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 project " Valuing Education and Experience for Local councillors in Europe " (VA2EL) has designed a portfolio, available through Internet (e-portfolio) for local councillors to help them identify and value the specific skills and competences acquired through their elected experience together with a handbook to use it on the labour market. The e-portfolio will also identify required training to enhance and improve them, and/or will think of a real validation (with a diploma) in the perspective of a professional insertion. Local councillors need a specific accompaniment to value and enhance the formal, non formal and informal learning they are experiencing. The choice of a portfolio for voluntary managers as a basis for the transfer of innovation is explained by the proximity of the tasks to be fulfilled by both local councillors and voluntary managers (pathways between associative functions and elective functions are numerous).