There are a variety of volunteer opportunities online. There are projects that focus on helping children in need, a variety of disaster relief projects, and adoption opportunities. You can even help those affected by a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey or a tornado in Texas. Many of these projects require no formal education.
iCloudBe
iCloudBe is a community of mentors that connect at-risk students with the help they need to succeed. Through the online community, students can learn how to develop their leadership skills while helping to advance social justice in the world. The site has volunteer opportunities worldwide that can benefit the environment, health, and education.
iCloudBe volunteers work with nonprofit organizations that help people in need around the world. Most volunteer opportunities are free and require little more than a few hours of your time. However, there are some organizations that charge a membership fee, which helps to cover the organization’s overhead. iCloudBe’s volunteer opportunities are not only free, but also allow you to help organizations by spreading the word about the mission via blogging and social media.
One organization that is looking for volunteers is the Crisis Text Line. The group provides 24-hour support to people in crisis. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and be able to commit four hours a week for a year. Other opportunities include providing translation services, visual assistance, and medical interpreting support.
iCloudBe also has a number of partnerships with the private sector. Some of the companies that work with iCloudBe encourage their employees to mentor students online. These volunteers often become powerful advocates for the program. Companies that take such initiative and vision in giving back to their community show their customers and employees that they value social responsibility. Volunteer programs also help employees develop leadership skills and build company morale.
iCloudBe is a great way to help students in need. By partnering with organizations that empower at-risk youth, volunteers can help them stay in school and reach their goals. Volunteers are matched with mentees in need of guidance and help to lead fulfilling adult lives. Typically, volunteers work with a mentee one-on-one for an hour per week.
Catch a Fire
The Catch a Fire website matches professionals with nonprofit organizations in need of their talents. These opportunities can range from one-hour phone calls to ongoing projects. They require a wide variety of skills, from finance to marketing to event planning to human resources. Volunteers must also be at least 18 years old and willing to commit to four hours a week for a year. Applicants must also fundraise to help cover training expenses.
Catchafire is a New York-based nonprofit that matches nonprofit organizations with skill-based professional volunteers. The website has over 120 categories of volunteer opportunities, ranging from short-term graphic design projects to long-term initiatives. It is a certified B-Corp and for-purpose social enterprise.
Skills for Change
There are many online volunteer opportunities for those with skills and a passion for social change. These programs connect volunteer candidates with nonprofit organizations in their area. Volunteers are not required to speak the language of the nonprofit organization, so long as they are able to provide helpful and enthusiastic assistance. Many nonprofit organizations also welcome people with diverse backgrounds.
Skills for Change is an online volunteer database that helps busy people find volunteer opportunities with causes that match their skills. They can match their expertise with challenges within their community to make their time more efficient. The most popular volunteer opportunities involve web development and design, but there are also copywriting and brainstorming opportunities available.
Volunteering online can be difficult and requires patience. The first step is to research the organization and identify the tasks that need to be done. Once you’ve done that, you can begin volunteering by taking on small tasks. When you’ve finished, you can move on to bigger projects. While online volunteering is not as challenging as physical volunteering, it requires a certain level of knowledge and skills.
Volunteering has many benefits for the mind and body. Not only can it build your confidence, but it can also help you find new opportunities and meet new people. Volunteering helps strengthen the community you live in, and gives you an opportunity to explore new cultures. Companies also find that volunteering can be beneficial to them. For example, American Family Insurance encourages their employees to volunteer their time. In addition to personal benefits, skills-based volunteering can help companies enhance their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Volunteering can be an extremely rewarding experience for volunteers and for the organizations that engage volunteers. It is important to plan ahead to be successful. Below are some steps to consider when planning for volunteer involvement. These steps are primarily applicable for larger nonprofit organizations, but smaller ones may want to adjust and choose what makes the most sense for them.
Project Gutenberg
Volunteering on the internet has many benefits, and you can take advantage of several online opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. One such volunteer opportunity is proofreading books, which you can do from home, one page at a time. There are no set hours or minimum time commitments, and you can work as much or as little as you wish. The Project Gutenberg website also has a program called Adopt a Grandparent, which matches volunteers with elderly pen pals.
Volunteers for Bookshare can transcribe books into digital form and proofread other people’s work. Other book-related volunteer opportunities include reading books for people with disabilities and helping those with limited reading abilities. Volunteers may also wish to participate in Distributed Proofreaders, which matches volunteers to books that need to be proofread.
Another way to get involved in Project Gutenberg is to help with production. Known as a “whitewasher” (after a Mark Twain book), this volunteer checks an upload before it’s posted. A whitewasher’s task is critical in making sure that eBooks in the Project Gutenberg collection have the correct metadata and appear correctly on a website. Typically, this is done automatically, though human catalogers are needed to check for errors before the eBooks can be published.
Distributed Proofreaders is a nonprofit organization that welcomes volunteers to proofread digitized text and prepare e-books for Project Gutenberg. The project’s mission is to preserve and share cultural works that were previously unavailable in digital form.
Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge
Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge program provides college students the opportunity to help build houses across the country. This year-round program is open to students who are age 16 to 25 and have no experience. To participate, students must find five other friends to join them. To get started, fill out the intake form. Once submitted, Habitat will contact the team within two business days.
The teams came from different parts of the country and worked alongside Habitat staff, regular volunteers, and future Habitat homeowners. They received lunches and lodging provided by churches and businesses. The Collegiate Challenge also provides volunteer opportunities. During their trip, students will get to see the process of building a house from the ground up.
If you want to volunteer for Habitat, it’s best to go with a team. While the organization does accept individual volunteers, most of its locations have a team size requirement. A team leader is essential to the trip because she will be the main point of contact between the team and Habitat. Search for an opportunity and apply online.
The Collegiate Challenge is open to college students and young professionals. This volunteer program allows participants to volunteer for a week in their area. Students must be at least 16 years old and can be accompanied by a chaperone. A group of college volunteers can choose an appropriate Habitat from the list of available sites. The program is an incredible way to meet new people and learn about Habitat for Humanity’s work at the same time.
