Online Volunteering - Making a difference from inside your room
- Julia
- Jul 16, 2019
- 3 min read
Volunteering had been a big part of my life for several years until I went to College. I found myself in the middle of nowhere with little understanding for the needs of my surroundings. I felt useless. I had previously always been lucky to live in big city but now I started asking myself: how would I be able to serve the world from here?
"I felt useless"
One day, I had the great opportunity to be part of a collaboration project from International Connector that was conducted entirely online. Slowly it started to occur to me that there was an entire world of opportunities open for me to access just from inside my college dorm: the internet. It made me realize that today it doesn't matter where you are because you can make a difference from anywhere. There are no excuses - you can and should put yourself out there.
"Today it doesn't matter where you are because
you can make a difference from anywhere"
One of the easiest way to make a difference without leaving your room is by volunteering online.
This is an amazing platform where you can look for organizations and projects that need skills that you have. If you speak another language you can help with translations, you can help edit texts and with social media campaigns or use your artistic, research or management skills. Just check it out - an organization may need YOUR skills.
The aim of this platform is to connect Nonprofit organizations in the US with skilled volunteers who can help them fulfill their mission and save a lot of money that they can then use to pursue their cause. Simply put in a skill that you have and the website will give you organizations who need someone with that skill - who need you.
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Both UN Online Volunteers and Catch a Fire require an application - as if you were applying for a job. Don't be discouraged by this, though, instead see it as an opportunity to gain experience and make connections. It also, by the way, looks great on your resume or CV.
You can also use other platforms and search for remote or online opportunities in particular.
Apart from helping you find local opportunities it also allows you to filter for "virtual" opportunities. People are looking for everyone from a social media coordinators or human resources managers, to people who can offer their time to call lonely elderly people.
Similar to Volunteermatch Idealist also allows you to filter for "remote" opportunities.
Footsteps.org - help students get into College
This organization connects college and university students with prospective applicants. Did you struggle with all the paperwork, scholarship and financial aid applications and exam preparations? Here's your chance to make it easier for others!
Librivox - lend your voice and help share stories
Librivox is a public domain for free audiobooks. This doesn't only brighten the day of children but also people who have difficulty reading (or seeing). You don't need anything but to download free software on your computer and a microphone (e.g your headphones).
Particularly if you can speak other languages you can help share stories all over the world.
Tandem - help people learn your language(s)
This is an app that connects people who want to learn each other's languages. But you can also register and be open to communicate with anyone. You make a difference by making new friends and helping them improve their English (or any other language you speak). For many people - this can open doors that are life-changing.
Do It (UK only)
Volunteer search engine that allows you to filter for "Do It from home" but only for UK based organizations (as far as I could understand)
Create the Good (US only)
Another search engine where you can to filter for "Home/remote" but only for US based organizations, I think.
Use Changemaking apps
If you are excited by the prospect of all the new opportunities you are now aware of you may want to check out my blogpost on mobile apps that help you make a difference. None of these are volunteer apps because they don't require you to spend more than a few minutes on them each day, but it's definitely worthwhile to check out - some of them can even help you save a lot of money on food!
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