What can online volunteers do?

Online volunteers can support your organization in numerous ways. They engage in…

Project development and management

Volunteers write project proposals, share expertise, develop fundraising strategies, draft grant applications, etc.

Two online volunteers provided their expertise in Geographic Information Systems to the African Conservation Foundation in Cameroon. They supported the development of community co-management and forest conservation strategies for the protection of endangered great ape populations.

Design

Volunteers design logos, create the layout of publications, develop a corporate identity, illustrate training material, etc.

An online volunteer designed logos, web graphics and other branding images for Lawyers Without Borders. This helped the organization promote their pro-bono support to non-profit organizations, rule of law and human rights initiatives, and legal capacity building projects around the globe.

Coordination and facilitation

Volunteers manage teams of other online volunteers, coordinate campaigns, moderate online discussions, act as board members, etc.

An online volunteer managed a team of 80 online volunteers from 45 countries for Native Planet, an NGO dedicated to the self-empowerment of indigenous peoples and the preservation of world ethnic cultures. She succeeded in keeping the volunteers motivated and in fostering a community feeling in a virtual environment, thus improving the volunteers’ commitment to their task.

IT development

Volunteers develop and maintain websites, design databases, set up blogs, do Search Engine Optimization (SEO), write Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), create flash animations, etc.

An online volunteer rebuilt the UNDP Zimbabwe website using a free and open source Content Management System (CMS), and trained staff members on how to update future content using CMS. The website served as a best practice example for other UN organizations’ websites in Zimbabwe.

Research

Volunteers research information on development topics, funding sources, potential partners, best practices, etc.

23 online volunteers from 17 countries helped build the web-based UNDP International Poverty Centre’s directory of 2,800 research centres that focused on poverty and social development. The directory is now a key tool for fostering South-South cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Writing, editing and translating

Volunteers draft newsletters and articles, translate presentations, summarize survey results, proofread reports, develop website content, etc.

A team of 7 online volunteers translated material written and produced by 300 grassroots organizations which are part of the Shine a Light network, serving marginalized children in Latin America. By editing and translating texts, exercises, films, and interviews documenting NGO best practices, the volunteers contributed to making the material available to a global audience.

Training and coaching

Volunteers develop training material, teach online courses, provide guidance to organizations and/or their beneficiaries, etc.

A group of online volunteers developed study materials and tutored students in refugee camps for the RESPECT University Project. The volunteers contributed to providing opportunities for personal, academic and community development to refugees and internally displaced persons in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, Tanzania and Azerbaijan.

Consulting

Volunteers assess projects, provide advice on communication strategies and legal issues, evaluate software solutions, etc.

An online volunteer enabled the Bureau for Reconstruction and Development to enhance its organizational capacities and the quality of its services in the areas of human rights and capacity building of civil society organizations and government in Afghanistan. The volunteer assisted in defining its strategy and designed action plans towards its implementation, and guided the development of project proposals.