Volunteering is a lot about giving and contributing to communities. It’s also about growing and learning. A Skill Map helps you identify which skills you want to develop, why they matter to you, and how confident you feel about them right now. This gives you a starting point for your learning journey and helps you notice progress later.
What you will need:
-
Paper (notebook) and coloured ( at least 3 colours) pens.
Instructions:
Step 1. Look at this list and choose 5–8 skills you want to develop during your volunteering period.
Step 2. On your paper, draw yourself in the center of the page (a stick figure, symbol, or even a mini portrait).
Step 3. Around yourself, write the chosen skill.
Step 4. For each skill you can add:
- A color that shows how confident you feel today (green = confident, yellow = curious, red = unsure)
- A small sentence or symbol showing why this skill matters to you
- A mini goal or situation where you’d like to practice this skill
1. Personal & Self-Management Skills
- Self-confidence
- Time management
- Emotional awareness
- Self-discipline
- Resilience (handling stress or setbacks)
- Openness to feedback
- Goal setting
2. Social & Interpersonal Skills
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Building trust
- Conflict resolution
- Respecting different opinions
- Intercultural communication
- Patience in group settings
3. Teamwork & Collaboration
- Being a supportive team member
- Sharing responsibilities
- Group decision-making
- Motivating others
- Leading a small task or group
- Contributing ideas openly
4. Communication & Expression
- Public speaking
- Explaining ideas clearly
- Writing for a group (e.g. social media)
- Speaking in a foreign language
- Expressing disagreement respectfully
- Presenting project outcomes
5. Project & Practical Skills
- Planning and organizing tasks
- Problem-solving
- Creating and running activities
- Event coordination
- Using digital tools
- Fundraising or budgeting
- Documenting results (photos, writing, reports)
Reflection questions:
- Which of my chosen skills are linked to my values?
- How do I imagine these skills will grow or change during my project?
- Looking at my map as a whole: what story does it tell about the person I want to become?
Guidance for mentors/facilitators:
- Provide volunteers with the skill list and materials for drawing. Optionally, you can print the skills on separate cards.
- Allow 20–30 minutes for selection and mapping.
- Encourage them to revisit their Skill Map later in the project to track changes.
- In group sharing, use questions like:
- Which skill do you feel most ready to grow?
- Which skill feels most challenging now?
- How might your volunteering tasks help you develop these skills?