What is online volunteering?

• The image of a volunteer that usually springs to mind is the person who is physically out in the community lending a hand: building a house, cleaning up a park, reading with a child.
• Yet all around the globe, at any given time, thousands (if not millions) of engaged citizens volunteer virtually, using their computers, Internet, and their phones.
• Examples of online volunteering include fundraising, marketing and social media activities, web development, content writing, data analysis, and coaching

Why volunteer online?

Everyone can make a difference. Share your skills, knowledge and ideas – from a computer anywhere in the world. Online volunteering allows you to…

• Experience flexibility: By volunteering online, you can directly assist development organizations, working from a computer anywhere in the world. Volunteering online gives you a great degree of flexibility, there is no travel involved and you can volunteer the hours that fit your schedule.
• Gain knowledge and develop skills: while putting your expertise and talents to good use, you will, for example, gain knowledge on a certain development issue or on a specific region. Volunteering online will allow you to develop your existing skills, to take on new roles and assume responsibilities that your professional life may not necessarily provide.
• Work in a multicultural environment: online volunteering is an opportunity to collaborate with people of different backgrounds from all over the world. Working in an international team will allow you to develop your knowledge of intercultural communication and understand the importance of cultural sensitivity.
• Expand your networks: you will be in contact with people who share the common goal of advancing human development. Relations may last beyond the initial assignment and sometimes even life-long friendships may develop.
• Remain engaged: after a period of volunteering on site, many volunteers remain involved in the project by becoming online ambassadors or taking on other tasks that can be carried out online.

Online volunteering provides organizations with new volunteers, new and additional talent and skills, and a more diverse volunteer base. It also helps promote organizations and their mission to a much broader audience.

What difference can you make as an online volunteer?

• Enhance organizations’ resources: online volunteers provide organizations with additional skills and expertise that may not be available yet. Coming from various backgrounds and cultures, they bring new ideas and fresh perspectives.
• Develop organizations’ capacities: online volunteers can increase an organization’s institutional capacities by training staff, teaching new skills or providing guidance and advice.
• Extend organizations’ networks
• Online volunteers learn about the organizations with which they collaborate and the people it serves, and in turn share this information with their friends and colleagues - mobilizing additional support.

What kind of online volunteer tasks can you work on?

Typical volunteer oportunity themes:

• Develop, update, or manage the website for an organization or social, environmental, or political effort
• Mentor a young person
• Create a blog, podcast, video, or social networking profile for a nonprofit organization or grassroots movement
• Staff a crisis hotline for domestic violence, suicide, or other critical issue
• Review and provide feedback on an organization's strategic plan, marketing strategy, safety and security procedures, or website
• Write a grant, get the word out on fundraising, or send emails and make phone calls to current or potential donors
• Research and analysis
• Writing and editing
• Online marketing
• Translation
• Design (everything under the sun that can be designed)
• Project development and management
• Training and coaching (clients or employees)
• Consulting
• IT development
• Coordination and facilitation

Waht to consider before applying for online volunteering opportunities?