PSC Volunteer Journey Guide

Your complete guide to becoming part of the Pakistan Science Club volunteer community — from your first day to becoming a leader.

Portal: my.paksc.org · Main site: paksc.org

Note: Links marked with 📍 are pages inside the portal — they open after you log in. If one doesn't open directly, log in first, then reach it from the menu.

About Pakistan Science Club

Pakistan Science Club (PSC) is a non-profit science organization founded on 8 August 2008 by Abdul Rauf in Karachi, Pakistan. What began as an idea in 2007 has grown into a nationwide movement to make science hands-on, engaging, and accessible for students, teachers, hobbyists, and researchers across Pakistan.

• Founded: 8 August 2008
• Founder & President: Abdul Rauf
• Based in: Karachi, Pakistan
• Type: National non-profit STEM/STEAM education initiative

Focus areas:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Innovation
• Community learning

Over the years PSC has run summer science camps, science fairs, competitions, fun science shows, and hands-on experiments — searching for and nurturing science talent all over Pakistan.

Important to understand: PSC is not just a volunteer organization — it is a STEM learning community where volunteers learn, build, teach, and contribute to real projects. You don't just give your time here; you grow your own skills and identity while helping science reach more people.

Why this portal was built

PSC now works with hundreds of volunteers across different cities and teams. Earlier, everything ran on WhatsApp and paper registers — who's doing what, who logged how many hours, who earned a certificate — all tracked by hand. As the community grew, this became impossible to manage.

The PSC Volunteer Portal brings it all into one place where you register, learn, do real work, track your hours and achievements, earn XP, and build a verified portfolio. The benefit is simple: every bit of your effort is recorded, verified, and becomes lasting proof of your work — and for PSC, managing everything becomes far easier.

Why should you volunteer? (What's in it for you)

A fair question — here's the honest answer. By volunteering with PSC you:

• Learn practical STEM skills by doing real work, not just reading
• Build a verified portfolio that proves what you've actually done
• Earn certificates that are genuine and verifiable (QR-checked)
• Gain community-service hours with an official letter for your university
• Develop leadership skills as you move from member to mentor
• Work on real projects that reach real students and communities
• Meet like-minded people who share your curiosity
• Strengthen university applications with proof of impact
• Strengthen internship & job applications with a shareable record

In short: you give your time, and you walk away with skills, recognition, and a record that follows you for life.

The PSC Journey

Volunteering at PSC isn't a one-time task — it's a path you grow along:

        Join PSC
           ↓
   Complete Orientation
           ↓
  PSC Volunteer Foundation
           ↓
     Choose Your Team
           ↓
   Take on Missions
           ↓
   Earn XP & Badges
           ↓
     Support Events
           ↓
   Build Your Portfolio
           ↓
    Become a Mentor
           ↓
    Join the Core Team

Most volunteers start by completing a few missions — but the real reward comes from staying on the journey: growing from a new volunteer into a mentor and eventually a community leader (Core Team). This handbook is your map for that journey.

1. Getting started — Register and Log in

1. Register: my.paksc.org/volunteer/register — fill in your name, city, education, skills, and area of interest.
2. The PSC team approves your registration.
3. Once approved, log in: my.paksc.org/volunteer-portal/login
4. You land on your Dashboard — everything starts here. 📍 Dashboard

2. Orientation — the 5 things every volunteer must do

After login, your Dashboard shows a checklist. These 5 steps are compulsory for everyone — until they're complete, the rest (your Team Launchpad and missions) won't fully unlock:

1. Complete Profile — finish your profile (photo, education, skills, bio). 📍 Profile
2. Join WhatsApp Group — join your team's WhatsApp group. 📍 WhatsApp Group
3. Read User Manual — read the portal handbook. 📍 Handbook
4. Complete Interest Survey — a short survey that captures your interests. 📍 Surveys
5. Understand XP, Badges & Missions — a short orientation that explains the system (opens from the Dashboard).

You only do these 5 once. After that, your real journey begins.

 Your First Launchpad — PSC Volunteer Foundation

Once your orientation checklist is complete, every volunteer follows the same first launchpad: the PSC Volunteer Foundation. A launchpad is a guided chain of 5 missions that takes you step by step — and this one gives every volunteer the same solid starting point before moving on to team-specific work.

The five Foundation missions are:

1. Understand PSC & Your Volunteer Journey — who we are, and where you fit in.
2. Understand Portal, XP, Missions, Tasks, Projects & Badges — how the whole system works.
3. Complete Your Volunteer Profile — make your profile portal-ready.
4. Communication & Submission Rules — how we talk and how you submit your work.
5. Portal-Ready Volunteer Checkpoint — a final check that you're ready to fully participate.

Each mission you complete earns XP. Finish all five and your foundation is set — you're ready for your team's own launchpad and real missions.

