Myths About Online Volunteering (Virtual Volunteering)

Online volunteering means unpaid service that is given via the Internet. It’s a method of volunteering I (Jayne Cravens) have been using, studying, documenting or promoting since 1995, first independently, then with the Virtual Volunteering Project, and then with the UN’s Online Volunteering service. It’s also known as virtual volunteering, online mentoring, ementoring, evolunteering, cyber volunteering, cyber service, telementoring, and on and on.

Now, 10 years on, I’m stunned at how many myths are still out there about the concept. Here is a list of 12 of the most common myths, and my attempt to counter them:1. Online volunteering is great for people who don’t have time to volunteer!

2. People who volunteer online don’t volunteer face-to-face

3. People who volunteer online do so for organizations that are geographically far from them

4. People who volunteer online are mostly young, affluent and living in the USA

5. People who volunteer online are very shy and have trouble interacting with others

6. Online volunteers engage primarily in technology-related tasks

7. Online volunteering is impersonal

8. Interviewing potential volunteers face-to-face is much more reliable than interviewing people online

9. The Internet Is Dangerous and, therefore, online volunteering opens an organization and its clients up to many risks.

10. The biggest obstacle to online volunteering is lack of Internet access

11. Much more needs to be done to get people to volunteer online

12. Online volunteering is a very new concept

For details visit Jayne Cravens

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Tags: digital divide