Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

Trying to stack more volunteer hours for your college application? It's tough to fit in time for that between studying and working, which is why virtual volunteer opportunities may be worth considering!

Volunteering is a great way to stay in touch with your community and help others. Remote volunteering does that as well while allowing you to save time and money on transportation. Virtual opportunities usually allow you to work anywhere you like, as long as you have an internet connection.

Aside from accommodating your schedule, online volunteering can be just as meaningful as in-person volunteering! For example, bilingual students could work as translators, while history aficionados can volunteer to transcribe older documents.

If you're able to find virtual volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule and your passions, that might actually be more ideal than traditional volunteering. As a trusted resource for students navigating college applications, Bold.org can help connect you with a volunteer opportunity that's a good fit for you.

In this article, I will cover everything you need to know about virtual volunteer opportunities: what they are and how they benefit both underserved communities and you as the volunteer.

From my experience, being of service to those in need and learning how to tackle local and global problems was a huge part of my personal growth. So, stay tuned to discover online volunteering can help with your personal journey and college applications.

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What Is Virtual Volunteering?

In high school, there's a huge emphasis on preparing your extracurriculars and volunteer hours for college applications. Showing that you give back to your community and have interests outside of school is critical if you want to get into the school of your dreams.

Whether that's joining a sports team or working on the production for a community play, finding an area you can dedicate your time to is always the first step. Even so, students may find it difficult to find time for that, which is where virtual volunteering comes in handy.

Though traditional volunteering may be more difficult given the need to commute or commit more hours, high school students now have online volunteer opportunities. These online roles allow you the flexibility to work around your schedule, which is especially beneficial for students.

Simply put, virtual volunteering is remotely (online) volunteering your time and skills without needing to be physically present in a particular place. Virtual volunteering allows you to support causes from wherever you are, typically through online tasks like tutoring or administrative work. 

If you're starting your college applications, you'll need money as well as volunteer hours. Apply for these high school scholarships today!

Becoming a Virtual Volunteer

Becoming a virtual volunteer may not seem like a big deal, but it says a lot about your humanitarian beliefs and efforts. A virtual volunteer contributes to causes they care about and learns how to solve complex challenges entirely online.

If you want to become a virtual volunteer, start by:

• Identifying causes you're passionate about
• Searching for opportunities through platforms like VolunteerMatch or Catchafire
• Working on improving your student resume
• Applying to any organizations that interest you

Virtual roles can range from tutoring to mentoring and even social media management. The key is finding the right fit for your time and talents. Committing to the cause fully is important—show some perseverance even if things don't go exactly as expected. Virtual volunteering is a great way to make a difference without leaving the comfort of your own home!

Types of Virtual Volunteering Opportunities

As I stated, virtual volunteering opportunities have a wide range of offerings. Depending on your interests, you can find roles in various fields, from education to healthcare to social justice. If you're not sure where to begin, check out our list of virtual volunteer opportunities below:

1. Smithsonian Digital Volunteers - For those who love history, Smithsonian Digital Volunteers specialize in transcribing material for the Smithsonian.
2. Caring Calls - Powered by Dorot, Caring Calls offers volunteers the chance to speak with older adults on the phone for 30 minutes a week for at least a month. This helps provide emotional and social support for the elders who need/want company.
3. Crisis Text Line - Provides a direct connection from the volunteer to people who are struggling with mental health, grief, domestic abuse, emotional challenges, eating disorders, and more. Volunteers are positioned to talk and listen to those who need it most.
4. The Trevor Project - The Trevor Project specializes in suicide prevention among at-risk youth, specifically LGBTQ youth. Become a volunteer counselor through TTP, with no previous counseling experience required.
5. Be My Eyes - Be My Eyes is a FREE app that connects volunteers with the blind and vision impaired who need visual assistance. Volunteer tasks include reading, writing, and assisting in navigating their surroundings.
6. Translators Without Borders - For bilingual students, TWB tasks volunteers to translate different kinds of texts in areas like crisis management, advocacy, development, and more, putting your language skills to the ultimate test. You MUST be bilingual.
7. Career Village - A platform led by volunteers with real-world experience who can provide advice to students seeking professional career advice. A sort of been-there-done-that mindset is key for this role.
8. Empower Work - Volunteer to assist adults in navigating their issues in the workplace via text. Whether they are experiencing problems with coworkers or microaggressions from upper management, the Empower Work text hotline is used to help professionals overcome workplace obstacles.
9. Writing Wonders Organization - Founded at the height of the pandemic, the WWO specializes in spreading positivity and love to those in less fortunate circumstances through writing letters or creating original artwork.
10. iMentor - Mentor the youth in underserved communities. iMentor works with participating schools to help students connect with professionals who can provide them with guidance and advice regarding school, college, and life in general.

Trusted Online Platforms for Virtual Volunteering

Knowing where to go for virtual volunteer roles is key, so if you've had trouble in the past looking for credible sources, look no further. Below is a list of trusted search engines for online volunteering:

• Catchafire
• Vollie
• Idealist (or Action Without Borders)
• VolunteerMatch
• United Nations Volunteers
• DoSomething
• Zooniverse
• Ted Translate
• Red Cross

These platforms all connect volunteers with organizations and opportunities for skills-based online volunteering. Don't walk—RUN!

