________________
Personal Biography - your personal branding summary/elevator pitch (4 hours)
Welcome [Bob]!
[Bob Smith (LinkedIn Link)] joined our [Data Analytics Team] as a [volunteer/intern], whilst he [studies his Masters in [[Program]] at University/searches for work after completing his...] beginning with the team on the [date, 20 September 2023.] Bob has completed ___ hours as at _______.
Or
Welcome [Name]!
(Name) joined (SAcommunity Team name) as (Volunteer, Intern) they started with the Team on (Date) and attend for (hours) a week onsite at the Connecting Up Office.
Activities:
Link your name to your LinkedIn page and your LinkedIn page to your Portfolio page (add Media link) to identify yourself and your extended activities.
Summary of Hours: (Add from Better Impact approved hours)
What does this look like for example:
Welcome Pujan!
Pujan Maharjan joined our SAcommunity Data Analytics Team as a volunteer. He started with the team on the 26 July 2023 and attends for ~4 hours a week onsite at the Connecting Up Office.
Total Hours 128 This Year 69 Joined 26 July 2023 Last Check-in 31 October 2024
_____________________________________________________________
Personal Biography - your personal branding summary/elevator pitch (4 hours)
Refer to the Personal Biography training e-module in Better Impact for instructions
[Bob Smith (linked to LinkedIn)] explains his current and past academic and work background and relevant career interests in the first paragraph.
His second paragraph introduces his reasons for interning/volunteering at Connecting Up explaining the match to his career goals, interests, and skillsets, along with any other current activities linked to his above background.
His third paragraph explains his future career plans, work role/position name, and work environment.
______________________________________________________________
Image: A screenshot of your project
Your Project
SAcommunity Project - your project with links to your SAcommunity project page
- Community Services in Councils Project - Data Analytics includes links to council page
- Community Services Promotion Project - Media & Communication includes links to published SAcommunity news and persistent blog article link
Include date and feedback from your contact with council stakeholders.
Refer to Data Analytics Team for a project overview
Refer to Data Analytics Team in Microsoft Teams for instructions
_________________________
SAcommunity Project
Community Services in Councils Project
Bob has selected [council name: The City of Holdfast Bay] for his Power BI council reports, a database of approximately [263] community services operating in the area for the financial years [2021-2022 and 2022-2023]. His reports will follow previous visualisation report work by [relevant volunteers i.e. Stathis Avramis and Julia Koh], and when completed will be found [ >>here]. There are a number of steps involved once community service information data presentations are created, a summary of data trends prepared, work is attributed and published to the website, and then will be introduced by [Bob] to council stakeholders by phone and email to be used as a tool to understand community needs in their area.
____________________________
How does contacting my council stakeholder contribute to my career development?
Presentation experiences contribute to your professional growth, building essential skills and mindset qualities that will assist you in any professional setting
Image: Photo or Screenshot of external event
(image description- add the name and date of the event)
External Events
External Stakeholder activities/events/meetings summary (one paragraph)
- Data Catalyst Network (DCN) Meetups (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA) Meetups (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
Recordings ADIA YouTube Channel
- GovHack Annual Open Data Competition: connections event/competition
Remember to add the dates that these events occurred - it assists you with documentation
1. Understanding Broader Perspectives
Mentor Meeting
Mentor Meeting introduction summary (one paragraph)
- Mentor selection reasons (one sentence)
- 5 key questions and takeaways from your mentor meeting (one paragraph each)
- Mentor summary (one sentence)
Why is Mentorship important for your career growth?
Image: In-House Training Opportunities your photo with one or two members of the team
Connecting Up Training
Orientation & Induction
Introduction to Better Impact
Introduction to Microsoft365
- Microsoft Teams: Team Channels
- Microsoft Outlook: Emails and vsupport
Email Techniques
- Microsoft Outlook: Calendar
Telephone Techniques
- Council scripts
- Collection scripts
Introduction to SAcommunity
- Editor, export, blog admin
Introduction to Canva
Introduction to Power BI
_____________________________________________________________
Image: Connecting Up Digital Skills Training and Development Banner
Introduction to Digital Skills
- Add name and weblink to training available with your personal takeaway summary (one paragraph for each training session)
- Infoxchange/Connecting Up Training & Education
Why are the webinars important to your professional development?