Orientation vs. Foundation — what's the difference? The orientation checklist (Section 2) is 5 quick steps that unlock the portal. The PSC Volunteer Foundation is your first real launchpad — 5 missions that build on those basics through actual practice. A couple of items feel similar (like completing your profile) on purpose: the Foundation reinforces the essentials so every volunteer truly starts on the same page.

3. PSC Teams — find where you belong

Every volunteer picks one preferred team that matches their interest and skills. Each team has a focus, and missions are often tied to teams. The six teams are:

1. Education & Training — designing and delivering STEM lessons, workshops, and teacher-training activities. (For those who love to teach and explain.)
2. Technology & Innovation — building tools, software, electronics, and tech projects (including this portal). (For coders, makers, and tinkerers.)
3. Media & Creative — graphics, video, photography, social media, and content. (For designers, storytellers, and creators.)
4. Event Support — planning and running events and camps on the ground: logistics, setup, hosting. (For organizers and people-people.)
5. Research & Development — exploring ideas, researching science content, experiments, and documentation. (For the curious and the analytical.)
6. Outreach & Operations — community outreach, partnerships, coordination, and day-to-day operations. (For connectors and coordinators.)

You can set or change your preferred team from your 📍 Profile. Not sure where you fit? Start anywhere — you can always switch.

4. What are Missions, and how do they work?

A mission is a small, complete piece of work you do for PSC. Every mission you complete earns you XP.

There are two kinds:

• Open Missions — ones you choose yourself from a list. 📍 Open Missions
• Tasks — ones the PSC team assigns to you, based on your team/skills. 📍 My Tasks

The mission flow (it's the same every time):

1. A mission is accepted (or assigned to you).
2. You do the work (writing an article, making a design, helping at an event…).
3. You submit your work (with a note and a file/photo).
4. The PSC team reviews it — and approves it or sends it back for revision.
5. Once approved, you earn XP and it's added to your record.

Learning Launchpad: each team has a chain of 5 missions that guides you step by step — making you a stronger volunteer with each one.

Remember: Missions are not compulsory — you choose them based on your interest and time. Only the 5 Orientation steps are required for everyone.

5. What is XP?

XP (Experience Points) is the score for your effort. The more real work you do, the more XP you earn — and the higher you climb.

Where XP comes from: each completed mission/task, each badge (its points), each certificate (a big chunk), and bonus XP from events and participation.

The 5 Levels:

Full details: 📍 XP Guide. See where you rank on the Leaderboard (in the menu).

6. Badges and Certificates

• Badges — earned for milestones (first mission, first event, and more). 📍 My Badges
• Certificates — real, verifiable certificates with a QR code anyone can scan to confirm they're genuine. Four main types:
  1. XP Milestone — for reaching a certain XP level (automatic).
  2. Event / Camp Participation — for working at an event and completing its tasks.
  3. Missions & Tasks Completion — for a set number of approved missions/tasks.
  4. Special Recognition — special recognition from the PSC team. 📍 My Certificates

7. Recognition & Awards

Beyond badges and certificates, PSC celebrates volunteers who go above and beyond. Recognition keeps the community motivated and gives standout work the spotlight it deserves:

• Volunteer of the Week — a regular spotlight (with a shareable poster) for outstanding contributors.
• Volunteer of the Month — recognition for sustained, high-impact effort.
• Special Recognition — a dedicated certificate for exceptional contribution, mentorship, or community impact.
• Innovation & Team Excellence — recognition for standout projects and strong team contributions.

Recognition isn't only about prizes — it's PSC's way of saying your work matters and it's seen.

8. Volunteer Hours (especially for university students)

If you need community-service hours, the portal tracks them for you:

• You log your hours (with proof).
• The PSC team approves them.
• Once you meet the requirement, you can request an official, verifiable hours letter (PDF) for your university.

📍 My Hours

9. How do you post a Blog?

All contributions start from the Contribution Hub: 📍 Contribute

To write a blog, you first complete the short "Article Writing" training — learn first, then write with confidence. Until then, the blog card stays locked with a "Take the training" button.

After the training:

1. From the Contribution Hub, click Blog → "Open editor". 📍 Blog Editor
2. Write your article (title, content, cover image).
3. Submit → the PSC team reviews → once approved, it goes live on the public blog. 📍 PSC Blog

10. How do you post a Project?

Share your STEM project (an experiment, robot, model, or idea) in PSC's public gallery:

1. From the Contribution Hub, choose Project → "Add project", or go directly: 📍 Add Project
2. Add a title, description, and photos.
3. Submit → after review it appears in the public Projects gallery (where people can like and comment). 📍 Projects Gallery
4. See all your projects: 📍 My Projects

11. Innovation Lab

The Innovation Lab is PSC's space for bigger, collaborative work — where volunteers come together on real community and engineering projects. Instead of working alone, you join a project team with defined roles, such as:

• Builder / Engineering — designing and making things
• Research — investigating ideas and solving problems
• Media — capturing and presenting the work
• Documentation — recording the process and results

It's where curiosity turns into real, shared projects — and where many volunteers find their most meaningful work. (The Innovation Lab is rolling out as part of PSC's growing platform; keep an eye on the portal for openings.)

