Blog Posts
Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
Posted on February 22, 2021
Our brains are wired in a way that the moment the word ‘volunteering’ pops, we imagine tending to the needs of the elderly, tutoring the underprivileged, and likewise. All in person!
However, it’s time we change this because Virtual Volunteering is now the talk of the town and this trend is here to stay for the good. But what is this new thing people call Virtual Volunteering? Let’s find out.
What is Virtual Volunteering?
Virtual volunteering or online volunteering is when someone donates their virtual time and skills to an organization or an institution without physically being present at the site. All you need is an internet connection to deliver your skills from the comfort of your home!
Virtual Volunteering proved to be a boon during the pandemic, and had it not been for the coronavirus, this trend would have still been at a nascent stage. But now, online volunteering has not just bloomed, it quite literally has a garden of its own.
Also Read: How to Create a Virtual Auction – The Ultimate Guide to Set Up
And why not? With the world adjusting to ‘working from home’ scenarios, volunteering virtually for a cause that is close to one’s heart makes perfect sense. Moreover, this shift was important to keep the economy of the country up and running, and for the nonprofits that mostly depend on volunteer work.
The Importance of Online Volunteering Opportunities
While the pandemic opened the Pandora Box of problems, the way online volunteering opportunities has put most of them back is commendable. The list of how it has benefited the e-volunteers (digital volunteers or virtual volunteers) is huge. Some of the noteworthy benefits are:
Flexibility
In online volunteer work, you are your own boss and can work at your own pace and time. There can nothing be better than this! This way, one not only ends up developing time-management skills but has something concrete to add to the resume. What more; the search engines designed to offer virtual service opportunities enable the volunteers to filter the opportunities as per the time they want to devote.
Skill-based
You only have to present your skills. You are not required to dress up and represent the firm. This means one can be a night owl or a morning person as per the mood. Not only this, between the two focus points i.e. a virtual volunteer and an online virtual opportunity, there are absolutely no restrictions that prevail like physical deformities, distance, dirty politics, etc. If you are skilled, you will lead no matter what!
Global
You can fully explore the sea of online virtual opportunities as you are no longer restricted either by distance, location, or area. Instead, taking up online volunteer work for a new, far-off location will only enhance your skills, better your sense of understanding, and teach you new things. Now, what can be better than this? You are enjoying and learning at the same time. A total win-win situation.
Also Read: Virtual Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits – Online Events
Online/Virtual Service Opportunities
Now that we know the importance of virtual volunteer opportunities, let’s delve a bit deeper into what sort of service opportunities can one find in the virtual world. Some of them are as follows:
- Translating/Transcription of documents
- Proofreading documents/translations/transcripts
- Researching on topics for content management
- Designing a website/inner pages/landing pages
- Writing press releases and proposals
- Designing SMO posts to keep people engaged
- Organizing events to create awareness
- Designing a newsletter or a publication
- Providing expertise – legal, financial, business
- Counselling people
- Mentoring the mentees
- Managing accounts
- Developing strategic plans for the firm’s growth
- Creating logo
- Raising funds for a cause
- Empowering the volunteers to make the most of fundraising
- Tutoring kids
Please note that these virtual service opportunities are just the tip of the iceberg. The online volunteer opportunities offered in the real world are much more diverse than this and the number is a lot higher too. You can type in keywords like “online volunteer opportunities” or “virtual online work for nonprofits” or anything that you deem fit to search online. If not, we have a ready reckoner of resources for you to refer to in case you are falling short of virtual volunteering ideas.
Some Volunteer Resources That Can Help You Out
- AARP’s Create the Good
- Idealist.org hub of Covid-19-related virtual volunteer opportunities
- All for Good, a service of the Points of Light Foundation
- The United Nations posts global volunteering opportunities
- Volunteer Match’s Covid-19 hub
Virtual Volunteer Events
Now, what if you choose to be a part of an organization that needs to raise funds for a cause? An event will have to be put into an order where people can bid (if it’s an auction) or donate (if it’s a donation), right?
And clearly, in-person donations and auctions are something nobody would prefer, especially now when the world is wreaking havoc, thanks to the pandemic. But just because in-person events are off the table doesn’t mean organizations can’t raise money!
It’s here that virtual volunteer events fill in the gap. However, how online volunteer events work is a thing to discuss.
How Do Virtual Volunteer Events Work?
The steps involved in making any virtual event work are as follows:
- Choose the right platform for the online event to raise funds for nonprofit
- Promote the virtual event as much as possible
- Connect with the supporters
- Follow-up with the supporters
Among all these points, nothing really works if the foundation is flawed. Choosing the right platform/ software for the virtual event is, thus, the base that can make or break the entire event.
The platform should be such that it is user-friendly, allows easy payments, provides notifications, and encourages participation.
How to Choose the Right Platform for Virtual Events?
- Choose an all-in-one platform that has everything in place.
- Go for the technology that offers virtual networking.
- Look if the platform offers additional insights and tools.
- Pay attention to the user-experience the platform offers.
One of the best platforms worth considering is iConnectX as it not only encourages online participation, it also fulfills the above criteria. And any platform that fulfills the same is bound to make any virtual online event a total success.
Wrapping Up
Virtual volunteering is, thus, a process that encompasses a volunteer helping an institute from the comfort of the home using skills that are delivered online.
While the benefits of online volunteering are umpteen and can easily be understood, finding online volunteer opportunities are a tad bit on the tougher end. And what is even tougher is its execution part. Because we understand the entire scenario, resources wherefrom opportunities can be found are shared along with the platform you can use to carry on with virtual events.
Long story short, going ahead with an online event can be tricky but not when you have the right software. iConnectX is one of the best solutions for the same. Being a leading event management platform, one can easily promote, tally registrations, sell tickets, and do a lot more to make the online event a success.
Get in Touch with Us
If you still have how(s), why(s), and what(s) making you feel dizzy, we are here to help you out. All you need to do is get in touch with one of our team members by either giving us a call or by joining the live chat.