Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism

Implications for Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement

April 2014 USE OF INTERNET, SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES, AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY FOR VOLUNTEERISM

Implications for Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement

Report Prepared by Sarah Conroy and Alicia Williams

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

Acknowledgments This study was conducted on behalf of the AARP Office of Volunteerism and Service. The authors would like to thank Daniel Sunshine, Linda Barrett, Laura Skufca, Veral Hylton, Ashley Marion, Jen Martin, Sara Langhinrichs, Dorothy Howe, Lindsay Sena, Angela Foreshaw, Jenn Baier, Valerie DiSalvio and Kristin Walus for providing instrumental input and support throughout the development of this project. The authors would also like to specially recognize the American Red Cross, the Alzheimer’s Association, Feeding America, the National Council of La Raza and the United Way of Central Iowa for sharing their experiences with respect to using the Internet, social media and mobile technology for civic engagement and volunteering. Their knowledge and experience provided invaluable insight to this project. For additional information, please contact the authors at [email protected] or [email protected].

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 5 Best Practice Recommendations for Use of the Internet, Social Media, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes ...... 6 Key Survey Findings ...... 8

LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 11 Trends in Volunteering ...... 11 Demographic Trends in Device Ownership, Internet Use, Social Networking, and Mobile Technology ... 14 Trends in Internet Use and Social Media Related to Volunteerism ...... 19 Challenges in Using Social Media with Respect to Volunteerism ...... 22 Trends in Mobile Technology Related to Volunteerism ...... 23 Virtual Volunteering Overview...... 24 Trends in Virtual Volunteering ...... 25 Benefits of a Virtual Volunteer Program ...... 27 Challenges Related to Virtual Volunteerism ...... 28 Conclusion ...... 28

DETAILED SURVEY FINDINGS ...... 30 Summary ...... 42

APPENDIX ...... 43 Survey Methodology ...... 43 Respondent Counts ...... 43 Annotated Questionnaire ...... 44 Bibliography ...... 49

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Reported Internet Use, by Age ...... 30 Figure 2: Reported Use of Social Networking Sites, by Age ...... 31 Figure 3: Reported Volunteering in Past Year, by Age ...... 32 Figure 4: Number of Activities that Respondents were Willing to Perform ...... 34 Figure 5: Willingness to Use the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes, by Type of Activity ...... 35 Figure 6: Willingness to Perform Specific Activities, by Social Networking Site Use and Reported Volunteering ...... 39 Figure 7: Percentage of Respondents with and without Concerns about Using the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes ...... 41 Figure 8: Ranking of Concerns Regarding Use of the Internet, Social Networking Sites and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes ...... 42

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Percentage of Respondents Who Use the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Who Have Volunteered in the Past Year ...... 33 Table 2: Willingness to Perform the Specific Activities, by Selected Demographics Characteristics ...... 37 Table 3: Predictors of Willingness to Perform the Activities, by Selected Demographic Characteristics . 40

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report was undertaken in order to provide insight and guidance to AARP about the effective use of the Internet, social media and mobile tools for increasing and strengthening volunteer recruitment and engagement; and thereby maximize community impact. This report involved a three-step research approach:  A literature review to gain insight on overarching trends in the use of Internet, social media and mobile technology among U.S. adults, with added attention paid to the use of these technologies for volunteering purposes;

 A survey of adults age 40 and older, to assess the general willingness among this group to use the Internet, social networking sites and mobile technologies for volunteering purposes; and,

 Internal conversations with staff of AARP volunteer programs and conversations with external organizations about their experiences using these technologies in their volunteer efforts, with the goal of identifying best practices and recommendations for the use of these technologies for volunteering purposes. Notably, the following external organizations were selected based on their innovative and impactful work in this area:

o The American Red Cross – The American Red Cross has virtual volunteers (i.e., Disaster Digital Volunteers) who scan and respond to conversations on social media in times of disaster. The organization also developed the Team Red Cross app, a mobile application in which users can familiarize themselves with what it is like to volunteer with the Red Cross through videos and quizzes, are notified of volunteer opportunities in their area, and can share volunteer opportunities with their friends.

o The Alzheimer’s Association – The Alzheimer’s Association utilizes Alzheimer’s Ambassadors who seek to develop relationships with members of Congress in an effort to make Alzheimer’s disease a national priority. Ambassadors incorporate social engagement in their advocacy efforts by, for example, reaching out to members of Congress on Twitter. Additionally, they utilize Peer Volunteers (i.e., virtual volunteers who are members of the association’s online community, ALZConnected). Peer Volunteers provide support on message boards to fellow online community members who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

o The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – NCLR is a Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization that has developed a Mobile Action Network that updates network members on relevant news and sends calls to action via text messages in order to inform and engage advocates around their causes.

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o The United Way of Central Iowa – The United Way of Central Iowa has a volunteer mobile application that allows users to geographically locate volunteer opportunities in their local area.

o Feeding America – Feeding America promotes small actions on their organization’s social media pages to stimulate conversation and action regarding the issue of hunger in the United States. For example, during Hunger Action Month in 2013, they posted a Facebook Application that displayed a map of the United States. The more actions users took, the more orange (the color of hunger awareness) their state would become. Actions included spreading the word about statistics on hunger, connecting with their local food bank, and taking a SNAP Challenge.

Best Practice Recommendations for Use of the Internet, Social Media, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes The following are best practice recommendations derived from the three-step research process noted above. Organizations should consider how these strategies can be used to bolster their volunteer recruitment and engagement efforts.

Social Media  Actively engage volunteers who are already in the social media and mobile space. These volunteers are more likely to engage actively on social media than those who are less comfortable or familiar with the technology.  Use organization social media pages to serve as a touch point for engagement. Engage the social media community by finding easy and enjoyable ways to get them thinking and talking about the issues important to the organization’s mission.  Volunteers should be encouraged to engage with the organization’s social media pages; and to speak about the benefits of their volunteer work—and its impact on the communities they serve—via their personal social media profiles. As such, volunteers can be important advocates for volunteer programs as they can give a volunteer’s perspective of what it is like to serve as a volunteer for the program. Additionally, family members and friends are more likely to value the opinions of the volunteers than ‘corporate voices’.  Share social media guidelines with volunteers, so they feel comfortable speaking about their volunteer experience. Additionally, volunteer training should be an important piece of the social media strategy—so volunteers feel comfortable to speak about the program and cause online.  Some challenges should be anticipated when it comes to using social media to engage volunteers, particularly among the older cohort. To help minimize these challenges, explain why

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social media is important and beneficial to the organization’s efforts; and provide tangible, real- life examples that demonstrate the powerful impact of social media. To address volunteer privacy concerns, make sure to discuss general Internet safety dos and don’ts as well as the various privacy settings available on social media sites to help protect privacy.  Staff buy-in is also important to be able to effectively convey to volunteers the importance of social media. This requires training staff who work with volunteers on using social media, and encouraging them to engage on social media regularly. Continued support, including follow-up and feedback is critical to sustaining volunteer and staff engagement with social media.

Mobile Technology  As smart phone and tablet prevalence continues to grow, and as mobile devices represent the primary way many younger adults, Hispanics and African Americans access the Internet, it is important that volunteer organizations explore incorporating mobile technology into their volunteer recruitment and engagement strategy, particularly when searching for potential ways to increase the diversity of their volunteer base. Consider utilizing a mobile application as an interactive way to recruit and engage volunteers. For example, mobile apps can serve as an interactive way for volunteers to learn about and locate volunteer opportunities in their area. Also, consider text messaging as an additional option for communicating with volunteers, as it is an increasingly popular communications vehicle.

Virtual Volunteering (i.e., carrying out volunteer activities over the Internet)  It is important to provide virtual volunteering opportunities that are attractive to both traditional volunteers and contemporary volunteers looking for episodic or short-term opportunities, while also making sure the opportunities have an impact and meet organization goals. As volunteers leave their current traditional positions, use that time to re-evaluate those positions for potential virtual opportunities. Although virtual volunteering is not meant to replace traditional volunteer roles, it can be an effective means for providing greater flexibility and expanding the capacity of the organization.  To manage some of the challenges inherent in virtual volunteering (e.g., feelings of isolation, feeling overwhelmed), maintain regular communication with volunteers so they feel adequately supported. Provide regular feedback to volunteers and develop a solid recruitment strategy in order to make sure the right volunteers are selected for the job. There is a misconception that virtual volunteering requires less time on the part of the volunteer, and less of a management effort on the part of the supervisor. However, virtual volunteering often requires just as much time; and managing virtual volunteering programs requires just as much effort—perhaps even more so—to clearly communicate tasks.

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The best practices noted above provide useful direction and guidance to volunteer managers regarding the implementation of these strategies for their volunteer programs. But, the question remains: “Are volunteers and prospective volunteers willing to use these technologies for volunteering purposes?” To answer this question, a national survey was conducted among adults age 40 years and older to examine their use of the Internet and social networking sites, and the extent to which they would be willing to use these technologies for volunteering purposes. The survey was conducted for AARP by AUS Marketing Research/SSRS via its telephone omnibus survey service. Interviews were conducted from January 29, 2014 through February 8, 2014, among a nationally representative sample of 1,021 adults ages 40 and older. The key findings from the survey are presented below.

Key Survey Findings  Three in four adults (76%) age 40 years and older report using the Internet, whether via a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or some other device. Nearly six in 10 (59%) report using the Internet one or more times a day.

 Among Internet users age 40 and older, six in 10 (64%) also use social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).

 Use of the Internet and social networking sites, however, declined with age. Adults age 40-49 were the most likely to report using the Internet and social networking sites; and they were also the most likely to report using these on a daily basis. Adults age 65 and older, in contrast, were the least likely to report using the Internet and social networking sites; and they were the least likely to report using them daily.

