DOCSLIB.ORG

VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING FACT SHEET So How Do I Get Involved In

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING FACT SHEET So How Do I Get Involved In VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING FACT SHEET The term virtual volunteering describes a volunteer who The kinds of things you can put out for help from the completes tasks, in whole or in part, off site from the world are limited only by how interesting you can make organisation being assisted using the internet. Virtual the work. For example, you could call for comments on volunteering can be also known as online volunteering; your strategy documents, or as one organisation did, micro volunteering and sometimes crowdsourcing. you could call on people to go birdwatching to assess the health of bird populations. In practice, people engaged in virtual volunteering undertake a variety of activities from locations remote So how do I get involved in virtual volunteering? to the organisation or people they are assisting, via a computer, smart phone or other internet connected Jayne Cravens comments that virtual volunteering is real device. volunteering - and real community service. It requires real time and a real commitment and has real deadlines. Some of these activities might include: That commitment may be short – just several minutes – and you may be able to do the service at any time on • Translating documents a particular day that you choose – or any day in a given • Media monitoring period you choose, but the commitment, even if that commitment is tiny, is real, and if you don’t complete an • Counselling people assignment you have signed up for, you can potentially • Website or social media development damage the organisation you are trying to help. • Tutoring or mentoring students It can be easy to say yes to volunteering via the Internet • Graphic design and many people sign up to do so before really considering their schedule. Registering to be a virtual Virtual volunteering has been adopted by thousands of volunteer is just as much a responsibility as a face to non profit organisations and other initiatives. Currently face volunteering role. there is no organisation tracking best practice, so there is no data on how many people are engaged in virtual volunteering or how many organisations involve virtual Some useful starting points... volunteers. Go to www.coyotecommunications.com/stuff/findvv. shtml for a list of organisations that recruit online The United Nations runs an online volunteering volunteers specifically. service that allows organisations working in or for the developing world to recruit online volunteers, and These organisations listed on this page will not track has statistics available regarding numbers of online your volunteer hours. Also, you will have to ask, before volunteers and organisations involved. you volunteer, if the organisation will provide a signed document that confirms your volunteer hours. Jayne Cravens, a virtual volunteering expert has conducted considerable research in this area including a Below is a list of some organisations where you can look useful factsheet on the ‘Myths about Online Volunteering at virtual volunteering: (Virtual Volunteering)’. One of Jayne’s myths is that “online volunteering is a very new concept”; Jayne states United Nations Online Volunteering that virtual volunteering has been around since the Sparked – The Micro Volunteering Network internet was created, over 30 years ago. Myths around Online Volunteering Studies and Research on Online Volunteering Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing is a method of volunteering used by Wikipedia: Virtual Volunteering savvy online companies and organisations to harness increasingly choice rich volunteers. Organisations Crowdsourcing – a mash-up of ‘crowd’ and ‘outsourcing’ – is all about collaboration. Organisations crowdsource Volunteering Tasmania encourages organisations to when they outsource a set of small tasks, traditionally develop meaningful roles within the virtual volunteering assigned to an employee or contractor, to a large, space. Volunteering roles come in all varieties, sizes undefined group of people or community through an and locations – the common factor being that they are open call. willingly undertaken by people for no financial reward. For assistance with developing virtual volunteering roles in your organisation or to find out more, please contact a Community Development Officer at VT in your region..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fostering Inclusive Volunteering and Service Learning
