Micro Volunteering - Untapped Potential with Some Apparent Wrinkles to Work Out
Although a number of areas appear to require further elucidation, micro volunteering seems to have untapped potential in our ever expanding and changing technological age. To place micro volunteering in context, I will briefly provide an overview of online volunteering (also known as Virtual Volunteering or Internet-based volunteering).
In essence, online volunteering enables an individual to contribute to a non-profit organization (or NGO) of their choosing from the comfort of their home (or similar venue) via an Internet connected computer. I began pioneering online volunteering with a Canadian charity in 1998, wherein I had the opportunity (and privilege) to work with Internet-based volunteers from around the globe. These highly-skilled cyber Samaritans, who were motivated by a myriad of reasons, performed a range of tasks such as video editing, PSA audio production, voice overs, tutoring, programming, photography, word processing, photo retouching, illustration and design. A volunteer management process was developed and employed that focused on the identification, articulation and means of achieving organizational needs, recruitment/retention, risk management (e.g., screening, logical assignments) and evaluation.From my above online volunteering frame of reference, micro volunteering appears to have a number of areas that require further refinement. Moreover, a number of proposed (or considered appropriate) "micro-volunteering" tasks have been performed successfully by Virtual Volunteers (Online Volunteers) for years. Without the luxury of a full macro analysis of micro volunteering at hand, the following questions appear salient as a starting point for further dialogue:- What specific routine and meaningful micro-volunteering tasks can be performed in what (reasonable/realistic) time frame and how will these said micro-volunteering tasks mesh (conceptually and in practice) with similar/same virtual volunteering tasks?
- For those micro volunteers involved with sensitive information or non-profit clients, what type and extent of screening will/should be undertaken?
- With limited resources, how will a non-profit manage (e.g., screen, co-ordinate, appropriately assign, supervise, document and evaluate) numerous volunteers involved in micro volunteering (such as, 100 volunteers involved in two minute tasks)?
- What motivates individuals to engage in what types of micro volunteering?
- Are there certain types of non-profit organizations (based on such variables as: mission, structure, size, geographic area, resources and/or budget) that are best suited for micro volunteering (meaning micro volunteering efforts will result in the most impact, however that may be defined, for the non-profit)?
- Are there specific types of tasks with certain types of non-profit organizations which attract specific micro volunteers?
- Continuous recruiting is a significant resource drain. What methods and strategies will assist in retaining micro volunteers?
- What specific types of devices using what type of Internet connections are best for micro volunteering?
- What motivates non-profits to embrace micro volunteering?
As technology evolves and best practices surface, micro volunteering will be further refined and its potential more fully realized.
For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit http://news.RandyTyler.org or http://www.RandyTyler.org.
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