 Nearly six in 10 adults (57%) age 40 and older reported volunteering in the past year. Volunteering rates were fairly similar across age groups. Internet users—particularly those age 50 and older—were more likely than respondents overall to report volunteering in the past year.

 Education level, employment status, and household income were significantly related to Internet use, social networking site use, and volunteering. Specifically, having at least some college education, being employed and having a household income of $50,000 or more were related to increased reports of Internet use, social networking site use and volunteering.

 In order to gauge the extent to which adults age 40 and older are willing to use the Internet, social networking sites, and mobile technology for volunteering related purposes, Internet users where asked about their willingness to perform seven specific tasks related to volunteering:

o Volunteer virtually (i.e., carry out volunteer activities over the Internet). o Go online to learn about volunteer opportunities. o Join an online group or community that shares their commitment to a cause or issue that they care about.

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o Sign-up for text alerts that notify them when volunteer opportunities meeting their interest become available. o Download a mobile app that helps them geographically locate volunteer opportunities in their local area that meet their interest. o Sign-up for a volunteer opportunity that they learned about on a social networking site. o Share information about a cause or issue they care about on a social networking site.

 Four in 10 Internet users (42%) were not willing to perform any of the activities examined; however, the majority (57%) was willing to perform at least one activity (with an average of 1.8 activities overall).

 Among the seven activities, the top three activities that Internet users were most willing to perform were: Go online to learn about volunteer opportunities (32%); Join an on-line group or community that shares their commitment to a cause or issue that they care about (31%); and Share information about a cause or issue they care about on a social networking site (30%).

 Notably, nearly a quarter of Internet users (24%) were willing to volunteer virtually; and about a fifth of Internet users were willing to download a mobile app to locate volunteer opportunities in their area (21%), sign-up for a volunteer opportunity they learned about on a social networking site (19%), and sign-up for text alerts about available volunteer opportunities (19%).

 The frequency of use of social networking sites, gender, and employment status were key predictors of willingness to perform nearly all of the seven activities, with social networking site users and women being more willing to perform the activities; and retired adults being less willing to perform the activities. Notably, several additional predictors were found for virtual volunteering: age (willingness decreases with age) and education level (i.e., willingness increases with college education).

 To provide some additional context to respondents’ stated willingness to perform the activities, Internet users were asked whether or not they had any concerns about using the Internet, social networking sites, and mobile phones for volunteering purposes. Although the majority of respondents did not have any concerns, four in 10 did. Among those who expressed concern, the most cited concern was Privacy (55%); followed by not trusting social media (21%) and concerns about Security/Hacking/Safety/Scams (15%).

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Summary These findings from this survey highlight the potential use of the Internet, social networking sites, and mobile technology for volunteering purposes. Specifically, the findings suggest that focusing on volunteers and prospective volunteers who are already using social media may be the best avenue for recruiting and engaging volunteers in roles that involve these technologies. Being female and being employed also tends to increase the likelihood of one’s willingness to use technology for volunteering purposes. As individuals increasingly engage and connect using new technologies, the use of social media, mobile and virtual volunteering strategies represent an additional avenue to expand an organization’s reach and ultimately broaden the organization’s community impact.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

This document synthesizes research collected by the AARP Library and reviewed by AARP Research that pertains to social media and mobile strategies as they relate to volunteerism, as well as virtual volunteering. The synthesis begins with an overview of demographic trends in volunteerism as well as in social media and mobile technology usage to provide a general landscape of the respective environments. The document then discusses trends in social media and mobile technology related to volunteerism, and challenges in utilizing these technologies for volunteerism. In addition, this synthesis includes a discussion of the meaning of virtual volunteering, trends related to virtual volunteerism, and challenges in implementing virtual volunteer programs.

Trends in Volunteering Demographic Trends in Volunteering Approximately 27 percent of Americans—an estimated 64.5 million people—volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2011 and September 2012, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “Volunteering in the United States” report (2013). Notably, this volunteering rate has held fairly steady from 2008 to 2012, varying by less than one percentage point during the five-year period.

There is variation in organizational volunteering rates by age, however. Statistics show volunteering rates are the lowest between the ages of 18 and 24 years (currently, about 22%); it reaches its peak around 34-44 years of age (currently, 31.3%); then gradually declines thereafter (ranging between 29% and 30%). This peak in volunteering is typically associated with parenting roles, such as PTA, fundraising, youth sports, and scouting programs (Harvard School of Public Health—Medlife Foundation, 2004). And, contrary to conventional thinking about limited time and multiple commitments being significant barriers to volunteering, the peak is also associated with having more, rather than fewer obligations and commitments (Harvard School of Public Health—Medlife Foundation, 2004).

Organizational volunteering rates also vary significantly by race and ethnicity. Among the major racial and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic whites (28%) continue to volunteer at higher rates than do African Americans (21%) and Hispanics (15%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). The rate of volunteering among Hispanics is especially low. Quotah (2008) asserts that this is due, in part, to a cultural divide; specifically, charitable organizations have often found that Hispanics are unfamiliar with many volunteer organizations and the work that they do—especially those new to the United States or those who have not yet fully adapted to U.S. culture. Additionally, Hispanics are believed to be more likely to volunteer informally (i.e., “help” their friends and neighbors) rather than volunteer for organizations (Quotah,

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2008). Consequently, the rate of Hispanic volunteering is likely underrepresented in national volunteer statistics given that informal volunteering activities such as these are not typically assessed in volunteer surveys.

Rates of Organizational Volunteering, 2008-2012

35% Overall 32% 31% 31% 31% 30% 18-29 30% 29% 30% 29% 29% 28% 28% 28% 28% 28% 28% 30-49 26% 26% 27% 27% 27% 25% 24% 24% 24% 24% 24% 50-64

21% 21% 21% 21% 20% 65+ 20% 20% 21% 19% 20% 19% White 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 14% African American 10% Latino 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Source: Volunteering in the United States—2013. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. ______

Societal changes (such as advances in technology, changes in the way people work, limited available time, quick response expectations, etc.) are driving new trends in volunteerism (Glasrud, 2007). One such trend is that volunteering is becoming more personal and secular (Williams, Fries, Koppen and Prisuta, 2010). Although religious institutions have historically been the vehicle through which Americans most often volunteer, volunteering through these institutions has been declining steadily over the years (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2011). At the same time, Americans are increasingly volunteering on their own. The increase in informal volunteering has not been at the expense of organizations, however. In a study of volunteering among adults 45 years of age and older, AARP Research (2012) found that the percentage of adults who volunteered solely through organizations declined by 13 percent from 2003 to 2012. In contrast, the percentage of those volunteering solely on their own increased by 5 percent during that same time period. However, the largest change found in volunteering rates was in the percentage of adults volunteering both through an organization and on their own—an increase of 21 percent. A deeper analysis of the findings revealed that the decrease in volunteering solely through organizations was not the result of organizational volunteers switching to more informal volunteering activities; rather, organizational volunteers were increasing their volunteering activities by taking on additional informal volunteer roles.

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Organizational and Informal Volunteering, by Year (Percentage of Adults Age 45+) 80%

60% 44% Only Through an 39% Organization 40% 28% Only On Own 18% 23% 16% 20% Both 11% 15% 12% 0% 2003 2009 2012

Source: Civic Engagement among Mid-life and Older Adults: Findings from the 2012 Survey on Civic Engagement. AARP Research, 2012 ______

Age differences were also evident. Although volunteers across the various age groups were more likely to report giving their time both through an organization and on their own than either way solely, volunteers age 50 and older were more likely than volunteers under 50 to report this (47% compared with 39%, respectively).

Racial and ethnic differences also have been found. Specifically, non-Hispanic whites (55%) were more likely than African Americans (52%) and Hispanics (39%) to volunteer through or for an organization (Williams, Fries, Koppen, et. al., 2010). No differences were seen among the groups with regard to informal volunteering, however.

General Trends in Volunteering A trend in volunteerism that has recently emerged is a shift from regular, long-term volunteering roles to more episodic, occasional, or one-time volunteer activities. Graff (2002) defines episodic volunteering as volunteering that takes place in short periods of time, usually not more than three to four months in duration, or may be an even shorter, recurring duration (e.g., annually). Idealist.com’s Volunteer Management Resource Center (2013) further notes that, although episodic volunteering may create significant challenges for organizations that rely on having consistently available volunteers; organizations need to adjust to this new trend if they wish to continue to attract and engage volunteers. Increasingly, volunteers are looking for ways to engage in a short-term capacity. Glasrud (2007) asserts that, given this, prospective volunteers will sign-on more readily for episodic volunteer roles than they will for traditional, long-term roles.

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Glasrud (2007) notes other emerging trends for which volunteer organizations will need to prepare: volunteers will expect to be given a wide range of activities from which to choose; they will be less organization-minded and more mission-focused; they will be more demanding about the way organizations involve them; and they will have little tolerance for poor volunteer management.

To prepare for these changes, Glasrud (2007) recommends that organizations make the following changes: make sure recruitment and engagement language directed at volunteers and prospective volunteers is less organization-focused and more mission-focused; develop more episodic roles and consider new options such as volunteer job sharing; and as volunteers age out of their positions, reevaluate their roles to ensure the roles are contemporary and of interest to both traditional and the new breed of volunteers.

