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Virtually Anyone Can Volunteer

published December 18, 2006

( 8 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)

What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
There is an incredible amount of food available for the homeless and hungry during the winter months. November and December are chock-full of all sorts of food drives and other solicitations for donations. The reality is that the hungry still need to eat in March, and the homeless still need clean clothes in July. Sadly, the cupboard is often bare during the rest of the year.

Why is there an overflow of volunteers during the holiday season? There are several reasons, according to a study recently released by the Corporation for National and Community Service entitled "Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends Since 1974."


  • Older teenagers (ages 16 to 19) have more than doubled their time spent volunteering since 1989.

  • Far from being a "me generation," baby boomers are volunteering at sharply higher rates than did the previous generation at mid-life.

  • The volunteer rate for Americans aged 65 years and over has increased by 64% since 1974.

  • The proportion of Americans volunteering with an educational or youth service organization has seen a 63% increase just since 1989.

  • Teenagers are volunteering in greater numbers, in part because of an increase in service-learning programs in schools and colleges that combine classroom study with community activity. Another reason may be a response to traumatic national events such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and recent natural disasters.

  • Mid-life adults are more likely to have children in the home because Americans are delaying marriage and childbearing. The result is increased exposure to volunteering opportunities connected to their children's school and extracurricular activities.

  • Older Americans are living longer, are better educated, and are more financially secure—creating an increased desire for them to remain active and seek ways to give back to communities.

So how about volunteering at other times of the year rather than at Thanksgiving and Christmas?

Perhaps the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season is the one time you feel you can squeeze something in between working a 70-hours-per-week job and spending time with your family. Or maybe everyone is watching you now, and you want to live up to expectations by "doing the right thing."

Now there is a way that virtually anyone can volunteer. Online virtual volunteering allows people to donate both their time and talent while enjoying the comfort and convenience of sitting at their computers and connecting with others through the Internet.

A virtual volunteer can decide which opportunities hold the most promise and when he or she can participate in them. There are no geographic limitations, and, in many instances, no restrictions on the time of day when the tasks must be completed. If you are a busy person, as most legal professionals are, these are definite plusses. If you are a true "people person," however, you may miss the person-to-person interaction of traditional volunteering.

Most virtual volunteer placements fall into the categories of desktop publishing, website development and maintenance, and research. This means that you have to have the right computer hardware and software, Internet access, and any peripheral equipment the job entails. Most likely, you will have to provide these things yourself.

The concept of virtual volunteerism is a fairly new one, so there may not be too many volunteer opportunities that are specifically described as "virtual." This means you will have to dig deeply and read position descriptions carefully. If you see an opportunity that interests you and think it could be handled virtually or offsite, talk to the organization and make the suggestion.

Procrastination is not an admirable trait in a virtual volunteer. Putting off your volunteer assignment because other things seem more important than your non-paying project is unacceptable. Think of virtual volunteering as a form of telecommuting. The organization that delegates a task to you is expecting you to actually do the work. Can you work alone comfortably, remain motivated, remain committed, and provide continual updates on your progress? Whether you are volunteering from home or from the office, you will need to utilize the terrific time-management and written communication skills that you honed in law school.
( 8 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.