You may also like to browse the general resources in the Good Practice Bank's Core Themes. They cover topics such as 'Equal Opportunities and Diversity', 'Health and Safety' and 'Creating Volunteer Roles'. Visit the Good Practice Bank index to find a full list of themes.
What is virtual volunteering?
Virtual volunteering (VV) is a way for people to make an impact on their communities via the internet, a computer, or any digital platform. This relatively recent, but rapidly growing, form of volunteering allows people to have the flexibility to complete tasks at a time and place that suits them best. Participants are also sometimes described as online or remote volunteers.
Articles
These short resources were produced as part of a Choose Action Alliance Virtual Volunteering project which supported a number of universities and colleges in pilot projects. The ideas and information could be applied to virtual volunteering projects in a wide number of places or contexts.
Case studies
Links
Links to support and guidance from volunteering specialists
- Coyote Communications website
This website contains a wealth of resources on volunteering and volunteer management. It includes common myths and facts, links to studies and research about virtual volunteering and tips for using video to support virtual or online volunteers.
www.coyotecom.com/volunteer/ - Institute of Fundraising
Code of Practice on Fundraising through Electronic Media
This code covers use of your own website or third party websites, text messages, emails, interactive TV, selling via the internet, data protection and copyright issues.
Links to guidance for virtual volunteers
Links to guidance on using social networking websites with younger learners or volunteers
- Digizen
This website offers a checklist for evaluating social networking services such as Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and YouTube.
It considers age restrictions, privacy settings and rules on inappropriate content. It also compares technical aspects, such as terms of commercial use. The website looks at the benefits of learning about e-safety, data protection or online marketing. Equally, it examines personal risks, such as identity theft or bullying; and organisational risks, such as loss of data or inappropriate presentation of your messages.
www.digizen.org
Links to Government guidance about online safety
- Think U Know
The main UK Government website with advice for parents on how to keep children safe online
www.thinkuknow.co.uk - The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
The UK Government body dedicated to eradicating abuse of children. Concerns about inappropriate contacts between a child and an adult, including online, can be reported directly to CEOP.
www.ceop.gov.uk - The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
The IWF works to remove illegal material from the internet, such as obsene material or content which incites racial hatred
www.iwf.org.uk - The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)
This new body will be responsible for developing and overseeing implementation of a Child Internet Safety Strategy.
Read a Government press release for further information
Toolkits and Publications
- Guide for Virtual Volunteer Hosts - Changemakers (PDF)
This guide offers practical tips for anyone managing virtual or online volunteers. It was developed as part of the Choose Action Alliance Virtual Volunteering Project and is focused on the 16-25 year old age group but should equally apply to other groups.
Share your experiences!
The Good Practice Bank is growing steadily as more information is added to it. An important feature of the Bank is allowing users to share their documents with other volunteering organisations. We are particularly interested in receiving example policies or documents that you are happy to share with others. If we use your contribution, you could win a book on volunteering from our regular prize draw.
- If your organisation has an example to contribute, please use our simple form to submit it.
- Or, please send us an email or telephone 0800 028 3304 (Monday-Friday, 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00pm-4.00pm)
- We welcome calls through Typetalk/TextDirect. Please dial 18001 followed by 0800 028 3304 (opening hours as above).