Demographic Trends in Device Ownership, Internet Use, Social Networking, and Mobile Technology Device Ownership

Adult Gadget Ownership, by Year (% of Americans 18+ who own each device) Cell phone 100% 91% 84% 85% 84% 87% 75% 78% Desktop 80% 73% computer 65% 65% 62% 59% 55% 58% Laptop 60% 68% computer 61% 57% 56% 52% 45% 35% Smartphone 40% 47% 29% 37% 39% 35% 20% 30% 10% e-Book 24% 26% 5% reader 3% 9% 0% 4% Tablet 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 computer

Source: Pew Internet Surveys 2006-2013. Note: 2013 e-reader/tablet users based on Americans Age 16+ ______

As a result of the rapid growth in mobile technology over the last decade, Americans are now using a variety of devices to stay digitally connected to their friends, family, communities, organizations, work, hobbies and interests via cell phones, smart phones, laptop computers, e-book readers, and tablets.

Cell phone Ownership Cell phones remain the mobile device that is owned by most American adults age 18 and older (91%). However, cell phone ownership declines with age. Adults age 18-29 (97%) and those age 30-49 (95%)

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are the most likely to own a cell phone; while 89 percent of those age 50-64, and 76 percent of those age 65+ own cell phones (Brenner, 2013). Cell phone ownership rates are similar across the major racial and ethnic groups; although African Americans and Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to own a smart phone, and use them for a wider range of activities (Zickuhr and Smith, 2012).

Smartphone Ownership Smartphones are rapidly gaining in popularity, with ownership increasing by 21 percentage points from 2011 (35%) to 2013 (56%) (Smith, 2013a). Although smartphone ownership currently lags behind cell phone ownership, a majority of Americans now own a smartphone. Smartphone ownership decreases with age; and young adults are its biggest users (79%). Among the 50+ segment, 45 percent of Americans age 50-64 and 18 percent of those age 65 and older own smartphones. Interestingly, as age increases, income becomes more of a factor in smartphone adoption: that is, the higher the income; the more likely the older adult will own a smart phone. Smith (2013a) further asserts that smartphone ownership is more of an “elite phenomenon” for older adults.

African Americans (64%) and Hispanics (60%) have higher rates of smartphone ownership than non- Hispanic whites (53%) (Smith, 2013a). However, Asians (81%) are the most likely of any of these groups to own a smartphone (Rainie and Smith, 2013).

Tablet and E-Reader Ownership Ownership of tablet computers (e.g., an iPad, Kindle Fire, Google Nexus, etc.) has increased significantly in recent years, from just 4 percent in 2010 to 35 percent in 2013—a 31 percentage-point increase during the three-year period (Rainie and Smith, 2013). Significant growth also has occurred with e- readers (e.g., Kindle and Nook); from 5 percent in 2010 to 26 percent in 2013—a 20 percentage-point growth rate in the three-year period.

Adults age 30-49 are more likely to use a tablet or e-reader than any other age group. E-readers and tablets are also especially appealing to college graduates and those with household incomes of $50,000 or more (Rainie and Smith, 2013).

There are some racial and ethnic differences in ownership of e-readers and tablets. Specifically, non- Hispanic whites (26%) are more likely than African Americans (21%) and Hispanics (21%) to own e- readers; while Hispanics (37%) and non-Hispanic whites (35%) are more likely to own tablets than African Americans (29%) (Rainie and Smith, 2013).

Internet Use The Internet has become an integral part of the daily lives of Americans. Currently, 85 percent of Americans are using the Internet to perform a wide range of activities, including using search engines,

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sending or reading email, looking for information on a hobby or interest, getting news, using social networking sites, and playing online games (Pew Research Center, 2013a).

Adult Internet usage is correlated with education, household income and age. In fact, these are the strongest positive predictors of Internet use—transcending any other demographic differences. Seniors (adults age 65 and older, 56%), adults with less than a high school diploma (59%) and those with household incomes of less than $30,000 are less likely than others to have Internet access (Zickuhr and Smith, 2012).

Notably, although seniors are the least likely of the age groups to be online, about four in ten (43%) have a high-speed home broadband connection (Zickuhr and Smith, 2013); while about one in five cell phone owners access the Internet via a cell phone or smartphone (22%). Among the seniors who access the Internet by cell phone or smartphone, just 10 percent access the Internet mostly through their phones. This compares to a third (34%) of cell Internet users overall (Duggan and Smith, 2013).

Seniors are also the least likely among adults age 50+ to be comfortable using the Internet. About a quarter (26%) of Internet users age 65+ say they are extremely or very comfortable using the Internet; compared to nearly half (49%) of Internet users age 50-64 (Koppen, 2010). Hispanics age 50 and older were also much less likely than 50+ adults overall to feel comfortable using the Internet. Just 15 percent of Hispanics age 65+ consider themselves to be extremely or very comfortable using the Internet; compared to one quarter of (24%) Hispanics age 50-64 (Koppen, 2010).

Historically, Internet use has varied across demographics such as race and ethnicity, with Asians and non-Hispanic white households more likely to report Internet use than African American and Latino households (File, 2013). However, recent increases in Internet adoptions rates—facilitated by increases in mobile connectivity (particularly cell phones and smartphones)—have helped to narrow the digital divide. Currently, 86 percent of non-Hispanic whites, 85 percent of African Americans and 76 percent of Hispanics access the Internet (Pew Research Center, 2013b).

Cell Phone Internet Use Currently, almost two-thirds of cell phone users (63%) go online using their cell phones (Duggan and Smith, 2013). The proportion of cell owners who use their phone to go online has doubled since 2009.

The prevalence of cell phone Internet usage increased across a number of demographic groups since April 2012. This includes men and women, non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, college-educated adults, and those in high-income households (Duggan and Smith, 2013). Cell owners ages 18-29 are the most likely of any demographic group to use their phone to go online (85%), compared with seven in 10 (73%) cell owners ages 30-49, and half (51%) of those ages 50-64. Just 22 percent of cell owners age 65 and older go online through their phones, making seniors the least likely demographic group to go online from a cell phone.

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Hispanic and African American cell Internet users are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to access the Internet mostly by way of a cell or smart phone. Six in 10 Hispanic and four in 10 (43%) African American cell Internet users are cell-mostly Internet users, compared with 27 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

Text Messaging A majority of cell phone owners, across various race/ethnicities, household income levels, and education levels, send or receive text messages, although Hispanics (85%), those with household incomes of $50,000 or more (89%), and those with a college education (85%) are more likely than their counterparts to do so (Duggan and Rainie, 2012). Text messaging declines with age. Nine in 10 cell phone users age 18-29 (97%) and 30-49 (92%) send or receive text messages. The rate of texting drops significantly, however, among those age 50 and older. Specifically, seven in 10 (72%) cell phone users age 50-64 and about one-third (34%) of cell phone users age 65+ send or receive text messages (Duggan and Rainie, 2012).

The average number of texts sent on a normal day similarly decreases with age, with cell users age 18-29 sending and receiving the most text messages (87.7), and those age 65+ sending and receiving the fewest (4.7) (Smith, 2011; Pew Research Center, 2012).

Downloading Mobile Apps Downloading apps is not as prevalent among adult Americans as texting is. In an April 2012 study, just four in 10 cell phone owners stated that they had downloaded an app to their phone (Duggan and Rainie, 2012). As with texting, however, apps are most popular among cell phone owners age 18-29 (65%) and age 30-49 (53%); than with older cell phone owners age 50-64 (25%) and 65+ (8%). Additionally, cell phone owners with higher household income levels and those who are college- educated are more likely than their counterparts to download mobile apps. African-Americans (50%) are also more likely than Hispanics (44%) and non-Hispanic whites (40%) to download mobile apps.

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Social Networking

Percentage of Internet Users Who Use Social Networking Sites 2005-2013 100% 92% 87% 89% 86% 83% 90% 86% 78% All 80% 76% 73% 68% 72% 77% 70% 67% 61% 69% 72% 18-29 60% 64% 66% 67% 61% 48% 57% 60% 50% 49% 52% 30-49 47% 49% 50% 40% 46% 29% 38% 43% 50-64 30% 34% 24% 29% 32% 20% 16% 25% 26% 9% 11% 65+ 10% 8% 8% 7% 13% 4% 6% 7% 0% 1% Feb-05 Aug-08 May-08 Apr-09 May-10 Aug-11 Feb-12 Aug-12 Dec-12 May-13

Source: Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project Tracking Surveys, February 2005 -May, 2013. ______

Slightly more than seven-in-ten (72%) Internet users use social networking sites—a large increase from just 8 percent in 2005 (Brenner and Smith, 2013). Women (74%) and urban dwellers are more likely than men (70%) and rural users, respectively, to be on social networking sites.

Social networking site use declines with increasing age. Young Internet users under 30 (89%) are the most likely to use social networking sites; but social networking continues to grow in popularity for older adults. Six out of 10 Internet users age 50-64 and four in 10 Internet users (43%) age 65+ are using social networking sites. Notably, although seniors (those age 65+) are the least likely of other age groups to use social networking sites, adoption rates for this group have tripled in the last four years (from 13% in the Spring of 2009 to 43% currently) (Brenner and Smith, 2013).

For older users, family members and friends often play an important role in getting them to use social networking sites. In a study of 50+ social media users, Koppen (2010) found that users of social networking sites were most often introduced to social media by family members (47%) or their friends (24%). Among those introduced by a family member, three-fifths (63%) said the “introducer” was their son or daughter.

Social Networking Platforms Among social networking site platforms, Facebook is, by far, the most used by American adults. Currently, over two-thirds (67%) of Internet users use Facebook, 16 percent use Twitter, 15 percent use Pinterest, 13 percent use Instagram, and 6 percent use Tumblr (Duggan and Brenner, 2013). Facebook is a clear frontrunner among the social networking sites, across age groups, race/ethnicity, education, urbanity, etc. (Duggan and Brenner, 2013).