It helps you learn as you practice and provides evidence that you are interested in the organisations work and your own personal growth - also that you demonstrate your understanding of the information presented and can discover individual takeaways from that information. We don't need summaries, just what you thought was interesting
Ensure you add the links to your professional development webinars on your personal portfolio under their names:
i.e. Getting started with Analytics: Tools Infrastructure and Data is found at this link:
https://learning.connectingup.org/enrol/index.php?id=193
And include the presenters - this is important and you can follow them on LinkedIn and it gives context to the information presented - it's not Data from George your next door neighbour who's in high school, the presenters provide authority.
In your portfolio it looks like this:
Getting started with Analytics: Tools Infrastructure and Data 25 May 2025
- Kristen Moller Saxone, Data Capability Lead, Infoxchange & Vivek Katial Co-Founder and Executive Director, Good Data Institute
____________________________________________________________________
Final summary of volunteer/internship experience
- One paragraph summarising your internship, personal experience and takeaways
______________________________________________________________
Image: A screenshot of your project
Your Project
SAcommunity Project - your project with links to your SAcommunity project page
- Community Services in Councils Project - Data Analytics includes links to council page
- Community Services Promotion Project - Media & Communication includes links to published SAcommunity news and persistent blog article link
Include date and feedback from your contact with council stakeholders.
Refer to Data Analytics Team for a project overview
Refer to Data Analytics Team in Microsoft Teams for instructions
_________________________
SAcommunity Project
Community Services in Councils Project
Bob has selected [council name: The City of Holdfast Bay] for his Power BI council reports, a database of approximately [263] community services operating in the area for the financial years [2021-2022 and 2022-2023]. His reports will follow previous visualisation report work by [relevant volunteers i.e. Stathis Avramis and Julia Koh], and when completed will be found [ >>here]. There are a number of steps involved once community service information data presentations are created, a summary of data trends prepared, work is attributed and published to the website, and then will be introduced by [Bob] to council stakeholders by phone and email to be used as a tool to understand community needs in their area.
____________________________
How does contacting my council stakeholder contribute to my career development?
Presentation experiences contribute to your professional growth, building essential skills and mindset qualities that will assist you in any professional setting
1. Building Confidence
a) Overcoming Stage Fright: Presenting to stakeholders helps students overcome the nerves associated with public speaking and presenting to a critical audience, boosting their confidence in their own abilities.
b) Learning to Represent Work Proudly: It’s empowering for students to see the value in their work and communicate it. Knowing others are invested in what they’ve created can give them a strong sense of achievement.
2. Developing Communication Skills
a) Translating Technical Ideas for a Broader Audience: Presenting often requires explaining complex ideas in clear, simple terms, a skill that is highly valued in any field.
b) Practicing Conciseness and Clarity: With a limited time to present, students learn to focus on the most relevant points, which hones their ability to communicate effectively and persuasively.
3. Receiving Constructive Feedback
a) Improving Through Real-World Feedback: Stakeholders may offer feedback from an experienced perspective, helping students identify strengths and areas for improvement that they may not have noticed.
b) Learning to Handle Criticism Professionally: Constructive feedback helps students develop resilience and teaches them how to use criticism as a tool for growth, which is vital for career advancement.
4. Strengthening Project Management Skills
a) Taking Ownership and Responsibility: Presenting to stakeholders reinforces a sense of ownership over their work, motivating students to take responsibility for both the successes and learning points of their project.
b) Understanding Accountability: Knowing that their project will be seen by stakeholders encourages students to uphold high standards, helping them learn the importance of accountability in professional settings.
5. Gaining Networking Opportunities
5. Gaining Networking Opportunities
a) Establishing Professional Relationships: Presenting to external stakeholders can lead to meaningful connections that may open doors for future internships, mentorship, or even job opportunities.
b) Building a Positive Reputation: A polished presentation and a well-executed project can make a lasting positive impression, setting a foundation for the student’s professional reputation.
6. Learning Real-World Relevance
a) Seeing the Impact of Their Work: Presenting allows students to understand how their project may affect or be utilized by external stakeholders, which gives them a sense of purpose and the real-world value of their work.
b) Connecting Theory to Practice: By presenting a project that has real-world implications, students see the direct application of their academic learning, bridging the gap between classroom knowledge and professional practice.
