A portfolio is an organised collection of materials that presents and verifies skills and knowledge acquired through experience. It is of particular relevance to validating non‑formal and informal learning because it allows the individual candidate to contribute actively to the collection of evidence and also offers a mix of approaches strengthening the overall validity of the process. This is confirmed by the fact that many        countries have introduced the portfolio  as a central element in their validation approaches (CEDEFOP, 2009)

The porfolio designed is meant to be used by any female volunteer who could ony justify a voluntary experience to express it in terms of competence to enhance her chances on the labour market. The project was conducted together with the Association de Réflexion, d'Information et d'Accueil des familles de militaires en activité (ARIA) as a way to make the link between a voluntary work and a paid work. This pilot project was meant to identify, value and assess knowledge and know-how acquired through a voluntary experience, in the field of an association, ARIA , dedicated to the families of military staff'. It has identified both general and technical skills . It answered the needs for recognition and valorisation of their skills expressed by volunteers, to recognize volunteering as a form of informal learning.