12. ID Card and Poster

• Digital ID Card — once verified, your own PSC volunteer card (with QR), downloadable. 📍 My ID Card
• Shareable Poster — a clean poster with your name, level, and PSC branding for social media. 📍 My Poster

13. Your Public Portfolio — and why it matters

This may become the single most valuable thing you build at PSC. Your portfolio is your verified online identity — the full story of your PSC journey on one shareable link.

Why it matters:

• It grows automatically — as you complete missions, earn badges and certificates, and join events, your portfolio updates itself. No manual work.
• Achievements are verified — it carries a "Verified by PSC" status, so it's trusted, not just self-claimed.
• Certificates stay verifiable — each one is QR-checkable, forever.
• Share it with universities — a clean, credible record of your impact.
• Share it with employers — proof of real skills and real work.
• It stays linked to your PSC ID — one lifelong link that's truly yours.

You control everything from My Portfolio: 📍 My Portfolio

• Public / Private toggle — make it public (anyone can view) or private (visitors see a "private" notice). Your choice.
• Headline — a tagline under your name (e.g., "Lead Volunteer | STEM Educator").
• Links — LinkedIn, GitHub, website, and more.
• Sections — show or hide skills, timeline, projects, certificates, and badges.

When public, it opens at my.paksc.org/portfolio/<your-PSC-ID>.

14. Careers & Internships

Volunteering at PSC can be the first step in a real growth path:

• PSC internships — opportunities to take on deeper, more responsible work.
• Volunteer → Intern pathway — active, proven volunteers are first in line.
• Volunteer → Team Member pathway — the most committed contributors can join the core team.
• Portfolio-based applications — your verified PSC portfolio is your application. Your work speaks for you.

Explore current openings: 📍 Careers & Internships

15. Communication — what you can and can't do

The portal is a safe, moderated community, so there are a few boundaries:

❌ What you CANNOT do:

• Send a private (1-on-1) direct message to another volunteer. There is no personal DM system — this is intentional, for everyone's safety.

✅ What you CAN do:

• Chat in the Group Chat — a gender-separated group chat, for a safe environment. 📍 Group Chat
• Join your team's WhatsApp group. 📍 WhatsApp Group
• Comment on community feed posts, blog articles, and projects.
• Post updates on the community feed. 📍 Community
• Reach the PSC admin/team for help — and the team can send you notifications.

In short: the community runs on groups and comments — not private DMs. This keeps it clean, safe, and appropriate for everyone.

16. Code of Conduct

By being part of PSC, you agree to keep this community positive and trustworthy:

• Respect everyone — treat fellow volunteers, staff, and community members with courtesy.
• No harassment — of any kind, anywhere on the portal.
• No spam — don't flood feeds, comments, or chats.
• No plagiarism — your blogs and projects must be your own work, with credit where due.
• No fake submissions — never claim work, hours, or results you didn't do.
• No inappropriate content — keep everything suitable for a learning community of all ages.

Breaking these rules can lead to removed content, lost access, or removal from the program. These rules protect you, the community, and PSC.

17. What else can you do?

• Volunteer at Events — sign up for roles (mentor, media, photography, setup, support) at PSC events and camps.
• Schedule — set your availability. 📍 Schedule
• Leaderboard — see your ranking among other volunteers.
• Notifications — broadcasts and updates from PSC.

18. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I have to complete every mission? No. Missions are optional — you choose based on your interest and time. Only the 5 Orientation steps are required.

Can I change my team? Yes. Update your preferred team anytime from your Profile.

What happens if I become inactive for a while? Nothing is lost — your profile, XP, badges, certificates, and portfolio stay stored. You can pick up right where you left off.

Is volunteering paid? No — volunteering is unpaid unless a specific opportunity (like an internship) states otherwise.

Can I use PSC certificates and hours for university applications? Yes. Certificates are verifiable (QR-checkable), and you can request an official hours letter for your university.

Do I need to be a science expert to join? No. PSC is a learning community — you grow your skills here. Curiosity and commitment matter most.

How do I get help? Reach the PSC team through the portal (support links and notifications). You can also ask in your team's WhatsApp group.

Quick Links

One last thing

The PSC Volunteer Portal isn't just a website — it's your space to learn, contribute, and build your identity. The more you do, the stronger your record, XP, badges, certificates, and portfolio become — and that stays with you, useful for life.

You're not just completing a few tasks. You're growing — from a new volunteer, into a mentor, into a leader of Pakistan's science community.

Welcome aboard — let's move science forward! 🚀

Pakistan Science Club — founded 2008 by Abdul Rauf — paksc.org