________________________________________________________________
Image: Your team photo undertaking any of the activities below
(Image description: Add the event, names of those present and link to their portfolios and date)
Work Experience - Internal and External Events, Information, Connections and Networks
Internal Events
Internal activities/events/meetings summary (one paragraph)
- SAcommunity monthly meetings (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Connecting Up monthly meetings (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Infoxchange CEO End of Week update (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Infoxchange Town Hall quarterly meetings (1-2 hours + 1 hours summary)
- Infoxchange Lunch & Learn activities ( 1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Infoxchange Cultural Activities i.e. Multicultural Week, RU OK, Cake & Connect
_____________________
What does this look like for example?
Work experience - Internal and External Events, Connections and Networks
Volunteers and interns are encouraged to attend monthly SAcommunity and Connecting Up Team meetings, as well as quarterly all-staff Infoxchange Town Hall meetings to understand more about the organisation as a whole. In addition to reading about projects and news through the staff-wide communication channels Yammer and the weekly CEO Update from David Spriggs, and participating in Lunch and Learn educational sessions, and network meetings to connect with staff and other volunteers.
SAcommunity monthly meetings
Bob participated in the monthly SAcommunity meeting held on [date] " first person explaining feedback on meeting/ meeting structure etc." [one paragraph]
Connecting Up monthly meetings
Bob attended the monthly Connecting Up meeting held [date] "first person explaining feedback (not confidential information) just general interest." [one paragraph]
Infoxchange Town Hall quarterly meetings
Bob attended the quarterly Infoxchange Town Hall meeting held [date] with staff from the Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane offices in attendance. "first person explaining feedback (not confidential information) general interest"
Infoxchange Lunch & Learn activities
Bob had the opportunity to attend the IX Lunch & Learn [name of activity and presenter] held [date] and summary [one paragraph]
________________________
Why are meetings important for your professional growth?
a) Exposure to the big picture: Meetings help you understand the goals and strategies of the organisation, giving context to your role and work
b) Learn from real-time problem solving: They often include discussion on challenges and solutions which can enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
c) Networking and Visibility: Participating in meetings allows you to connect with colleagues and leaders, making you more visible and involved in the organization.
Why are work functions and social events important for your professional growth?
_______________________________________________________________Why are work functions and social events important for your professional growth?
a) Building Relationships: Social events let you get to know colleagues outside of a formal setting, which can make teamwork easier and more enjoyable.
b) Strengthening Team Dynamics: By building rapport, you contribute to a positive team culture, which can improve collaboration and productivity.
c) Opportunities to Showcase Skills: These settings give you a chance to casually share your work and ideas, making it easier for others to recognize your contributions.
Image: Photo or Screenshot of external event
(image description- add the name and date of the event)
External Events
External Stakeholder activities/events/meetings summary (one paragraph)
- Data Catalyst Network (DCN) Meetups (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
- Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA) Meetups (1 hour + 1 hour summary)
Recordings ADIA YouTube Channel
- GovHack Annual Open Data Competition: connections event/competition
Remember to add the dates that these events occurred - it assists you with documentation
Why are Speakers important for your career growth?
a) Learning from Success and Failure: High-profile speakers often share both triumphs and setbacks, which are packed with lessons about resilience, adaptability, and perseverance.
a) Learning from Success and Failure: High-profile speakers often share both triumphs and setbacks, which are packed with lessons about resilience, adaptability, and perseverance.
b) Inspiration and Motivation: Hearing from people who have achieved success can inspire you to set ambitious goals and think big.
c) Exposure to Different Perspectives: They bring fresh perspectives from outside the organization, helping you broaden your outlook and approach to your own work.
Why are external stakeholder meetings important for your professional growth?
Engaging with external stakeholders is a way to develop both hard and soft skills, expand your network and deepen your understanding of how your role fits within the bigger picture.Why are external stakeholder meetings important for your professional growth?
1. Understanding Broader Perspectives
a) Learning About Industry Needs: Interacting with stakeholders from outside the organization provides insights into the needs, trends, and challenges within your industry. This knowledge helps you stay relevant and informed, which is essential for career advancement.
b) Recognizing Diverse Viewpoints: Stakeholders often bring different perspectives, priorities, and experiences. Hearing these perspectives broadens your understanding and helps you become more adaptable and open-minded.