    FOSTERING INCLUSIVE VOLUNTEERING AND SERVICE LEARNING The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is com- posed of partners with expertise in disability, education, employment, and workforce development issues. NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC. NCWD/Youth is charged with assisting state and local workforce development systems to integrate youth with disabilities into their service strategies. To obtain this publication in an alternate format please contact the Collaborative at 877-871- 0744 toll free or email [email protected]. This report is part of a series of publi- cations and newsletters prepared by NCWD/Youth. All publications will be posted on the NCWD/Youth website at www.ncwd-youth.info. Please visit our site to sign up to be no- tified of future publications. This document was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, funded by a grant/contract/cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (Numbers OD-16519-07-75-4-11 and OD-23804-12-75-4-11). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does men- tion of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply the endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor. Individuals may reproduce any part of this document. Please credit the source and support of federal funds. NCWD/Youth | 1-877-871-0744 (toll-free) | 1-877-871-0665 (TTY toll-free) This guide was written by NCWD/Youth staff Curtis Richards, Mindy Larson, Jason Farr, and Sarah Ferrell, as well as Rhonda Basha and Nathan Cunningham of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Virtual Volunteer Opportunities – Other Organizatio
    VIRTUAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Other Organizations Cards, Gifts, and Donations American Red Cross Blood Donation Volunteers who are in good health donate blood to help the American Red Cross, which is currently facing a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented amount of blood drive cancelations. America’s Promise Alliance - #Letters2Grads Volunteers can write a note, record a video or post a picture with their well-wishes for the class of 2020. This social media campaign runs from May 17th to June 17th. Click here for a toolkit. Binky Patrol Volunteers can crochet or sew blankets and send them to locations in need. Blanket Hearts Volunteers can make no-sew blankets at home and send them in for donation. Volunteers can also donate supplies. City Square Volunteers can choose from a few different projects to help support City Square's anti-poverty mission, including making kits at home, sending notes, and creating a virtual fundraiser. Building Impact Volunteers can write notes of encouragement, call isolated seniors, or sign-up to receive materials to build kits for those in the community who need support. Charity Miles Volunteers download and app and pledge to run/walk a certain number of miles. Each volunteer picks a charity of their choice for proceeds to go to. Chemo Angels Volunteers can send cards or small gifts to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Children's Health Volunteers can write an encouraging note that will be delivered to a patient at a children's hospital. Invisible Hands Volunteers deliver groceries to at risk communities during the pandemic. Message of Hope Foundation Volunteers are needed to help make hope bags that go to hospitalized children.
    [Show full text]
  • Online Volunteering: a Comhlámh Discussion Paper
    Online Volunteering: A Comhlámh Discussion Paper During the seminar, participants learned that online Background volunteering is now standard practice for many VSAs, and it is expected by volunteers. Many organisations The model of online volunteering has emerged in and VSAs are utilising aspects of online volunteering, conjunction with the growth of the Internet and mobile but they are not necessarily articulating or promoting and online communication tools and modalities. It offers it. In the seminar, it also emerged that volunteers do not unique possibilities in relation to inclusivity and diversity in classify themselves as online, virtual, remote or on-site, but volunteer cohorts, and broadens international volunteering instead view themselves as volunteers, and they should opportunities to a potentially wider global audience. be acknowledged as such. This discussion paper captures In terms of a brief history and development of online some of the content, comments and topics raised at the international volunteering, the United Nations Volunteers October 2014 Comhlámh seminar. (UNV) programme launched its Online Volunteering service in 2000 to address issues of extreme poverty and What is Online to mobilise volunteers for development. Since then, the UNV Online Volunteering service has expanded and grown. Volunteering? Irish Aid provided financial support to the UNV from 2007 to 2010 for the development and overall expansion of its Online volunteering, also called virtual volunteering, refers to volunteer activities using an online system or network Online Volunteering service. accessed through a computer, mobile device, laptop, etc., The Irish Aid Volunteering Initiative, which launched in order to undertake or deliver tasks or projects. Online in 2013, committed to promote both the benefits of online volunteering may be related to non-technology-based volunteering and related opportunities through its ongoing tasks, but it will harness information and communication support for international volunteering from Ireland.
