The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook:
Who Should Read This Book?

 
 

The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook is written for those working with or for:

• Volunteer-involving nonprofit organizations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs), regardless of mission or services provided
   
• Community-focused public-sector agencies such as schools, courts, parks, and other government programs that engage volunteers
   
• Grassroots groupsor all-volunteer membership associations
   
• For-profit corporations supporting any of the above with employee volunteers
  

Readers may be employees or volunteers, man­agers or frontline workers, or even funders, who want to see the introduction or expansion of virtual volunteering in an organization or in one depart­ment or program. Because of the global nature of the Internet, almost everything covered here applies to any country, with the understanding that the authors are from the U.S. and the text is in English. The ideas and principles put forward here for working with volunteers could also help anyone working with employees remotely through the use of Internet and networking technologies and anyone (paid or not) looking for ways to keep a dispersed team energized.

This Guidebook frequently refers to volunteer resources managers (VRMs), meaning the people who are in charge of an organization’s volunteer involvement. These people may fill the role of a VRM but have a different title, such as volunteer coordinator, director of volunteer services, or any other of a dozen or so names used for this role. However, this book is for all staff, paid or volunteers themselves, no matter what their title is, who work with volunteers in any leadership/supervisory/support capacity.

If you are the designated VRM, this Guidebook is written so that you will become the virtual volunteering expert within your organization. After reading the entire book, you will be well versed in virtual volun­teering, ready to allay the most-commonly expressed fears and to address the most common challenges in engaging and supporting volunteers online.

While you may engage with volunteers in your daily work, perhaps you are not the central VRM for your organization, and might even have to convince that person to welcome virtual volunteering. We have customized advice specifically for you throughout the book to help you introduce virtual volunteering in a non-threatening manner, so as to quickly win over the VRM and any other potential naysayers.

We acknowledge that not all of the information in this book may be applicable to every organization or to every volunteering effort. We offer the essentials for virtual volunteering success, based on: our own experience as volunteers and managers of volunteers; extensive feedback from and observation of hundreds of organizations in many different countries engaged in virtual volunteering; and feedback from thousands of individuals, also from many different countries, who volunteer online. However, just as there is no one absolute blueprint for the involvement of onsite volunteers, there is no absolute blueprint for involving online volunteers. The nature of an organization’s work, its organizational culture, the attitudes of those involved with the organization, and the changing times regarding technology will all influence how an organization does, or does not, embrace virtual volunteering. As is said on many online communities and text messages regarding advice, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

Also, please note that you may not need to read this entire book. Your organization may already be using Internet tools, even smartphone applications, to engage and support volunteers successfully. We have divided the book into chapters that will allow those who are not starting from scratch to easily jump to the sections they need most to expand or improve their online volunteer engagement. The index at the end of this book and chapter references throughout the book will help you easily troubleshoot issues you face in working with online volunteers. Whether you are new to virtual volunteering or already experienced in working with volunteers online, we hope this book will make you feel confident and supported in joining the parade.

Welcome!

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