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 18

Among social networking sites other than Facebook, African Americans are more likely than others to use Twitter; African Americans and Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to use Instagram; and non-Hispanic whites are more likely than others to use Pinterest (Duggan and Brenner, 2013). (Note: no available data could be found on the rates of Facebook use by race/ethnicity.)

Trends in Internet Use and Social Media Related to Volunteerism

Internet Use and Group Activities In a 2011 study of the Internet and group activity (Rainie, Purcell and Smith, 2011), a majority of adults said the Internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to perform a wide range of activities. Internet users were much more likely than non-users to believe the Internet has a major impact on group structure and behaviors. Notably, about two-thirds (64%) of Internet users said the Internet has a major impact on the ability of groups to impact society at large; and just over half of Internet users said the Internet has a major impact on impacting local communities. This compares to 45 percent and 38 percent of non-users, respectively, who said this.

The Percentage of Adults Who Say the Internet has a “Major Impact” on the Ability of Groups to … Internet Users Non-Internet Users Communicate with members 75%* 44% Draw attention to an issue 68%* 43% Connect with other groups 67%* 40% Organize activities 65%* 41% Impact society at large 64%* 45% Raise money 55%* 41% Recruit new members 55%* 38% Impact local communities 52%* 38% Find people to take leadership roles 35% 33% Source: Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, November 23‐December 21, 2010 Social Side of the Internet Survey. N=2,303 adults 18 and older. *Indicates statistically significant difference between Internet users and non‐users. ______

Among the Internet users that were active in groups, four in ten (41%) said the Internet has had a major impact on their own ability to organize activities for their group; a third (33%) said it had a major impact on their ability to find groups that match their interest, and slightly under a fourth (24%) said it had a major impact on their ability to volunteer their time to groups.

Internet users also were asked about the outcome of their group activities. Those who noted their group goals had been achieved were asked whether or not the Internet played a significant role in helping them achieve those goals. At least one-fourth or more respondents noted that the Internet

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 19

played a major role in helping them achieve the following goals: get a candidate elected to office (53%), raise awareness about an issue (46%), solve or change an issue in society at large (38%), raise money for a cause (33%), provide emotional support or assistance (28%), solve or change a local problem (26%) and provide financial support or assistance (26%).

Social Networking and Group Activities Groups are increasingly utilizing social networking sites. Additionally, Rainie, Purcell and Smith (2011) found that social networking site users were more likely to be active in groups such as charitable or volunteer organizations, community groups and neighborhood associations, with 82 percent of social networking site users and 85 percent of Twitter users active in groups compared with 75% of Americans overall.

Group members are often using social media to connect with and support their groups, according to Rainie, Purcell and Smith (2011). Sixty-five percent of social network site users who are group members say they read updates and messages about their groups on these sites, and 30 percent say they have posted news about their groups on social networking sites. Additionally, 63 percent of Twitter users read updates and messages about their groups on Twitter, and 21 percent post about them. In general, these figures decline with age (Rainie, Purcell and Smith, 2011).

Ages

Total 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+ Read updates on social networking sites about your groups (among social network users active in groups that use 65% 75% 60% 64% 41% social network pages, N=579) Post news about your group on a social networking site (among social network users who are active in groups, 30% 40% 27% 25% 15% N=895)

Source: Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, November 23‐December 21, 2010. Social Side of the Internet Survey. N=2,303 adults 18 and older, including 748 reached via cell phone. N for those active in groups=1,833. (Rainie, Purcell and Smith, 2011) ______

Additionally, of Internet users active in groups, social networking site users are more likely to report having discovered groups on the Internet (32% vs. 11% of non-social networking site users), say that the Internet makes it possible to participate in a lot more groups (33% vs. 15%) and report spending more time on group activities because of the Internet (30% vs. 12%) (Rainie, Purcell and Smith, 2011).

Social networking can be an effective tool for stimulating civic engagement. Smith (2013b) notes that discussions of political or social issues on social networking sites can spur users to get more involved or

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 20

learn more about those issues. These actions, Smith adds, can be encouraged by discussions among friends, as well as from posts made by organizations or public figures.

In a 2012 study, Smith found that 43 percent of social networking site users said they decided to learn more about a political or social issue because of something they read about on a social networking site; and 18 percent of social networking site users said they decided to take action involving a political or social issue because of something they read on those sites. In each instance, users were evenly split between those who found out about the issue in question from someone they know personally, and those who found out about it from someone they don’t know personally, such as an organization or public figure. Younger social networking site users were especially likely to engage in deeper investigations of issues based on discussions within those sites, as were those with a college degree.

Email and social networking site users are frequently contacted and asked to take part in civic activities within these spaces (Smith, 2013b). Smith asserts that, although online tools play a secondary role in Americans’ day-to-day political discussions with others, they have more prominence when it comes to outreach by groups or organizations looking to encourage political action (such as donating money, contacting a public official, or working for a candidate or cause). The findings further indicate that those who were “personally affected” by the political or social issue, are more actively involved, across a range of platforms.

Percentage of American Adults Who are Asked to Perform Civic Actions Regularly Manner in which They were Asked Total (i.e., daily, every few days, once a week) Print letter 43% 12% Phone call 35% 12% Email 31% 18% Asked in-person 23% 3% Asked on a social networking site 16% 8% Text message 5% 2% Asked on Twitter 2% 1% Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, July 16-August 7, 2012 Tracking survey. N=2,253 adults ages 18 and older. Margin of error is +/-2.4 percentage points based on all adults. ______

Social Networking and Volunteerism Causes individuals care about and the desire to make a difference are becoming a larger part of individuals’ identities on social media, according to Robert Rosenthal, director of communications at VolunteerMatch.org (Rosenthal, 2011). Relatedly, according to a recent study, 76 percent of social

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 21

media users who support causes on and/or offline agree it is important to them to influence others to care about their chosen charities or causes (Georgetown University Center for Social Impact Communication/Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, 2013).

The UN Volunteers (2011) State of the World’s Volunteerism report asserts that social media has “been used by volunteers and organizations for recruiting, organizing collective action, increasing awareness, raising funds and communicating with decision makers.”

Non-profits are increasingly using social media to channel individuals’ desire to develop a social identity around the causes they care about. Rosenthal (2011) identifies two major trends in using social media for volunteer engagement among non-profits: (1) using social media to facilitate volunteer activities including recruiting, rewarding, story-telling, re-engaging, managing, orienting, etc.; and (2) expanding opportunities beyond traditional volunteer roles by developing new forms of volunteering and innovative ways to engage supporters. (This encompasses micro-volunteering and small-scale programs and campaigns, such as fundraising campaigns, that are outside of the scope of this project).

With respect to volunteer recruitment, although research is sparse, there is some evidence that suggests the use of social media for volunteer recruitment is not as widespread or trusted as traditional methods. A survey among non-profits in New York State found that just over half (53%) of non-profits used social media for volunteer recruitment, compared to 96 percent using word of mouth, 94 percent using referrals, 77 percent using organization websites, and 73 percent using local schools and organizations. Of the 53 percent who did use social media for this purpose, half found the method effective while the other half found it ineffective (The Siena College Research Institute, 2011-2012). Similarly, in a survey of 100 non-profit hiring managers conducted by The Chronicle, nearly 57 percent said they used social networks to ‘gather’ volunteers (Joslyn and Panepento, 2010).

Challenges in Using Social Media with Respect to Volunteerism According to UN Volunteers (2011), social media may perpetuate “clicktivism” — which may prevent supporters from participating in more meaningful engagement. In other words, it has been argued that while social media might help raise awareness of social causes, it does not inspire the passion to create effective social change (UN Volunteers, 2011).

The aforementioned survey of social media using adults who support causes on and/or offline (Georgetown University Center for Social Impact Communication/Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, 2013) takes a deeper look at the question of whether or not social media engagement inspires further action. It finds that an overwhelming majority of respondents (82%) agree social media is effective in getting people to talk about the causes or issues, while fewer, although still a notable amount, say it is effective in raising money (55%), and motivating online (50%) and offline (32%) action.

Yet, over half (55%) of respondents who engaged with a cause on social media reported being inspired to take further action. Common actions included donating money (68%) and volunteering (53%).

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 22

Respondents who took further action reported that the top motivators for taking further action were reading a story on social media (56% report this as a motivator), watching an online video (41%), seeing a photo on social media (40%), and recognizing that family and friends were also taking action (39%).

Thus, the study suggests that social engagement does, in fact, have the potential to inspire further involvement. It also implies that a challenge lies in creating compelling content, e.g., stories, videos and images to inspire individuals to take further action.

The study also looked at barriers in getting individuals to support causes online. The respondents were segmented with respect to actions they were willing to take. A plurality (40%) of respondents were “mainstreeters,” who, while active on social media, only supported causes offline. Half of this group was age 45 or older. “Moderates,” on the other hand, will volunteer, and also use Facebook to talk about causes. Their average age is split between 25-44 and 45 plus. “Minimalists,” averaging between ages 25-44, will only support causes online, and “maximizers,” averaging between ages 18-34, will support causes online and offline, to a great extent. Interestingly, a majority of all segment groups aside from “minimalists” were reluctant, at least at one point, to support a cause online, commonly citing the fear of sharing too much personal information. Also cited was the notion that offline support was more satisfying. Thus, it appears, according to the study, that overcoming privacy barriers by establishing trust and communicating the value of online engagement will be requisite to engage reluctant social media- using volunteers online.

Additionally, in a study of three former and 13 current volunteers at a Community Dance Center (Hovey, 2010), volunteers raised several concerns about social media. Among the concerns were that social media promotes impersonal communication, and raises issues with privacy. It is important to note; however, that many of the study participants were not actively connecting with the center on social media.