    [Show full text]
  • GUIDE for Virtual Volunteers What’S Inside This Guide
    BEST PRACTICES GUIDE for Virtual Volunteers What’s Inside This Guide Introduction ..................................................................................................... 3 Getting Started ................................................................................................ 4 The Benefits of Virtual Volunteering During COVID-19 ........................ 5 5 Myths and 5 Facts About Virtual Volunteering .................................... 7 Best Practices for Virtual Volunteers ........................................................ 8 5 Steps to Being a Great Virtual Volunteer ........................................... 10 Additional Best Practices When Working With Older Adults ............. 13 Ideas to Spark Your Creativity and Personalize Volunteering ............ 14 6 Final Tips for Virtual Volunteering Success ........................................ 16 Recommended Resources ........................................................................... 18 Introduction In years past, being a volunteer typically meant Due to the coronavirus pandemic and stay- you had to go somewhere – places like community at-home orders, physical distancing is now centers and schools, soup kitchens and women’s common, and the number of people working shelters, or hospitals and retirement homes – in from home in the U.S. has doubled, order to help out those in need. Stanford University research shows. Likewise, more Americans are volunteering from home Today, however, you can volunteer for various too. causes and organizations right
    [Show full text]
  • VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING and DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT a Qualitative Investigation
    VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT a qualitative investigation. make a difference Background Digital engagement is the label given to the manner in which members of the global community are reached and mobilised for action via information and communication technology (ICT). As an extension of traditional methods of engagement, digital tools can often be taken for granted and under-utilised by organisations. This research has sought to uncover the particularities of digital engagement and more specifically, the practice of virtual volunteering, to outline the key considerations for practitioners as well as the future possibilities for innovators. Virtual volunteering has been an established practice for at least the past decade, most strongly evidenced by the publication of The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook and the establishment of the United Nations Volunteers Online Volunteering Service. At the fundamental level, virtual volunteering can be seen simply as an extension of volunteer engagement into the realm of digital technology. Similar considerations are involved in planning, implementing, and administering a virtual volunteering and traditional, face-to-face volunteering program. These considerations – such as the importance of clarity of purpose in planning, ensuring sufficient resources are in place to meet the needs of staff, volunteers, and clients, and screening potential volunteers for suitability – are discussed in detail in The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook. Quality and regular communication between the organisation and volunteer is emphasised as crucial to the success of a virtual volunteering program. Removing the familiarity and comfort that develops naturally with face-to-face interaction makes this aspect of volunteer engagement paramount in the digital environment. The basic considerations in this respect are to ensure that communication channels are open and easily accessible, as well as routine communication at regular and frequent intervals.
    [Show full text]
  • Internet-Mediated Volunteering in the EU
    Internet-mediated Volunteering in the EU Its history, prevalence, and approaches and how it relates to employability and social inclusion Author: Jayne Cravens Editor: James Stewart 2 0 1 4 Report EUR 26603 EN European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies Contact information Address: Edificio Expo. c/ Inca Garcilaso, 3. E-41092 Seville (Spain) E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +34 954488318 Fax: +34 954488300 http://ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu http://www.jrc.ec.europa.eu Legal Notice Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of this publication. Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server http://europa.eu/. JRC85755 EUR 26603 EN ISBN 978-92-79-37795-2 (pdf) ISSN 1831-9424 (online) doi:10.2791/7933 Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014 © European Union, 2014 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Spain Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank the many people who shared information about this research project with colleagues and friends, in an effort to contact as many people as possible engaged in some form of Internet-mediated volunteering.
    [Show full text]
  • Serving Online the Second in a Series of Infographics Developed to Inform the Practice of Service-Learning in Online Courses
    Serving Online The second in a series of infographics developed to inform the practice of service-learning in online courses Question: If students have mobility issues, live in or want to serve a remote community, Many types of both direct and or simply have a very full schedule and want Here are just a few indirect service are particularly to volunteer at their own convenience; ideas and free web well-suited for the online what options do they have? resources. You’ll service-learner. notice that many of them complement Social Media project-based service- Create a Facebook page or a Wikipedia learning quite well. entry for a nonprofit or an issue. Write Research Design Advocate Bilingual? Sites like Translations for Progress provide excellent opportunities for language students. www.translationsforprogress.org Translate Mentor Train Tutor Go International The U.N.’s http://onlinevolunteering.org site lets you volunteer anywhere in the world from your own computer. Find more international opportunities at www.nabuur.com Virtual volunteering is like in- Got Some Geeky Skills? person volunteering, but the Help a nonprofit with an IT project Sometimes, you don’t want work takes place remotely Through the Community Corps. to serve from your (like telecommuting). https://thecommunitycorps.secure.force.com computer, and just need a Microvolunteering is a bite- volunteer matching site to sized version that lets you find local, in-person contribute whenever you Like Teaching? opportunities. These sites have the time to spare – Electronic Emissary is one of many often have online even 10 or 20 minutes! telementoring services. It helps K-12 teachers opportunities as well.
