Virtual Volunteering | A New Way to Lend a Helping Hand

This article was originally published in the Idealistas Blog on June 25, 2021.

COVID-19 transformed everything, including the way we manage our daily activities and livelihood. We were forced to reprogram our daily lives and achieve personal goals with limited mobility. However, the pandemic also increased our awareness of those who are most in need.

As we move forward with reopening in some parts of the world, there remains an overabundance of need and ways to contribute, especially in areas where confinement may still be a reality. If you’re looking for new opportunities to help others, virtual volunteering may be an ideal way to do so.

Here are two quick tips on how to start planning to volunteer remotely:

Identify your strengths and abilities 

Recognize what skills you have to offer and search for opportunities that align with your skillset. Your related skills can come from academic knowledge, professional experiences, and hobbies. Remember that your abilities should also include innate qualities such as leadership, time management, or tech-savviness.

Identify causes that you are passionate about

While virtual volunteering can prove to be a rewarding experience, it can present some challenges as well. Some obstacles that virtual volunteers mays experience include feeling disconnected from the overall mission, lack of technical expertise, and connectivity issues. It’s important to reflect on the issue area that you are most passionate about to ensure your continued motivation, even in the face of these challenges. 

Before seeking a remote opportunity, ask yourself, “What cause drives me? What am I most concerned about? What do I want to dedicate my time to?” And before committing to an initiative, consider any required tasks and responsibilities, as well as the necessary time frame, overall goal(s), or expected skills.

Find opportunities

Using our Volunteer+ directory, you will be able to explore a variety of remote volunteering opportunities. Here’s how to get started: 

1. Click on this direct link to visit the Volunteer+ directory. 
2. Once you’re on the results page, click on “Remote,” which you can find in the “Location and Remote Preferences” box at the top left-hand side of your screen. You can further narrow your search by issue areas, date, skills, and language by using the filters also located on the left side of the screen. 
3. Review the results and click on the opportunity of your choice. 

Here are some recently published remote volunteer opportunities that you will find using the Volunteer+ directory:

• Volunteer for Animal Rights - The Humane League
• Remote ESL Volunteer - The Tandana Foundation
• Treasurer - Uganda Village Project
• Social Media/Outreach Volunteer - Stoop Stories
• Online Tutor - Union Station Homeless Services

Don't miss out on the chance to make an impact from home. Many more opportunities are waiting for you!

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Check out other great remote volunteering opportunities on Idealist.