Virtual Volunteering

An anonymous reader writes "Virtual Volunteering is new to me, so I thought that I would pass the info. along. Given the downturn in employment and the need to keep an active resume or CV, becoming a 'Virtual Volunteer', may be just the way to refresh your outlook and your resume. A PC World article talks about two sites which list numerous opportunities; Volunteer Match lists 41,538 opportunities associated with 23,359 organizations, and World Computer Exchange which 'is a global nonprofit organization committed to helping the world's poorest youth bridge the disturbing global divides in information, technology and understanding. WCE does this by keeping donated PCs, Macs, and Laptops out of landfills and giving them new life connecting youth to the Internet in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.' There are most likely more organizations like this out there, anybody have a special one that they are associated with?"

Comments

Problem with volunteer work:

[Anonymous Coward]

Problem with volunteer work:

No matter how much volunteer work you do, you're expected to feed, clothe, and house yourself, pay for healthcare, college, and everything else.

The people that you volunteer to help are often getting these things free; whereas you are paying to be there.

If a volunteer organization would make it possible for me to pay my rent, buy me clothes, provide basic healthcare, and pay university tuition, I'd do it in a heartbeat! The only "volunteer" organizations I know of that actually offer a deal like that expect you to be willing to literally kill or die for the privilege...

Call me unenlightened, but...

[Dachannien]

"...a global nonprofit organization committed to helping the world's poorest youth bridge the disturbing global divides in information, technology and understanding."

How about a global nonprofit organization committed to helping the world's poorest youth eat and avoid dying from preventable diseases?

Re:Call me unenlightened, but...

[rapett0]

Normally, I don't really say anything during these moralistic threads, but I have seen this post a million times in one form or another. I just want to say, while yes, you are completely correct in thinking we should help those people. However, those are not the only people out there that need help. You can not always help only people at the bottom.

Sure, we could be altruistic about it...but honestly, do you think most geeks (sorry, we are at slashdot, have to refer the herd this way) are truly interested enough in helping a poor kid in Africa eat as opposed to helping them set up Linux? Now, don't say I mean they think they should starve over Linux, but rather, just be honest with yourself. Everyone has a threshold on how much they will help, so any help is good help.

With that said, who is to say this poorest of the poor+1 social strata will not thus reach down and those even needier then them? Don't assume just because they are poor too that they have no interest in helping their neighbors. I am sure most Americans are much more apt to help a starving neighbor then a starving person 15000 miles away. Out of sight out of mind right?

Its human, sure, its not perfect, but no one claimed to be. So anyway, again, no bashing you, just wanted to point out why this argument does not constantly hold water like you would think it would.

Generally, looks to be the right idea; watch out!

[BierGuzzl]

Ok. I agree with educating the underpriviledged simply because through better education, the resources of this planet can be harnessed for the greater good, eliminating poverty and ridiculous infant mortality rates.

I even agree with skipping the industrial revolution, or at least speeding through it for the sake of protecting our environment.

If all of these underpriviledged starving people start living out full lives and competing in our job market, a lot of people are going to get _really_ freaked out. It'll be the perfect breeding grounds for terrorist acitivities. Budding intellectuals can coordinate covert ops on the lazy fat established classes in a high tech wargame which really just replaces the chaos that is neatly tucked away in starving countries.

So instead of seeing a shrivelled up, dying child, expect an empowered generation emerge from the third world. They just might show us a thing or two, and they'll definitely give us a run for our money.

Amazing. All that from a donated TRS-80.

ComputerBank in Australia

[Davidge]

Another worthy organisation along the same lines as mentioned in the article is ComputerBank Australia.
They take old hardware, repair/refurbish it, install Debian on it and distribute it to the needy. A better description is availble on their website (linked above).