    [Show full text]
  • VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING MAKING an IMPACT from HOME DURING a GLOBAL PANDEMIC Table of Contents
    International Association for Volunteer Effort VOLUNTEERING TOGETHER Making a difference to people and communities IN THIS ISSUE: THE IMPACT AND CHALLENGES OF VOLUNTEERING IN A DIGITAL WORLD VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMS IN RESPONSE TO COVID EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE FOR VETERANS VIRTUALLY ...AND MORE VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING MAKING AN IMPACT FROM HOME DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC Table of Contents 04 Volunteering and the Digital World – Opportunities and Constraints 08 The A2Z of Corporate Virtual Volunteering Programs 13 Virtual Mentoring for Youth Development & Food Security 17 Remote Volunteering: A Necessity Which Has Become an Opportunity 21 Being the Change – Volunteering From a Distance 26 The Power of Joint Efforts in Peru 34 Telehealth: Leading Transformation in Community Service 40 Disney VoluntEARS and Virtuality as a Challenge 43 An Interview with Deedar Guerra, Vice President of CNV Mozambique 50 News from the Wide World of IAVE Photo credit (right): Tata Group 2 3 VOLUNTEERING AND THE DIGITAL WORLD – OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS1 By Helene Perold, Director, Helene Perold & Associates, South Africa Benjamin Haas, Research Associate Institute for Sociology & Social Psychology, University of Cologne, Germany Tony Goodrow, Founder & CEO, Better Impact, Canada2 ver the last two decades the use CHALLENGING TRADITIONAL of digital technology has become CONCEPTIONS OF VOLUNTEERING central to how, where and when O Voluntary work is no longer always tied to people volunteer. time or location. Volunteers can engage In 2020 our dependence on digital with organizations, causes and projects at communications technology intensified when any time, from all over the globe. Online governments across the world locked down volunteer activities can include website their citizens in an effort to curb the spread development and maintenance, fundraising, of COVID-19.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Develop a Microvolunteering Action a Guide for Charities & Nonprofits
    How To Develop A Microvolunteering Action A Guide for Charities & NonProfits Brought to you by ‘Help From Home’ Change http://www.helpfromhome.org/ tthe worlld iin jjustt your pyjjamas A leading provider of microvolunteer actions Contents Introduction to Microvolunteering 2 What Is A Microvolunteering Action? 3 Microvolunteering Action Types 4 So Why Should You Set One Up? 5 Where’s The Evidence That People Participate in Such Actions? 5 Why Should Volunteers Participate in Microvolunteering Actions? 6 How To Develop A Microvolunteering Action 7 What Attracts People To A Microvolunteer Action? 8 Where Does A Nonprofit Start? 10 So, What’s Next? 12 Useful Websites 12 Microvolunteering Smartphone Apps 13 To Build An App or Not? 14 App Development Suggested Stages 14 Promotion / Marketing 15 Summary 17 Appendix A: How Other Initiatives Developed Their Microvolunteering Projects 19 Appendix B: Examples of Other Initiatives Microvolunteering Ideas 30 Appendix C: Idea Portal Websites 34 Appendix D: Pro Bono Support Websites 36 Appendix E: Social Collaboration Websites 41 Page 1 UK: +44 (0) 7815 159748 www.helpfromhome.org Introduction So what is microvolunteering and what’s all the fuss about? Page 2 Introduction There’s a plethora of microvolunteer actions around at the moment – you only have to look at Help From Home's (http://www.helpfromhome.org/) database of over 800 repeatable actions or Skills For Change's (http://www.skillsforchange.com/) database of one-off actions. But what if you’re an NGO, a nonprofit or a grass root initiative wanting to tap into the huge potential that the microvolunteering market can offer? Would you know how to set up a microvolunteer action? The following, therefore, is a guide rather than a step-by-step list of What is a Microvolunteer Action? Firstly, let's discover what a microvolunteer action The nonprofit that needs help asks a large(- looks like.