Hence, several challenges that nonprofits may face include overcoming privacy barriers, presenting social media as a tool that could deepen organization-volunteer relationships rather than hinder or replace in-person interaction, and communicating the value of social media to volunteers who see it as a trivial endeavor.

Trends in Mobile Technology Related to Volunteerism Texting The UN Volunteers (2011) State of the World’s Volunteerism report recognizes that increased access to affordable mobile devices has expanded opportunities for volunteers. The report notes that SMS text messaging has perhaps had the deepest impact, in that volunteers use it to raise awareness on issues. It is important to note that the study focuses on developing countries, and provides the example of volunteer health workers using SMS text messages to report symptoms of a disease.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 23

Groups and group members also use text messaging to communicate with each other. Interestingly, in a 2011 study of group activities, 45 percent of texters who were active in groups said they send and receive texts with group members and leaders, and 42 percent of those who are active in groups said their groups use texting (Rainie, Purcell and Smith, 2011).

Mobile Applications Interestingly, in the study of nonprofits in New York State (The Siena College Research Institute, 2011- 2012), 12 percent reported using a mobile application to stay in contact with their volunteers, while only 4 percent reported using social media. Both of these methods considerably trail telephone (91%), email (88%), face-to-face (87%) and mail (63%) as ways to remain in contact with volunteers.

Additionally, mobile technology has facilitated the growing trend of “micro-volunteerism.” Micro- volunteering is typically defined as easy and low-commitment actions that take less than 30 minutes to complete (Help from Home, 2013b). Although not all micro-volunteering involves the use of a mobile device, it is recognized that mobile phones have great potential in reaching individuals who have short increments of time to spare, considering that many mobile users are attached to their devices. Even still, micro-volunteer opportunities should be available on any platform that allows people to engage in short increments of time (Colker as cited in Fritz, n.d.). [For more information, see the Trends in Virtual Volunteering section.]

Virtual Volunteering Overview Definition of Virtual Volunteering For the purposes of this study, virtual volunteering will be defined as carrying out volunteer activities over the Internet. This may span a range of tasks, including providing technical assistance (such as web design) or interacting directly with clients (such as online tutoring).

Jayne Cravens and Susan Ellis, authors of The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook (2000), and most recently, The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook (2013), define virtual volunteering as “a term describing a volunteer who completes tasks, in whole or in part, off-site from the organization being assisted, using the Internet and a home, school, telecenter or work computer or other Internet-connected device” (Cravens and Ellis, 2013). The term online volunteering is also used to describe the concept. Although much of the literature offers similar definitions to Cravens and Ellis (such as Mukherjee, 2011), there is no clear consensus on the concept of or tasks performed by virtual volunteers (Peña-López, 2007). A lack of consensus in the non-profit sector became clear after scanning virtual volunteer opportunities posted on VolunteerMatch.org. The volunteer opportunities listed as ‘virtual’ often referred to opportunities in which there was no fixed address. In other words, they were opportunities that someone could do on their own time; but the action was not through virtual means—which is not virtual volunteering as we are defining it.

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Tasks Performed by Virtual Volunteers In the Virtual Volunteering Guidebook (2000), the authors describe two types of virtual volunteers: technical assistance volunteers and direct client contact volunteers. Technical assistance volunteers have a certain level of expertise and assist staff in completing a project or objective, usually resulting in a final product. Tasks include conducting research for grant proposals or newsletters, graphic design, translating documents and providing professional consulting expertise such as human resources, accounting and legal advice. Direct client contact volunteers connect with the organization’s clients via the Internet. Examples include electronically visiting homebound individuals, online mentoring, managing chat room support lines, etc. Robert Rosenthal, director of communications at VolunteerMatch suggests that some of the most popular opportunities are technical ones—including HTML coding, web development and graphic design. However, there is a gradual shift to ‘traditional opportunities’ facilitated by the Internet—or, as Cravens and Ellis (2000) would call them, direct client contact volunteer opportunities—as volunteers feel more comfortable working in a virtual environment (Vail, 2008).

Trends in Virtual Volunteering Sources contend that virtual volunteering represents a growing trend (UN Volunteers, 2011; Conhaim, 2003). Robert Rosenthal, director of communications for VolunteerMatch, reports that virtual volunteering has experienced a great deal of growth: “We see around 260 to 290 virtual-volunteering opportunities posted every month. Looking back about two years, some of those numbers were around 170 or 180” (as cited in Vail, 2008). It is important to note, however, that many of the virtual opportunities listed on VolunteerMatch.org are not virtual as we are defining it.

Additionally, in a 2012 survey of representatives of organizations from a variety of countries (primarily non-profit, NGOs, charities and government agencies), 36 percent reported that they have volunteers that work online from their home, work, school or other offsite location using a computer or handheld device (this could include micro-volunteering) compared to 81.3 percent who reported having volunteers that work onsite (Cravens and Jackson, 2012).1

Sources report that non-profits are slow to integrate Internet technology into their volunteer programs (Glasrud, 2007). This could represent forgone potential, and suggest that organizations should reevaluate their conception of roles volunteers could fill (Ellis, 2012; Glasrud, 2007; Vail, 2008). Ruth MacKenzie, president and CEO of Volunteer Canada, believes that virtual volunteering represents a real growth area, citing that about 80 percent of individuals posting on getinvolved.ca (a Canadian volunteer matching site) were interested in virtual opportunities, while only 20 percent of organizations were looking for virtual volunteers (The Canadian Press, 2011).

1 The authors noted the limitations of the survey, including the small sample size.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 25

There is evidence that suggests a lack of awareness of virtual volunteering, however. In a survey of New Yorkers, 88 percent of respondents were not aware of any forms of technological or “virtual volunteering.”

However, once made aware, 44 percent (14% very, 30% somewhat) reported they were likely to volunteer in this manner (The Siena College Research Institute, 2011-2012). Since the number one barrier to volunteering is time, the study suggests educating the public on volunteering activities that could take less time and offer convenience—such as technological volunteering (The Siena College Research Institute, 2011-2012). However, research suggests that virtual volunteering requires a time commitment just as traditional volunteering does (Cravens and Ellis, 2013). Then, the appeal might be that virtual volunteering may be more convenient, and, in some cases, offer more flexibility.

Trends in volunteerism in general could also result in the growth of virtual volunteerism. These trends are driven by societal trends; for instance, the transition from a producer to a consumer economy (Glasrud, 2007).

With the shift to a consumer economy, comes a new wave of consumer volunteers (mostly younger)— who volunteer to fulfill their needs, for example, broadening their skill sets (Glasrud, 2007). Other new ways volunteers are serving include highly skilled, pro bono volunteerism (Ellis, 2012), which may be facilitated in a virtual environment.

Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch noted that “one of the trends that’s really driving growth is the trend around choice and finding something that’s personally meaningful and utilizes your skills. Virtual volunteering is a by-product of that new trend. It’s a new way for volunteering to be relevant” (Vail, 2008).

Another trend in volunteerism is that volunteers tend to want short-term, episodic assignments. That is, volunteers are more willing to fulfill duties that require only a few hours of their time, and no ongoing commitment—perhaps related to the need for instant gratification. Relatedly, individuals express willingness to serve, but do not believe their busy schedules allow it (Ellis, 2012; Glasrud, 2007). There is the misconception that having little time to volunteer lends itself to virtual volunteering (Cravens and Ellis, 2013). However, in certain cases, virtual volunteering opportunities may provide the convenience and flexibility to be appealing to those who have competing obligations.

All of this, however, does not mean that many volunteers are not passionate about causes—many are very eager in this respect. However, although some volunteers are organization-loyal, volunteers are becoming more mission-minded, and will focus on furthering a cause, according to Glasrud (2007), rather than an organization (a function of decreasing workplace loyalty). This suggests that recruitment and engagement language should be adapted accordingly (Glasrud, 2007).

The challenge lies in being of interest to both traditional and new volunteers, while also providing volunteer opportunities that fulfill the organization’s needs.

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Micro-volunteering Micro-volunteering has emerged as a way for individuals to help with little commitment and in small increments of time (typically taking less than 30 minutes) (Help from Home, 2013b). Oftentimes, no training or screening is required. Examples include transcribing documents, tagging photos, and donating photos for organizations to use (Help from Home 2013a; Paylor, 2012). Some argue that even activities such as signing an online petition would be considered micro-volunteerism (Help from Home, 2013b); although this would never be considered volunteering if done in-person (Peña-López, 2007). While short volunteering activities are not necessarily new, new developments in technology have sparked interest in finding ways for individuals to engage via the Internet and mobile technology (Paylor, 2012). Activities can be “crowdsourced”—meaning that they can be opened up to a large group of people (McKee, n.d.). For example, the Do Some Good app provided five- minute volunteer activities such as reporting incidences of bullying, donating photos to a photo bank, and answering surveys (Paylor, 2012).

One perspective is that this form of impersonal engagement would serve to impede more meaningful volunteer engagement (UN Volunteers, 2011). On the other hand, it can be argued that micro- volunteering is not meant to replace traditional volunteering; however, it demonstrates the necessity of exploring different ways individuals can engage and redefining what it means to volunteer.

Benefits of a Virtual Volunteer Program Notably Cravens and Ellis (2000) purport that virtual volunteering should not be considered a substitute for traditional volunteering, but rather serve to expand the services that can be offered by volunteers. Virtual volunteering expands the capacity of organizations that may be strapped for resources (World Volunteer Web, 2005; UN Volunteers, 2011).

Virtual volunteering can attract volunteers who are otherwise reluctant to commit to volunteer opportunities given their busy schedules, as virtual volunteer opportunities typically offer flexibility. That is, volunteers can often work on their own time and the commute to onsite locations is typically eliminated (World Volunteer Web, 2005; Scott, 2013; Gardyn, 2006; UN Volunteers, 2011). Notably, however, Cravens and Ellis (2013) contend that virtual volunteering is not for those who do not have time to volunteer; virtual volunteering requires a time commitment just as traditional volunteering does.

