"Utilizing Technology for Volunteer - Involving Organizations", paper by Mark Gannon - March 2001

ICT as Accessibility

Potentially the most important aspect of the new ICT is it's use in accessibility. This refers 2 separate but related aspects:

volunteers finding out about an organisation and finding routes into its volunteering opportunities; and

how technology can assist people to physically volunteer.

Online matching is an excellent example of the first point. There are numerous sites on the Internet (see Appendix 1) that have large databases of available opportunities that will present potential volunteers with lists of volunteering opportunities based on criteria that they specify. The previous case study is a good example.

In terms of actually involving volunteers through innovative use of technology, there are several exciting initiatives (see McNutt 2000; Graven et al 1998). By far the most innovative and exciting of them is 'virtual volunteering', a major new advance in volunteering in the last few years. This does not mean volunteering without a real person, but is more about the 'style' of the volunteering. " 'Virtual Volunteering' refers to volunteer tasks completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet and a home or work computer. It's also known as online volunteering, cyber service, telementoring, teletutoring and various other names." (Ellis and Cravens 2000, p1). This would include tasks that are key to an organisation but need not be completed on site, such as web design, research, writing, etc. Therefore, it cannot replace a lot of the volunteering that currently goes on, but might be seen as complementary to what currently happens. It might allow volunteer managers to do those things that they would like to do but maybe do not have the time, space or money to get volunteers to do.

There are many advantages to virtual volunteering. The main advantage is that the volunteers do not physically have to locate to where the organisation is. There are, therefore, savings in terms of workspace but also working materials and travelling expenses. It also enables organisations to search for the right person with the right skills and not be constrained by distance. The right volunteer could be within 10 metres of the office or might be 10, 000 kilometres away. With virtual volunteering the only constraint is the depth of your imagination in how to involve online volunteers. Susan J. Ellis and Jayne Cravens have written an excellent book on the subject called 'The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook' (2000) which is available to download for free (see Appendix 1). As well as an in-depth look at virtual volunteering, the book also contains an excellent section containing links to relevant Internet-based resources. Despite taking a while to download and print off at around 130 pages, this really is a brilliant resource and should be in the possession of any volunteer manager contemplating utilising volunteers in this way, or indeed any volunteers thinking of donating their time 'virtually'.

Case Study: A good example of a virtual volunteering website is the one hosted jointly by NetAid.org and United Nations Volunteers. The website can be found nowadays at Mercy Corps and is particularly good as it not only enables volunteers to search for opportunities and for volunteer-involving organisations to post them, but it also gives some interesting and useful background information, explaining why and how people should volunteer online and why and how organisations can host online volunteers.

For those still unclear what virtual or online volunteering is, then the site also gives good examples of the types of things that online volunteers can do. The range of activities potential volunteers can undertake are limitless and examples of assignments on this site include Spanish translation, online research, fundraising, database development, creative writing, development of teaching materials and online medical advice. The nature of the work also means that it is very much international in focus, although it can obviously be carried out wherever there is a PC, highlighting the benefit of virtual volunteering.

Virtual volunteering has many benefits, as already discussed, but it is also a way to include people often socially excluded from society, such as people with disabilities or older people. Whilst not a replacement for traditional volunteering, it is undoubtedly an exciting development that volunteer managers can harness quite easily, but with astonishing results.

 

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