Posted on August 26, 2006

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Online Voluntarism on the Rise

As Internet access improves worldwide, online voluntarism is growing, particularly among African and Latin American organizations needing assistance, the Associated Press reports.

According to VolunteerMatch in San Francisco, 14 percent of its volunteer opportunities in 2005 — building Web sites, translating documents, preparing training manuals, etc. — were virtual, compared with 1 percent in 1998. And while many of the early projects were technology-related, organizations now realize they can outsource tasks such as creating brochures and logos. "If I could send a volunteer to Chile to teach an organization how to build a Web site, that will be ten times better than having us build it for them, but it's a hundred times more expensive," said Charles Brennick, whose Seattle-based InterConnection group links volunteer Web designers with development groups abroad.

In addition, online volunteers and the organizations they help generally communicate by e-mail or instant messaging, rarely by telephone. This saves often-limited funds and other resources by not having to provide work spaces and other support.

But online volunteering isn't practical for everything and is as time-consuming as traditional efforts. According to Elise Bouvet, a specialist with U.N. Volunteers Online, online volunteering assignments carry the same commitment, communication, and management requirements as onsite opportunities. "In both theory and practice, it's still volunteering," she said. "Only the tool that you are using is different."

Jesdanun, Anick. “Charities Thrive With Online Volunteers.” Associated Press 8/23/06.

Primary Subject: Philanthropy and Voluntarism
Location(s): National

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