Virtual volunteering may also attract individuals who prefer volunteering online versus onsite. Relatedly, it has been suggested that virtual volunteering may remove barriers related to social inhibitions and stereotyping (UN Volunteers, 2011; Amichai-Hamburger, 2007). However, again, Cravens and Ellis (2013) relay that most online volunteers also serve in person. In fact, many virtual volunteers are social, and their yearning for interaction attracts them to volunteering (Cravens and Ellis, 2013).

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 27

Additionally, geographic barriers can be eliminated which allows for a more diverse volunteer workforce and access to wider skill sets and expertise (Dhebar and Stokes, 2008; 1-800-Volunteer.org). However, oftentimes, virtual volunteers working off-site also volunteer onsite for the same organization, or look for opportunities that are geographically nearby (Cravens and Ellis, 2013).

Virtual volunteerism also opens up opportunities for volunteers with a disability (Cravens and Ellis, 2013; 1-800-Volunteer.org; Amichai-Hamburger, 2007). In fact, in an analysis of older adult participation in virtual volunteering (ages 53 to 67), 44 percent of the 22 volunteers interviewed had a chronic illness that limited their mobility, and almost all volunteers expressed that working from home enabled them to consider the commitment (Mukherjee, 2011).

Challenges Related to Virtual Volunteerism Virtual volunteers may feel isolated, undervalued or lose interest while volunteering, particularly if volunteer supervisors fail to regularly communicate and provide feedback (Cravens and Ellis, 2000). Regular communication is critical to motivating virtual volunteers and clarifying expectations (Dhebar and Stokes, 2008). While some nonprofits may assume virtual volunteers are easier to manage than traditional volunteers, some experts contend that more time may be required to support virtual volunteers (Gardyn, 2006). Additional communications may be needed with the absence of face-to-face interaction and feedback.

Relatedly, as face-to-face interaction is typically lost, virtual volunteering may be more impersonal; and some contend that this could serve to impede meaningful volunteer engagement (UN Volunteers, 2011). This further demonstrates the importance of communicating with virtual volunteers, and providing virtual volunteer opportunities that have an impact.

Additionally, virtual volunteer programs may experience difficulty with retention or in getting virtual volunteers to follow through with their commitment (Dhebar and Stokes, 2008; onlinevolunteering.org, 2010). Working to meet these challenges requires implementing best practices in virtual volunteer management as appropriate.

Conclusion Using the Internet, social media, and mobile technology for volunteer recruitment and engagement represents an interesting opportunity for the volunteer community. As adults are increasingly entering the social and mobile space; and as organizations welcome a new wave of volunteers; social media and mobile strategies can facilitate new ways to deeply engage volunteers. For instance, volunteers can act as ambassadors for the organization and its cause on social networks. Additionally, virtual volunteerism provides an avenue for nonprofits to expand the services offered and meet organizational goals. That being said, these strategies will certainly be met with challenges—such as privacy concerns and the

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reluctance of volunteers to use these technologies in a volunteer role. Ultimately, the challenge will lie in envisioning how these technologies can be used to enhance the volunteer experience and further the organization’s mission.

To examine the willingness of volunteers and prospective volunteers to use the Internet, social media, and mobile technologies for volunteering purposes, a national survey was conducted. The survey was conducted for AARP by AUS Marketing Research/SSRS via its telephone omnibus survey service. Interviews were conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,021 adults ages 40 and older. The findings from the survey are presented in the following section of this report.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 29

DETAILED SURVEY FINDINGS

Use of Internet Three in four respondents (76%) reported that they use the Internet via a computer, smartphone, tablet or other device. Nearly six in 10 respondents (59%) access the Internet one or more times a day; one in six respondents (17%) access the Internet less often. About one quarter of respondents (24%), however, report not accessing the Internet at all.

Reported Internet usage declined with age. Respondents age 40-49 were the most likely to report using the Internet daily (72%); while those age 65 and older were the least likely to report using the Internet daily. Adults age 65 and older were also the most likely to report not using the Internet at all (35% never use it, 10% do not have Internet access; compared to 9% and 1% of adults age 40-49, respectively).

FIGURE 1. Reported Internet Use, by Age

100%

90%

80% 41% At Least Daily 70% 59% 62% 60% 72% Every Few Days 9% 50% 4% Every Few Weeks 2% 40% 9% 8% Every Few Months 4% 30% 5% 35% 4% 5% Never/Not at all 20% 11% 3%

Percentage Percentage of Respondents 20% 10% 3% 18% No Internet Device 9% 10% 0% 4% 1% 3% Total 40-49 50-64 65+ (n = 1,021) (n = 164) (n = 450) (n = 406)

Internet use increased by education level, employment status, and household income. For example, although nearly 6 in 10 respondents with a high school diploma or less (57%) reported using the Internet, they were less likely than those having at least some college experience to report using the Internet. Additionally, respondents who were employed (either full-time or part-time) were more likely

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 30

than those who were retired or otherwise not employed to report using the Internet. Likewise, respondents with incomes of $50,000 or more (93%) were more likely than those with incomes of $30,000 (55%) to report using the Internet. (See Table 1.)

Use of Social Networking Sites Among Internet users, six in 10 (64%) also use social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and similar sites). Specifically, more than a third (36%) use social networking sites on a daily basis; about one in seven (15%) use social networking sites several days a week, and one in eight (13%) use social networking sites less often. Slightly more than a third of Internet users (35%) do not use social networking sites at all.

Internet users age 40-49 were the most likely to use social networking sites on a daily basis, with nearly half (46%) reporting doing so (compared with 35% of Internet users ages 50-64, and 22% of Internet users age 65 and older). In contrast, slightly more than half of Internet users age 65 and older do not use social networking sites at all.

FIGURE 2. Reported Use of Social Networking Sites, by Age

100% 90% 22% 80% 36% 35% At Least Daily 46% 70% 13% 60% 6% Every Few Days 15% 14% 5% 50% 18% 10% Every Few Weeks 40% 9% 4% 4% 30% 10% 4% 54% Every Few Months 20% 35% 37% 10% 22% Never/Not at all

Percentage Percentage of Internet Users 0% Total 40-49 50-64 65+ (n = 768) (n = 148) (n = 400) (n = 220)

Women were also more likely than men to use social networking sites. Additionally, as with Internet use, those with at least some college experience, those who are employed, and those with household incomes of $50,000 or more were more likely than their counterparts to use social networking sites. (See Table 1.)

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 31

Volunteering

Nearly six in 10 respondents (57%) reported volunteering in the past year. Volunteering rates were fairly similar across age groups, with approximately half of respondents reporting that they volunteered in the past year. Internet users—particularly those age 50 and older—were slightly more likely than respondents overall to report volunteering in the past year.

FIGURE 3. Reported Volunteering in Past Year, by Age

100% 90% 80% 66% 70% 63% 61% 62% 57% 56% 60% 60% 52% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Percentage Percentage of Respondents Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Overall Internet Users

NOTE: Overall: n=1,021; 40-49=164; 50-64=451; 65+=406; Internet Users: n=768; 40-49=148; 50-64=375; 65+=245

Education level, employment status and household income were related to volunteering in the past year. Respondents with at least some college experience, those who are employed, and those with household incomes of $50,000 or more were more likely than their counterparts to use social networking sites. (See Table 1.)

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 32

TABLE 1.

Percentage of Respondents Who Use the Internet and Social Networking Sites; and Who Volunteered in the Past Year

Use Social Volunteered in Use Networking the Internet Sites Past Year (n=768) (n=474) (n=592) Total 76% 49% 56% Age 40-49 90 70 56 50-64 79 49 60 65+ 58 28 52 Gender Male 74 42 54 Female 77 55 58 Education No Diploma 47 30 42 HS Graduate 61 38 45 Some College 91 60 68 College Graduate or more 91 61 65 Employment Status Employed Full-Time 90 63 62 Employed Part-Time 84 58 64 Retired 59 30 51 Other 66 45 49 Household Income Less than $30,000 55 38 46 $30,000 - $49,999 77 45 53 $50,000 -$74,999 92 59 65 $75,000 or more 94 64 71

Willingness to Volunteer

Among the 44 percent of respondents who reported not having volunteered in the past year, 39 percent stated their willingness to volunteer in the future.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 33

Willingness to Use the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes

Respondents who reported using the Internet with any frequency were asked to what extent they would be willing to perform seven specific tasks related to volunteering:

 Volunteer virtually for an organization or group (i.e., carry out volunteer activities over the internet).  Go online to learn about volunteer opportunities.  Join an on-line group or community that shares their commitment to a cause or issue that they care about.  Sign-up for text alerts that notify them when volunteer opportunities meeting their interest become available.  Download a mobile app that helps them geographically locate volunteer opportunities in their local area that meet their interest.  Sign-up for a volunteer opportunity that they learned about on a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).  Share information about a cause or issue they care about on a social networking site.

Their level of willingness was rated on a five-point scale where a rating of “1” was equal to “not at all willing” and a rating of “5” was equal to “very willing.” Importantly, a rating of “4” or “5” was assessed as being willing to perform the specific activity.

Among the seven activities examined, Internet users, on average, were willing to perform 1.8 activities. Notably, although four in 10 Internet users (42%) were not very willing to perform any of the activities requested (i.e., rated their level of willingness a range of 1-3), the majority (57%) was willing to perform at least one activity.