How to Find the Right Virtual Opportunity

Finding opportunities for online volunteering is only half the battle. In order to be a successful volunteer, you must first know where your passions and interests lie. This involves a mix of personal reflection, research, and practical consideration. Here's a quick guide to help you find your fit:

1. Identify Your Interests and Skills: Ask yourself questions like: what causes or issues are most important to me (e.g., education, health, environment, animal welfare)? What are my skills (e.g., writing, social media, tech, teaching)? These answers can help you figure out your volunteer goals.
2. Set Clear Expectations: Because time is of the essence, you must consider how much time you can realistically dedicate each week or month. Some opportunities may require regular hours, while others may be more flexible, so make note of those details before committing to volunteer hours.
3. Search on Trusted Platforms: For trusted and dependable opportunities, use reputable volunteer search engines like VolunteerMatch, DoSomething, and Catchafire. These platforms are all great tools to filter virtual volunteer opportunities based on interest and location.
4. Research Organizations: Look for nonprofit organizations or causes you admire and check their websites for volunteer opportunities.
5. Network and Ask Around: The best way to learn about opportunities is to ask. Reach out to friends, colleagues/associates, or online community forums who may know of virtual volunteering roles. Use platforms like Facebook, Reddit, or Slack to look for groups that specialize in online volunteer roles.

Minor considerations like identifying your interests, skills, availability, and using the right search engine(s) can make all the difference and bring you one step closer to finding the perfect virtual volunteering role.

If online volunteering suits you, it's possible online college could also be right for you. Many accredited institutions offer online degrees, and some colleges specialize solely in online learning. Read our guide on online colleges today to find out if saving money with online college is a good fit for you.

Benefits of Virtual Volunteering

Getting back to the basics and serving the community can be gratifying in many ways, especially when it can be done entirely online. Between school and other commitments, having to complete many volunteer tasks wherever you are is definitely a perk, but it doesn't end there.

Here are some benefits of becoming a volunteer online:

• Flexible hours
• Work from anywhere convenience
• Learning professional skills at a young age
• Develop new skills
• Build professional network
• Personal satisfaction
• Enhance resume and career prospects
• Community engagement online
• Crisis and disaster response efforts
• Cost efficient
• Promote social causes
• Learn task management

These are a few benefits to consider when looking for volunteer opportunities. Of course, volunteering in person is just as important and meaningful, but I wouldn't shy away from any organization or company that recruits volunteers online. You never know where it can take you.

Social Impacts of Virtual Volunteering

Virtual volunteering is more than just a personal feat. It impacts several aspects of society:

• Increasing civic engagement and participation
• Improving social and economic outcomes
• Enhancing global reach
• Increases social awareness
• Online community building
• Increasing accessibility to volunteer opportunities

What to Expect from Virtual Volunteering

When it comes to volunteering, students can expect to gain real-world experience through the lens of community. Online volunteering is available to both students and older adults.

Working with others early on will teach high school students professionalism in the workplace. This provides students with a framework for working together and handling different obstacles like conflict resolution and problem-solving.

Students can also expect to accomplish projects, adhere to deadlines, and complete all volunteer tasks listed in their responsibilities within a certain turnaround time. This helps them learn how to communicate efficiently in professional settings and gain new skills and knowledge.

Overcoming Challenges in Virtual Volunteering

However, like anything else, there are some challenges to overcome with virtual volunteering: staying motivated and engaged in virtual work. If you've ever taken an online course, you know how easy it is to get sidetracked and distracted, especially if you're in the comfort of your own home. Be sure to set yourself up in a quiet space that will support your online role as a volunteer.

Another challenge to overcome is communicating effectively with team members and organizations. Things can get lost in (text) translation, making it difficult to work with other team members.

And then you have logistical and technical challenges like managing time zones, schedules, and reliable internet access. When it comes to these kinds of issues, it's always best to be very realistic with yourself and set your expectations to what you know you can handle. Once you have those logistics handled, you'll be ready to conquer your online volunteer role.

Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

How do I become a virtual volunteer?

If you want to become a virtual volunteer, choose areas that interest you and search for organizations that are involved in those fields. Try to find out if they have any online branches, or use the search engines listed above to check. Then, consider your own personal strengths and skills to see which roles you'd be the most helpful in.

When it comes to remote volunteer opportunities, it's important to have the same attitude you'd have with a regular job, so be sure to take it seriously!

Is virtual volunteering worth it?

Virtual volunteering doesn't have to be a checkbox on your college applications. You might actually enjoy it, and many people find fulfillment in connecting with their community. In that sense, it's not just a practical option to boost your application—it's also a way to improve or maintain your mental health. So yes, virtual volunteering is usually worth it!

What support and resources are available for virtual volunteers?

Online volunteers can find support and resources from different volunteer platforms like Catchafire, Vollie, Idealist (or Action Without Borders), VolunteerMatch, DoSomething, and more. You can refer back to the article, but in order to know which source to scout, make sure you know what you want to specialize in first!

Got more questions? Find answers with expert guides on our scholarship blog.