This is an archived version of the Virtual Volunteering Project web site from January 2001. The materials on the web site were written or compiled by Jayne Cravens. The Virtual Volunteering Project has been discontinued. The Virtual Volunteering Project web site IS NO LONGER UPDATED. Email addresses associated with the Virtual Volunteering Project are no longer valid. For any URL that no longer works, type the URL into archive.org. For new materials regarding online volunteering, see Jayne Cravens' web site (the section on volunteerism-related resources). |
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FAQs About the Virtual Volunteering Project
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assigning online tasks This information was last updated on June 21, 1999 Once you have developed a system of orienting and evaluating volunteers who are going to work offsite via home or work computers, you can put potential volunteers into this system and match them to assignments. If you've asked the right questions in your orientation and evaluation process, and provided well-written descriptions of volunteer opportunities at your organization, matching volunteers to assignments should be easy!
Volunteers will usually tell you exactly what they want to do online for your organization, particularly if you have provided well-written descriptions of potential opportunities at your organization. If you really can't match their skills or interest with what you have available, tell them -- and give an overview of what assignments you do have available. Often, the volunteer will still be enthusiastic help with one of these existing assignments. Matching volunteers to assignments, on or offline, is a learned skill. The more you do it, the better you will become at matching people to tasks. Be patient, be supportive, and remember that not every volunteer job is right for every volunteer. The better your screening, orientation and supervising process, the less chance there is for misunderstandings or incomplete assignments.
View these sample online volunteer assignments for ideas on how to write your task descriptions (a listing of ongoing assignments is included in this index).
Some possible assignments to try with a first-time online volunteer at your organization include:
Act Quickly! The majority of people who express interest in a virtual opportunity are ready to start right away! A delay of a few days in putting a volunteer into your orientation process and getting him or her into a starter assignment can lead to frustration and bad feelings on the volunteer's part. He or she will often move on to another organization if they are not into action with your organization in some way within a week of their original correspondance. Your application and orientation process will screen out most of those who might express interest in virtual volunteering with you before really considering the commitment required, but those potential volunteers who make it through this process are expecting to get going immediately on making a contribution with your organization!
If the volunteer completes these short-term assignments and you both agree to proceed, give the volunteer a long-term assignment, or several short-term assignments at once. However, we suggest that long-term assignments be no more than three-six months at a time. Again, this gives both you and the volunteer natural stopping points for assessment of how things are going and, if necessary, further screening (background checks) or termination of the relationship.
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If you find this or any other Virtual Volunteering Project information helpful, or would like to add information based on your own experience, please contact us.
If you do use Virtual Volunteering Project materials in your own workshop or trainings, or republish materials in your own publications, please let us know, so that we can track how this information is disseminated.
This is an archived version of the Virtual Volunteering Project web site from January 2001. The materials on the web site were written or compiled by Jayne Cravens. The Virtual Volunteering Project has been discontinued. The Virtual Volunteering Project web site IS NO LONGER UPDATED. Email addresses associated with the Virtual Volunteering Project are no longer valid. For any URL that no longer works, type the URL into archive.org. |
If you are interested in more up-to-date information about virtual volunteering, view the Virtual Volunteering Wiki.
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Jayne Cravens