Remote Volunteer

Everything about being a remote volunteer

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Volunteer Preparation

It's imperative that all volunteers, donors and individuals who anticipate interacting with others either physically distance themselves or ensure that they are healthy, capable and willing. Individuals who meet these health requirements can get involved now here.

  • Wash Hands and Be Clean
    The CDC recommends that you wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, particularly after sneezing or coughing, when caring for the sick, before, after, and during food preparation, before eating, after use of toilets, when hands are visibly dirty, and after handling animals. Washing hands often and thoroughly (for at least 20 seconds) will help to prevent the spread of the virus, both to yourself and others. Avoid touching your face. If you cannot wash your hands, frequently use an alcohol-based hand rub/sanitizer.
  • Cover Coughs and Sneezes
    Always cover your coughs and sneezes with your inner elbow or a tissue (if into a tissue, please dispose immediately and wash your hands). Droplets can spread the virus; good respiratory hygiene helps to protect those around you from the potential spread of the virus. This is particularly true given that droplets can remain on surfaces long after you have left, leaving all those who come into contact vulnerable.
  • Physical (also known as Social) Distancing
    Maintaining six feet of physical distance can prevent the spread of virus, as this is how far droplets travel after a cough or a sneeze. Physical distance can protect you and those around you alike. Note: while this has been referred to as social distancing, increasingly the term physical distancing is being preferred, as social connection is of particular importance at this time.

How to be a remote (or virtual) volunteer

Remote volunteering allows you to commit your time and services away from the physical site of an organization, project, or campaign. Remote volunteers can participate virtually using online technology tools; more generally, they engage through projects or activities that can be done away from the organization who recruited them, and who orients, supports and manages them.

  • What defines a remote volunteer?
    Remote volunteering encompasses any instance of you helping an organization from a distance. e.g., You can do Pro bono work or Virtual Volunteering to help an organization. These different types of volunteering represents the many forms remote volunteer work can take.
  • How can you be a remote volunteer or a virtual volunteer?
    This depends on the organization who is sponsoring this remote volunteer opportunity. In many instances, if the goal or task can be done remotely and achieves a positive outcome for the organization, this is a remote volunteer opportunity. e.g., if there is a shortage of N-95 face masks, and you had a sewing machine and additional cloths, you could help an organization remotely by sewing up and making facemasks. If you chose to mentor or tutor a k-12 student through an online conferencing/webinar system, this will be virtual volunteering.
  • Why would you want to be a remote volunteer?
    In the instance of a pandemic like COVID-19, policies encouraging shelter in place can make it difficult to volunteer and do the activities that normally require face to face and hands on activities. In these situations, providing opportunities to complete tasks remotely is of utmost importance to helping continue the critical operations of a nonprofit.

Ideas for being a remote volunteer

There are many projects, activities, and tasks that can be done remotely with or without requiring technology tools. Here are some ideas for remote volunteering.

  • Comfort of the Home
    Many groups and individuals would prefer to complete a project or remote opportunity from the comfort of their home. In these instances, making sure that the project is well-defined and spells out exactly what needs to be done will help ensure a positive outcome for all parties volunteering remotely. For example, clear and explicit directions for sewing a facemask can be provided, making it easy for individuals to help the organization without needing to ask for additional assitance. When the facemasks are done, they can be delivered to the organization from a distance.
  • Different Sites, Placements or Locations
    Many organizations define remote opportunities as those that require volunteers to engage at a location other than the organization's headquarters. In other words, a volunteer will check in at one location and do the actual volunteer work at another location. For example, if you volunteer for a nonprofit working with K-12 schools, the check-in process may be at this nonprofit, or remotely at the school in which the mentoring is completed.
  • Virtual Volunteering
    Virtual Volunteering uses technology (computer, internet, online chat system & webinar) to facilitate the completion of the project or task at hand. Virtual volunteer opportunities are almost always remote

Search for remote, virtual, or pro bono projects and opportunities on GivePulse

We provide a clearinghouse of virtual and remote opportunities for individuals and groups to find project-based opportunities, activities and tasks. Users are able to search, sort and filter through the various opportunities.

  • Searching
    You can navigate to the Get Involved search page, which allows you to input search criteria in order to narrow the opportunities that populate. From the GivePulse search page, you can filter by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), causes, skills and other criteria to refine the search.
  • Filtering
    On the Get Involved search page, you can filter by emergencies, causes, skills, SDGs, availability, timeframes, and more. Administrators can also add metadata, provide further description and context, and improve search keywords.
  • Quick Link
    For a general search, you can go here. For opportunities related to COVID-19 response you can navigate to COVID-19 Search. For emergencies, you can go to Emergencies. For virtual/remote projects and opportunities you can go to Virtual Search. Be it a virtual opportunity, an emergency related taskforce or an opportunity to apply your skills pro bono, opportunities are available through this search. For opportunities that you can't find, please contact us via our https://support.givepulse.com. For administrators of nonprofits, please list your opportunity here