2. Developing Communication Skills
a) Improving Clarity and Professionalism: External meetings push you to communicate clearly and professionally, as stakeholders expect a high standard of communication. This strengthens your ability to convey ideas effectively.
b) Learning Diplomacy and Negotiation: Working with external stakeholders often involves balancing different needs and priorities. Practicing diplomacy and negotiation helps build valuable skills in managing expectations and reaching agreements.
3. Building a Network
a) Establishing Industry Connections: Engaging with stakeholders builds relationships beyond your organization, expanding your professional network. These connections can be beneficial for future opportunities, collaborations, or career moves.
b) Creating a Positive Reputation: Handling external interactions with competence and professionalism can establish a positive reputation for you personally and for your organization, which reflects well on your career.
4. Gaining Real-World Insights
a) Seeing the Impact of Your Work: Engaging directly with stakeholders shows you how your work affects others, whether it's clients, partners, or the community. This can boost your motivation and sense of purpose.
b) Learning Through Feedback: Stakeholders may share feedback, both positive and constructive, which can be a valuable tool for refining your skills, enhancing services, or improving processes.
5. Preparing for Leadership
a) Gaining Strategic Insight: Stakeholder meetings often involve discussing high-level goals and challenges, providing a behind-the-scenes look at strategic decision-making. This insight is beneficial for anyone aspiring to a leadership role.
b) Building Confidence and Poise: Regular exposure to external stakeholders helps you become more comfortable and confident in professional settings, which is a key leadership trait.
__________________________________________________________________
Image: Your mentor's photo or you and your mentor
(image description- add the event - mentor meeting, your mentor's name and position in the organisation and their LinkedIn page, your name and the date)__________________________________________________________________
Image: Your mentor's photo or you and your mentor
Mentor Meeting
Mentor Meeting introduction summary (one paragraph)
- Mentor selection reasons (one sentence)
- 5 key questions and takeaways from your mentor meeting (one paragraph each)
- Mentor summary (one sentence)
Why is Mentorship important for your career growth?
a) Guidance and Support: A mentor offers personalized feedback and advice tailored to your career goals, helping you develop faster.
b) Building Career Skills: Mentorship helps with developing skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership, which are valuable in any career.
c) Networking and Professional Growth: Mentors often open doors to networks and opportunities you may not find on your own.
_____________________________________________________________________Image: In-House Training Opportunities your photo with one or two members of the team
Connecting Up Training
Orientation & Induction
Introduction to Better Impact
Introduction to Microsoft365
- Microsoft Teams: Team Channels
- Microsoft Outlook: Emails and vsupport
Email Techniques
- Microsoft Outlook: Calendar
Telephone Techniques
- Council scripts
- Collection scripts
Introduction to SAcommunity
- Editor, export, blog admin
Introduction to Canva
Introduction to Power BI
_____________________________________________________________
Image: Connecting Up Digital Skills Training and Development Banner
Introduction to Digital Skills
- Add name and weblink to training available with your personal takeaway summary (one paragraph for each training session)
- Infoxchange/Connecting Up Training & Education
Why are the webinars important to your professional development?
It helps you learn as you practice and provides evidence that you are interested in the organisations work and your own personal growth - also that you demonstrate your understanding of the information presented and can discover individual takeaways from that information. We don't need summaries, just what you thought was interesting
Ensure you add the links to your professional development webinars on your personal portfolio under their names:
i.e. Getting started with Analytics: Tools Infrastructure and Data is found at this link:
https://learning.connectingup.org/enrol/index.php?id=193
And include the presenters - this is important and you can follow them on LinkedIn and it gives context to the information presented - it's not Data from George your next door neighbour who's in high school, the presenters provide authority.
In your portfolio it looks like this:
Getting started with Analytics: Tools Infrastructure and Data 25 May 2025
- Kristen Moller Saxone, Data Capability Lead, Infoxchange & Vivek Katial Co-Founder and Executive Director, Good Data Institute
____________________________________________________________________
Final summary of volunteer/internship experience
- One paragraph summarising your internship, personal experience and takeaways
___________________________________________________________________
Important notes:
The Connecting Up Volunteer Coordinator offers this opportunity as a privilege and is not required or obligated to publish or feature volunteers and interns portfolio's on our website and we have the right to remove portfolio pages.
Inclusion of information relating to our Volunteers and Interns provides a list of participative activities and does not constitute a recommendation and employers should therefore take all usual precautions for employment, including requesting referee feedback.
