Why charities need virtual volunteers

Latest evidence has revealed that the number of people giving up their time for good causes is in decline.

According to 2023’s Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)’s UK Giving Report the proportion of people volunteering has been decreasing since the COVID-19 pandemic.

It found that just 7% of people surveyed in 2022 had volunteered over the previous four weeks, down from 9% in 2019.

In addition, only 13% said they have given up their time for charities over the previous year, down from 17% before the health crisis.

CAF found that 1.6m fewer people had volunteered over the last five years.

Further evidence revealed in 2023 found that a lack of flexibility and suitability of roles is major barrier to volunteering.

This is where virtual and remote volunteering opportunities can help, by reversing the decline through appealing to more people with roles that better suit their lifestyles.

How can virtual volunteering help?

Greater use of technology in recent years means that volunteers need not travel to a charity’s centre or headquarters. Instead, they can carry out vital roles for good causes via their computer or phone at home. This could be helping with promotion, research and campaigning, as well as with digital tasks such as website design and creating engaging social media content. 

Such opportunities can be vital to better fit volunteers’ changing lifestyles, as an increasing number of people work remotely and develop their digital skills.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)’s 2023 Time Well Spent Report found that a lack of flexible roles was mentioned by one in seven people who had considered volunteering. The same proportion said that roles did not match their skills, interests, or experience.

The sector body urges charities to offer more flexible roles, especially where people can carry out tasks at home.

Many are already doing this, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCVO has found.

“Technology has played an increasingly important role in volunteering since 2020,” states its report.

“Volunteering online or over the phone is now the third most common place to volunteer. 31% of those who volunteered in the last 12 months did at least some of it online or over the phone.”

The NCVO adds that 93% of virtual volunteers are satisfied with their role, the same as those in more traditional face-to-face roles.

Further evidence, revealed in 2023 by volunteering charity Helpforce, also suggests increasing public appetite for flexible volunteering roles better suited to their lives.

Its survey of 2,000 people found that while more than half (56%) want to volunteer, two fifths are unable to commit to set hours, and a similar proportion feel they do not have enough time.

“We need to create flexible solutions for volunteering,” says Helpforce Chief Executive Mark Lever. This is especially needed to attract more students and workers to roles rather than focus on appealing to “retired and older age groups”, he adds.

Case Study - Dementia Voice Volunteer

Su volunteers remotely at the Alzheimer’s Society as a dementia voice volunteer. This involves helping the charity ensure it is reflecting the needs of people affected by dementia, including talking to people affected by the condition over the phone or video.

She explains that other virtual volunteering roles include giving feedback on health services and reviewing medical literature.

Alzheimer’s Society produces an e-newsletter that helps the charity’s team of virtual volunteers stay connected, adds Su, who is also the network engagement officer for charity sector group Vision for Volunteering.

“I volunteer remotely, so I don’t tend to meet fellow volunteers in person. But Alzheimer’s Society is great at helping us feel connected through initiatives like its regular e-newsletter,” she says.

“It’s so inspiring to hear what fellow volunteers get up to, and to find out what motivates them to get involved. From helping out at events for the research community and bringing their voices to steering groups, to writing a book about life with dementia to raise awareness of the condition, there’s no end to the ways volunteers support the charity’s vital work.  

“The e-newsletter also gives us the opportunity to celebrate each other’s achievements, including when volunteers are nominated for awards acknowledging their incredible contributions.” 

Case Study - Virtual Reader

Another charity to offer virtual volunteering roles is literacy organisation Bookmark. Roles include being a virtual reader, to spend an hour a week reading stories and playing games with a child in need of support via a secure online platform.

“Our online volunteering can fit around your schedule and there’s no need to travel,” says Bookmark.

Among children supported by the charity’s virtual volunteers is Ava. She says that the online sessions are “my favourite time of the whole week”.