The opportunities and benefits of online volunteering Presentation for the Kaplan University chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Presenter: Dr. Natalie Hruska Ph.D. Management M.S. Information Technology B.A. Psychology
Overview • What is Volunteering Online? • Major Benefits • Health and Happiness - feel better in mind and body! • Experience - use it, gain it • Networking - expand your network, get your foot in the door • How can you start Volunteering Online?
What is Online Volunteering? • Origin goes back to ARPANET (1960s), which made Project Gutenberg (1970s) possible- online volunteers began development of a massive digital library of eBooks- important cultural works 1990’s - grants provided to research the state, the impact, and the • possibility of online volunteering then and into the future • Defined as the use of the Internet and other technologies to volunteer It’s EASY! Online Volunteers have more flexibility- more choice • in what, where, when, and how they volunteer • Non profit organizations benefit from greater outreach, access to unique skills, and technology
Scenario • Amy- no job, bills to pay, finishing degree • Wants to learn about field and become a professional, start her career, but is not encouraged by the job market • Finds a volunteering positions online; applies to several and is accepted • Becomes a spokesperson for non profit organization • Uses old skills, gains new ones • Meets people, makes connections, opens doors
Health • Volunteers feel better mentally and physically; they feel healthier; they are better at managing stress • Volunteers feel more in control of their health • Volunteers have deeper connections with others; increased sense of independence and meaning in lives • In the project team engagement, volunteers develop soft people skills leads to how volunteer develops experience
Experience • Volunteers gain real world experience; they can explore career in a more flexible work environment Volunteers refine professional skills and add new ones • • Volunteers gain in depth knowledge in a subject area, building confidence in their chosen field “…73% of “employers would choose a candidate who had • volunteer experience over a candidate who did not have any experience .” And, 94% of employers “believed that volunteering helps increase job skills " (Murphy, 2013) • Nearly half of hiring managers view volunteer activity as equally as valuable as work experience , but people do not add this experience to a resume or online profile onto networking
Networking • Volunteers expand their network, increase social and professional connections; working with top administration Adding volunteer experience to a LinkedIn profile not only • looks good to employers and prospective employers, but links volunteers to a wider network of career opportunities and new contacts (Shifman, 2013) • 1 of 5 hiring managers in the U.S. agree they have hired a candidate because of their volunteer work experience • Use your online profile to show your passion and share your volunteer experience in depth. When your network sees what you do, they will reach out to you with more relevant opportunities
Finding Opportunities www.onlinevolunteering.org Positions around the world • Develop a marketing, business, or management plan • Serve on a board • Design a logo, newsletter, website…. • Research a social issue
Finding Opportunities www.idealist.org www.volunteermatch.org Find volunteer positions, jobs, Select Advanced tab to search internships, and more Specifically for virtual opportunities online/on ground
Other Tools Red Cross : www.redcross.org/ EPals: http://in2books.epals.com/ Virtual Food Drive: http://feedingamerica.org/ Do Something Campaigns: www.dosomething.org/ A Million Thanks: www.amillionthanks.org/ Advice from older people: http://www.elderwisdomcircle.org/ Write to your favorite organization can I volunteer for you?
Ideas Redesign a school house Crisis counselor for disaster relief • • or suicide prevention hotline Develop a public service • animation; create cartoon • Design a mobile application for characters childhood cancer organization Promote a non profit organization • Write to businesses asking them to • as a social media manager donate school supplies Put on a charity fashion show • • Blog, post to social networks Prepare a blue print for non profit • regional expansion; new • Take photos, write editorials on buildings, etc. assignment Develop small business plans for a • Design a new logo for a non profit • new restaurant, hotel Research donors, search • databases; write grants
Micro volunteering Can take seconds or minutes: possible through use of a smartphone or PDA • • Freerice.com- answer quiz questions correctly and they donate rice to WFP HelpfromHome.org - pick the time you have and what you want to do • Shop through GoodShop.com or ShopforAmerica.com - part of cost goes to • a non profit • User search engine GoodSearch - every time you search, you donate to a non profit or your choice • Make something up- ‘Like’ a non profit on Facebook, post something informational or positive, inspirational quotes Edit online content, Wikipedia, tag photos- interesting research projects •
End Any questions or comments? http://onlinevolunteering.net/ https://twitter.com/volunteeronline
References CMurphy. The Five Benefits of Volunteering. 19 March 2013. Web. 26 March 2015. <www.pointsoflight.org/blog/2013/03/19/5-...> Doing Good is Good for You. United Health Group . 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. Dorsey, A. More Than Just a Resume: Share Your Volunteer Aspirations on Your LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn Blog . 4 Sept. 2013. Web. 26 March 2015. Do Good Live Well Study. 2010. Web. 26 March 2015. http://www.volunteermatch.org/corporations/resources/businesscase.jsp Susan J. Ellis. Why Volunteer? Energize Inc . 2013. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015 http://www.energizeinc.com/art/awhy.html Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits. HelpGuide.org . 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. http://www.helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm Idealist.org. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. http://www.idealist.org/
References Katherine Reynolds Lewis. (2011). Should you include Volunteer Work on a Resume? CNN Money. 20 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 March 2015.http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/10/20/should-you-include-volunteer-work-on- a-resume/ Shifman, J. 2012. 7 Reasons Volunteering Can Lead to a Job. Legions of Americans are devoting time to nonprofits and finding paths to employment. NextAvenue . 2 July 2012. Web. 26 March 2015. Ten Professional Development Benefits of Volunteering (Everything I Learned in Life I Learned through Volunteering). Mary V. Merrill, LSW , Merrill Associates. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. TimeBank: Be a Volunteer. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. http://timebank.org.uk/. Virtual Volunteering. Wikipedia . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_volunteering. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. World Volunteer Web. 2015. Web. 26 March 2015. http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/
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