    [Show full text]
  • Online Volunteering Doesn't Ask Much
    Can you do Canthat you do that online? online? Micro-volunteering and crowd-sourcing by Darko Buldioski New tools demand new terms that describe them and help them improve it even further. They are [email protected] more precisely. The hot terms, although as activities spared paperwork and bureaucratic procedures they not very new, are micro-volunteering and and can focus on the work instead. crowd-sourcing. These are assignments that do not In the era of social media the networks of non-profits take long to complete; do not involve high security Be aware of slacktivism and volunteers can do a lot more than in the past. or handling of proprietary data; do not require ‘A social network is not necessarily bound by rela- much supervision; are important, as all volunteering tionships as much as it is driven by the exchange of Social networks have existed as long as humans – in Wellman points out a small fact of contempo- activities should be, but not immediately critical shared ideas and information through a one-to-one fact, the ability to socialise is a large part, maybe the rary life: making a telephone call in the wired age and can be done by just one person, rather than and one-to-many conversation that is inclusive of most important part, of what distinguishes Homo meant making a connection with a place, but ma- needing an organised team. top-down, bottom-up, inside-out, and outside-in sapiens from other primates. Since the telegraph king a phone call in the wireless age means ma- peer-to-peer interaction.’ (Solis, 2009) But put- began to wire the world, and the telephone and the king a connection with a person.
    [Show full text]
  • COVID-19 & Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
    COVID-19 & Virtual Volunteer Opportunities COVID-19-RELATED OPPORTUNITIES • Skills-based Volunteering is also something to consider. Currently, nonprofits need to divert their resources to the rising needs of the community; volunteers with particular skills can provide them with infrastructure support and capacity – whether it’s moving forward a technical or functional project that would otherwise move to the back burner or supporting their work handling the crisis directly. This is a time when skilled volunteers are needed the most and a great way to continue to engage with the community when traditional, in–person volunteering becomes less viable. o Catchafire o Common Impact o Compass o Skills for Change o Sky’s the Limit o Taproot+ o Tech Soup • United Way is recruiting for help: o As we navigate the COVID 19 crisis, there are a lot of needs that are becoming apparent. People are asking what they can do to help. United Way is currently collecting information from volunteers who are able to help in the following areas: childcare, student tutoring, food assistance/delivery. They also have opportunities for families to do at home as we practice social distancing. Please register to let United Way know how you can help. As opportunities arise, you will be contacted. You can find your local United Way here. • United Way Maryland o The United Way 211 Maryland Helpline is getting an UNPRECEDENTED number of calls from people who are worried, who are concerned, and who need our help to connect to vital resources. The 211 team works 24/7 and is answering the thousands of calls that are coming in related to COVID-19.
    [Show full text]
  • LAST Virtual Volunteering Guidebook Available in the Energize Inc
    From The LAST Virtual Volunteering Guidebook Available in the Energize Inc. Online Bookstore By Jayne Cravens and Susan J. Ellis https://energizeinc.com/store/last_virtual_volunteering_guidebook Table of Contents Preface xiii Introduction xv Evolving Technology.................................................xv What This Guidebook Is Not ..........................................xvi Virtual Volunteering Is Part of All Volunteering.............................xvi Who Should Read This Book? ........................................ xvii Understanding Virtual Volunteering 1 1 What Is “Virtual Volunteering”? .........................................1 History of Virtual Volunteering ..........................................4 Who Volunteers Online and Why........................................5 More Myths to Dispel ................................................5 Why Involve Online Volunteers? ........................................6 Is Your Organization Ready for Virtual Volunteering? .........................7 The Challenges of Cyberspace..........................................8 Getting Ready for Virtual Volunteering 13 2 What Is Already Happening at Your Organization?..........................13 Are Volunteers Visible on Your Web Site Today? ........................14 Overcoming Resistance..............................................14 Resistance from the Volunteer Resources Manager .....................15 Resistance from IT Staff...........................................15 What Will Virtual Volunteering Cost? ....................................15
    [Show full text]