FIGURE 4. Number of Activities that Respondents were Willing to Perform

50% 42% 40% 30%

(n=768) 17% 20% 12% 8% 10% 5% 5% 5% 5% Users 0%

Percentage of Internet 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Number of Activities

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 34

Regarding the specific activities, nearly a third of Internet users (32%) were willing to go online to learn about volunteer opportunities. Three in ten were also willing to join an online group or community that shares their interest on a cause or issue that they care about (31%) or share information on a cause or issue they care about on a social networking site (30%).

About a quarter of respondents (24%) were willing to volunteer virtually and around a fifth of respondents were willing to perform the other tasks (i.e., download a mobile app, sign-up for an opportunity learned about via a social networking site, or sign-up for text alerts about opportunities that become available in their local area.

FIGURE 5. Willingness to Use the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes, by Type of Activity

50%

40% (n=768) 32% 31% 30% 30% 24% 21% 19% 19% 20%

10%

Percentage Percentage of Internet Users 0% Go Online to Join an Online Share Volunteer Download a Sign-up for a Sign-up for Text Learn About Group or Information Virtually Mobile App that Volunteer Alerts to Notify Volunteer Community that about a Helps You Opportunity You You When Opportunities Shares a Cause/Issue You Geographically Learned about Volunteer Commitment to Care about on a Locate on a Social Opportunities in a Cause/Issue Social Volunteer Networking Site Your Area You Care About Networking Site Opportunities in Become Your Area Available

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 35

Age differences are seen with regard to the respondents’ willingness to perform the various activities. Specifically, respondents age 65 and older were the least likely to be willing performing any of the activities requested. Additionally, respondents age 40-49 were significantly more likely than those age 50-64 and 65 and older to volunteer virtually, join an online community, and download a mobile app. The willingness to perform these three activities declined significantly with each increasing age. (See Table 2.)

Men and women also differed in their willingness to perform the seven activities. Specifically, women were more likely than men to be willing to perform six of the seven activities. No differences were found by gender, however, with regard to the willingness to download a mobile app that helps them geographically locate volunteer opportunities in their local area. (See Table 2.)

Retired respondents were generally less likely to be willing to perform the various activities than employed respondents. Specifically, retired respondents were less likely than employed respondents to volunteer virtually, join an online group or community, and share information about an issue or cause they care about on a social networking site. They also were less likely to go online to learn about volunteer opportunities than respondents employed full-time; and they were less likely to download a mobile app and sign-up for a volunteer opportunity they learned about on a social networking site than respondents employed part-time. (See Table 2.)

Finally, there were a few differences found by household income. Specifically, respondents with incomes of $30,000 or less were more likely than those with incomes of $50,000 or more to download a mobile app to locate volunteer opportunities in their area. They also were more likely than respondents with incomes of between $50,000 and $74,999 to sign-up for a volunteer opportunity that they learned about on a social networking site. (See Table 2.)

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 36

TABLE 2. Willingness to Perform the Specific Activities, by Selected Demographic Characteristics -

Alerts to Alerts to

about aabout

up for a Volunteer up for Up for Text - -

Go OnlineGo to about Learn Volunteer In Opportunities Your Area Group/ Join Online an Communityshares Your that Commitmenta Cause/Issue on You Care About Share Info Net Cause/Issuea on Social working Site Volunteer Virtually MobileDownload App a that Volunteer helpsyou Locate Opportunitiesin Your Area Sign Opportunity You that Learned about a Social Networking on Site Sign Notify Available You of Volunteer in Opportunities Your Area Internet Users Overall (n=768) 32% 31% 30% 24% 21% 19% 19% Age 40-49 (n=148) 38 43 37 33 29 25 22 50-64 (n=375) 35 28 30 21 20 20 20 65+ (n=245) 19 20 18 15 12 9 12 Gender Male (n=341) 23 26 21 19 19 11 13 Female (n=427) 41 37 37 28 23 26 24 Education HS Diploma or less (n=206) 28 32 31 21 25 21 19 Some College (n=356) 34 31 29 23 20 18 20 College Grad or more (n=206) 37 33 29 30 18 18 17 Employment Status Employed Full-Time (n=331) 35 34 30 23 18 18 17 Employed Part-Time (n=96) 34 41 39 29 28 25 23 Retired (n=219) 20 18 18 13 15 10 13 Other (n=120) 42 36 39 36 32 28 30 Household Income Less than $30,000 (n=173) 40 35 35 29 32 26 23 $30,000 - $49,999 (n=130) 27 30 25 22 19 21 14 $50,000 -$74,999 (n=116) 30 28 33 24 16 12 20 $75,000 or more (n=228) 35 34 29 25 20 21 19 Volunteered in Past Year? Yes (n=491) 36 33 31 26 21 19 20 No (n=276) 27 29 27 20 21 19 18 Uses SNS (n=474) 39 37 41 30 25 26 23 Does Not Use SNS (n=292) 21 21 10 13 14 7 12

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 37

Social Networking Site Use/Volunteering Continuum

The willingness of Internet users to perform the seven activities was also examined with regard to the social networking site use and reported volunteering. That is, Internet users were divided into four groups depending on whether or not they use social networking sites and whether or not they volunteered in the past year:

 Those who use social networking sites and volunteered in the past year;  Those who use social networking sites but did not volunteer in the past year;

 Those who do not use social networking sites; but volunteered in the past year; and  Those who do not use social networking sites; and did not volunteer in the past year.

Not surprisingly, respondents who use social networking sites and volunteered in the past year were more likely than those who do not use social networking sites and did not volunteer in the past year to perform all of the various activities examined.

Those who use social networking sites and volunteered in the past year were also more likely than those who do not use social networking sites and volunteered in the past year to be willing to volunteer virtually, share information on a cause or issue they care about via a social networking site, sign-up for a volunteer opportunity they learned about on a social networking site, and sign-up for text alerts to notify them when volunteer opportunities in their area become available. Furthermore, social networking site users, whether or not they had volunteered in the past year, were more willing than others to perform each of the activities examined.

Additionally, among non-volunteers (i.e., those who did not volunteer in the past year), social networking site users were more likely than those who do not use social networking sites to be willing to perform all of the seven activities.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 38

FIGURE 6. Willingness to Perform Specific Activities, by Social Networking Site Use and Reported Volunteering

10% Sign up for text alerts that notify you when volunteer 13% 23% opportunities that meet your interest become available 23% 5% Sign-up for a volunteer opportunity that you learned 7% 28% about on a social networking site 25% 13% Download a mobile app that helps you geographically 15% 27% locate volunteer opportunities in your local area 24% 8% 17% Volunteer virtually 28% 31% 11% Share information about a cause or issue you care 9% 39% about via a social networking site 42% 15% Join an online group or community that shares your 26% 40% commitment to a cause or issue you care about 36% 12% 28% Go online to learn about volunteer opportunities 38% 39% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Percentage of Internet Users who... Do Not Use Social Networking Sites and Did Not Volunteer in the Past Year (n=127) Do Not Use Social Networking Sites but Volunteered in the Past Year (n=165) Use Social Networking Sites but Did Not Volunteer in the Past Year (n=148) Use Social Networking Sites and Volunteered in the Past Year (n=325)

Key Predictors of Respondents’ Willingness to Perform the Seven Activities To better understand which of the following factors (i.e., gender, age, education level, employment status, household income, frequency of internet use, frequency of use of social networking sites, and whether or not the individual volunteered in the past year) have the greatest influence on the respondents’ willingness to perform the various activities, a series of linear regression analyses were performed for each activity separately and for all of the activities combined.

Across the seven activities (with the exception of joining an online group or community), the frequency of social networking site use was a key predictor of willingness to perform the activity. In other words, as the frequency of reported social networking site use increased, the willingness to perform the activity also increased. Interestingly, this generally held true even for activities that did not involve the use of social networking sites (with the one exception: joining an online group or community). Gender and employment status were also key predictors for nearly all of the activities. Specifically, being a woman tended to increase the willingness to perform the specific activity; while being retired tended to decrease the willingness to perform the specific activity. Interestingly, having volunteered in the past year was not a key predictor of willingness to perform any of these activities.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 39

Notably, there also were several additional predictors of the willingness to volunteer virtually: age (i.e., the willingness to volunteer virtually decreases with age) and education level (i.e., college-educated are more likely to be willing to volunteer virtually).

TABLE 3. Predictors of Willingness to Perform the Activities, by Selected Demographic Characteristics (n=768 Internet Users) -

ment ment

l Network l uency of uency

Age Gender Education Employ Status Household Income Volunteered Freq Use Internet of Freq Socia Use Site ing Overall (i.e., All Activities Combined) x x x x x Go Online to Learn About Volunteer x x x x Opportunities Join an Online Group or Community that x x X Shares a Commitment to a Cause/Issue You Care About Share Information about a Cause/Issue You x x x Care about on a Social Networking Site Volunteer Virtually x x x x x Download a Mobile App that Helps You x x x x Geographically Locate Volunteer Opportunities in Your Area Sign-up for a Volunteer Opportunity You x x x Learned about on a Social Networking Site Sign-up for Text Alerts to Notify You When x x Volunteer Opportunities in Your Area Become Available

x = Predictors with 50 percent or more of explained variance.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 40

Concerns about Using the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes

Although four in 10 (44%) Internet users noted they had some concerns about using the Internet, social networking sites, and mobile phones for volunteering purposes, the majority of respondents did not have any concerns.

FIGURE 7. Percentage of Respondents with and without Concerns about Using the Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes (n=768 Internet users)

Don't Know 1%

Has Concerns Does Not Have 44% Concerns 55%

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 41

Among those who expressed concern, the most cited concern was Privacy (55%); followed by not trusting social media (21%) and concerns about Security/Hacking/Safety/Scams (15%).

