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

Relevant Links

[TheRIAAMustDie]

Netaid.org

Pearls of Africa is run entirely by online volunteers who research and develop programs, solicit donations, and run a children's resource library in Uganda geared toward disabilities. Moy traveled to Uganda in November 2001 with the United Nations to open the library.

World Computer Exchange , based in Massachusetts, relies on virtual volunteers in its mission to bring computers to schools in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Since it was founded in October 1999, the organization has helped 676 schools and almost 256,000 students go online, says Tim Anderson, president and founder.

VolunteerMatch , which links volunteers with more than 23,000 organizations offering about 40,000 volunteer opportunities, is helping that cause, says Jason Willett, director of communications. Since 1998, nearly one million people signed up for an opportunity through VolunteerMatch.

As well, there are online mentors like NetMentors , which offers online career development for teenagers. It serves as a virtual career counselor with expertise on 70 different careers. With about 800 mentors, the group has counseled 1000 students entirely through its Web site.

Question about Virtual Volunteering...

[kakos]

If I virtually volunteer, do I only have to do virtual work? If so, sign me up!

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.

Another large volunteer group..

[XaXXon]

It's called "Open Source", a few of you may have heard of it.

There's a big group that controls a bunch of it called GNU -- they're wacky and pronounce the 'g' in GNU.

There's even a open source kernel called "Linux" started by some European guy. He works for some other company that does processors but spends a lot of time on the Linux thing.

Anyways, just wanted to point some folks at some other volunteer possibilities..

I tried this but...

[WIAKywbfatw]

...my virtual public spirit and enthusiasm couldn't overcome my real-world apathy and laziness.

God, sometimes it gets so bad that I can't even be bothered to finish my own

more links

[dan_bethe]

Check out these two sites:

• Geek Corps for doing volunteer IT work in needy countries
• Tech Corps for volunteer IT work for American K-12 schools

Thanks to Slashdot posters for having shown me these links in past discussions! :)