FIGURE 8. Ranking of Concerns Regarding Use of the Internet, Social Networking Sites and Mobile Technology for Volunteering Purposes (n=341 Internet Users with Concerns)

Privacy Concerns 55% Don’t Trust Social Media 21% Security/Hacking/Safety 11% Scams 4% Not Interested in Social Media 3% Don't Know 3% Prefer Face-toFace/More Personable 3% Not Good on/Don't Like Computers/Don't Do Much Online 2% No Time to Volunteer 2% Not Interested in Volunteering 1% Don't Want a Volunteer Commitment 0% Caregiving Concerns/Health of Loved One 0%

Summary The findings from this survey show nearly six in ten adults age 40 and over are willing to engage in at least one activity using the Internet, social media or mobile technology for volunteering purposes. Willingness is greatest for going online to learn about volunteer opportunities, joining an online group or community that shares one’s interest in a cause or issue they care about, and sharing information about such causes or issues on social networking sites. Key predictors of one’s willingness to use the technologies examined for volunteering purposes were the frequency of use of social networking sites, gender and employment status. Specifically, being a frequent social media user, being female and being employed tends to increase the likelihood of one’s willingness to use technology for volunteering purposes. These findings suggest that focusing on volunteers and prospective volunteers who are already using social media may be the best avenue for recruiting and engaging volunteers in roles that involve these technologies. As individuals increasingly engage and connect using new technologies, the use of social media, mobile and virtual volunteering strategies represent an additional avenue to expand an organization’s reach and ultimately broaden the organization’s community impact.

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 42

APPENDIX

Survey Methodology This survey was conducted for AARP via a telephone omnibus survey conducted by AUS Marketing Research/SSRS, an independent research company. Interviews were conducted from January 29, 2014 – February 8, 2014, among a nationally representative sample of 1,021 respondents 40 years of age or older. The data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the 40+ population. The overall margin of error for percentages based on these 1,021 responses is ± 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. This means that, if the survey were conducted 100 times, in 95 of those times, the percentages obtained would range within 3.1 percentage points above or below the percentages stated in this report. Respondent Counts

Social Internet Networking All Users Site Users Volunteers Total 1,021 768 474 592 Age Group 40-49 164 148 114 94 50-64 451 375 242 277 65+ 406 245 118 221 Gender Male 445 341 179 252 Female 576 427 295 340 Education No Diploma 103 41 23 41 High school graduate 285 165 97 136 Some college 405 356 222 265 College Graduated+ 228 206 132 150 Employment Status Full-Time 364 331 223 236 Part-Time 113 96 60 73 Retired 364 219 108 196 Other 178 120 82 85 Household Income Under $30k 323 173 113 153 $30k-$49.9k 173 130 71 93 $50k-$74.9k 127 116 71 85 $75k+ 241 228 152 172

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 43

Annotated Questionnaire

n=1,021 Respondents Age 40+ (164 ages 40-49; 451 ages 50-64; 406 ages 65+) The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.1% at the 95% confidence level

SM-1. How often do you go online or use the internet from any location? This could be through a computer, smartphone, tablet or other device.

At least Every Every Every NA/no once a few few few Never/not internet Don’t day days weeks months at all device know Refused 2/8/14 Total 59 9 4 4 20 4 -- -- 40-49 72 11 3 3 9 1 -- -- 50-64 62 8 5 5 18 3 -- -- 65+ 41 9 4 2 35 10 -- --

(Asked of total age 40+ who go online or use the internet or said dk or ref; n = 768; 40-49 = 148; 50-64 = 400; 65+ = 220)

SM-2. How often do you use social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other similar sites?

Every Every Every NA/no At least few few few Never/not internet Don’t once a days weeks months at all device know Refused day 2/8/14 Total 36 15 9 4 35 * -- -- 40-49 46 18 10 4 22 ------50-64 35 14 10 4 37 ------65+ 22 13 6 5 54 1 -- --

SM-3. In the past 12 months, have you volunteered, that is given your time or skills to a nonprofit organization, school, church, neighborhood association, or any other organization or group?

Yes No Don’t know Refused 2/8/14 Total 57 44 * -- 40-49 56 44 -- -- 50-64 61 39 * -- 65+ 51 49 -- --

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 44

(Asked of total age 40+ who have not volunteered in the past 12 months; n = 429; 40-49 = 70; 50- 64 = 183;65+ = 176) SM-3a. On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is “not at all willing” and 5 is “very willing”, how willing are you to volunteer your time or skills to a nonprofit organization, school, church, neighborhood association, or any other organization or group?

2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 35 20 33 50 1 Not willing at all 23 12 20 35 2 12 7 13 16 3 25 32 29 15 Willing (NET) 39 49 38 32 4 11 15 11 8 5 Very willing 28 34 27 24 Don’t know * -- * -- Refused 1 -- -- 3

(Asked of total age 40+ who go online or use the internet or said dk; n = 768; 40-49 = 148; 50-64 = 400; 65+ = 220)

SM-4. On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is “not at all willing” and 5 is “very willing,” please rate how willing you are to do the following (INSERT ITEM)…?

a. Volunteer virtually; that is, carry out volunteer activities over the internet? This could include performing various tasks or activities over the internet in order to help an organization or group. 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 58 49 57 73 1 Not willing at all 46 37 45 63 2 11 12 12 10 3 17 19 19 11 Willing (NET) 24 33 22 14 4 10 15 10 3 5 Very willing 14 18 11 11 Not applicable 1 -- 2 1 Don’t know * -- 1 1 Refused ------

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 45

b. Go online to learn about volunteer opportunities. 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 49 45 45 62 1 Not willing at all 37 34 31 55 2 11 12 14 7 3 18 17 19 17 Willing (NET) 32 38 35 18 4 14 18 15 6 5 Very willing 18 20 20 12 Not applicable 1 -- 2 2 Don’t know * -- 1 -- Refused * -- -- 1

c. Join an on-line group or community that shares your commitment to a cause or issue you care about? 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 50 41 51 64 1 Not willing at all 38 30 37 54 2 12 11 14 9 3 17 16 19 16 Willing (NET) 32 43 29 19 4 14 20 13 6 5 Very willing 18 23 16 12 Not applicable 1 -- 1 2 Don’t know * * * -- Refused * -- * --

d. Sign up for text alerts that notify you when volunteer opportunities that meet your interest become available? 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 61 55 60 73 1 Not willing at all 51 48 48 60 2 11 7 12 13 3 18 23 18 11 Willing (NET) 19 22 19 13 4 8 11 7 5 5 Very willing 11 11 12 8 Not applicable 2 * 2 3 Don’t know 1 -- 1 -- Refused * -- * 1

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 46

e. Download a mobile app that helps you geographically locate volunteer opportunities in your local area that meet your interest? 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 61 55 62 70 1 Not willing at all 51 44 52 61 2 10 11 10 9 3 14 16 13 11 Willing (NET) 21 29 19 13 4 9 15 6 4 5 Very willing 12 14 13 9 Not applicable 4 -- 6 5 Don’t know 1 -- 1 1 Refused ------

f. Sign-up for a volunteer opportunity that you learned about on a social networking site [IF NEEDED: such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other similar sites]. 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 56 45 58 71 1 Not willing at all 46 36 44 64 2 11 9 14 7 3 20 26 17 14 Willing (NET) 19 25 19 9 4 10 16 9 2 5 Very willing 9 9 10 7 Not applicable 5 4 5 6 Don’t know * -- * -- Refused ------

g. Share information about a cause or issue you care about via a social networking site. [IF NEEDED: such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other similar sites]. 2/8/14 Total 40-49 50-64 65+ Not willing (NET) 53 44 52 69 1 Not willing at all 43 35 41 59 2 10 9 12 10 3 13 16 14 9 Willing (NET) 30 37 30 17 4 13 18 14 3 5 Very willing 17 20 16 14 Not applicable 4 3 4 3 Don’t know 1 -- * 1 Refused ------

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 47

(Asked of total age 40+ who go online or use the internet or said dk; n = 768; 40-49 = 148; 50-64 = 400; 65+ = 220)

SM-5. Do you have any concerns about using the internet, social networking sites, or mobile phones for volunteering purposes?

Yes No Don’t know Refused 2/8/14 Total 44 54 1 * 40-49 36 64 -- -- 50-64 49 49 2 * 65+ 47 50 1 1

(Asked of total age 40+ who go online or use the internet or said dk and who have concerns about using the Internet, social networking sites, or mobile phones for volunteering purposes; n = 358; 40-49 = 55; 50-64 = 198; 65+ = 105)

SM-5a. Please tell me what concerns you about using the Internet, social networking sites, or mobile phones for volunteering purposes.

2/8/14 40-49 50-64 65+ Total Any (NET) 97 96 97 100 Caregiving concerns/health of loved one * -- 1 -- Don’t trust social media 21 17 18 31 Don’t want a volunteer commitment * -- * 1 Health (respondent’s) ------Not interested in social media 3 -- 3 8 Not interested in volunteering 1 -- 1 3 Not proficient with/don’t use social media 4 2 5 3 No time to volunteer 2 2 2 1 Privacy concerns 55 52 58 53 Security/hacking/safety 11 16 10 5 Prefer face to face/more personable 3 -- 4 4 Not good on computer/don’t like computers/don’t do much 2 2 2 4 online Scams 4 8 3 2 Other 6 6 6 5 Don’t know 3 4 3 1 Refused ------

(Asked of total age 50+; n = 857; 50-64 = 480; 65+ = 377) AM-1 Are you or your spouse or partner currently a member of A-A-R-P?

Yes No Don’t know Refused 2/8/14 Total 41 58 1 -- 50-64 32 67 2 -- 65+ 55 45 -- --

Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites, and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism 48

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