Resources
regarding Internet-Mediated Volunteering With European Focus or
Relevance
This is a list of offline and online literature that could play a role in
supporting Internet-mediated volunteering in the EU, and that helped
inform
this
research. Some of this literature is
referenced
in the final paper.
This literature could play a role in supporting the growth of
Internet-mediated volunteering in the EU, in terms of:
- informing policy discussions and decisions
- supporting organisations in the development of online volunteering
opportunities and effectively supporting online volunteers
- supporting people in becoming successful online volunteers
As of November 30, 2013,
this wiki is on hiatus; it will not be updated while on hiatus.
For more information, contact:
jrc-ipts-is-NEWS@ec.europa.eu
Research
- The ICT4EMPL
Future Work project , which included research on
Internet-mediated volunteering (virtual volunteering,
microvolunteering, etc.) with regards to how it is practised in
Europe, how widespread it is in Europe, and any role it does or could
play with regard to employability (career exploration, skills
development, job connections, job promotion, etc.) and to social
inclusion. Its wiki is a knowledge base of resources used to create
the final report. This research was undertaken by Jayne
Cravens from April - August 2013, for the overall ICT4EMPL
Future Work project by: European Commission, Joint Research Centre,
Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Information Society
Unit, http://is.jrc.ec.europa.eu.
Interview
in Italian associated with this project for blogvol.ideasolidale.org
/ L’europa dei volontari.
- Virtual
Volunteering and Digital Engagement: A Qualitative Investigation.
Volunteering Queensland (Australia) "conducted in-depth interviews
with five diverse organisations, took a close look at the practice of
three organisations in the form of case studies, and undertook a
crowdsourcing experiment on Twitter." The findings are presented,
followed by "a discussion of their significance for policy and
practice." This research was authored by James Schier, Erin Gregor and
Sarah McAtamney and supervised by Mark Creyton. January 2012.
- "Social Capital, Social Networks, and the Social Web; The Case of
Virtual Volunteering," by Dhrubodhi
Mukherjee, Southern Illinois University, USA, from the book Virtual
Communities: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications.,
published in 2011. Abstract: Social interaction technologies create
communicative possibilities that go beyond dyadic interactions and
across physical boundaries, bringing a qualitative shift in the
functioning of the Internet. The present chapter employs social
capital and social networks perspectives to identify the social
determinants of virtual volunteering in the age of Web 2.0, explores
the social motivation of volunteers who perform tasks using the Social
Web in the context of online volunteering, and addresses the dynamic
interplay of social capital, social networks, and the Social Web with
implications for virtual volunteering. The argument furthered is that
active participation in social networks generates social capital and
facilitates the development of the Social Web.
- "Participation
of Older Adults in Virtual Volunteering: A Qualitative Analysis."
by Dhrubodhi
Mukherjee. 2011. Published in Ageing International. "This
study takes the initiative to generate new knowledge on how the
Internet can play an active role in facilitating volunteerism among
older people. It explores the demographic characteristics,
motivation, and types of tasks performed by older adults while
volunteering in a virtual environment. Given the emerging support
infrastructure to facilitate virtual volunteering among older
adults, this study sought to better comprehend the profiles and
motivations of older virtual volunteers. In particular, the study
wishes to understand if parallels could be drawn between on-site
volunteering and online volunteering among older adults.
Correspondingly, the study also explores whether participation in
virtual volunteering by older adults increased their sense of
belonging."
- "An
exploratory study of older adults' engagement with virtual
volunteerism." Dhrubodhi
Mukherjee. 2010. Published in Journal of Technology in Human
Services. Interviews done with volunteers through SeniorNet.
"Implications of this study include reconceptualization of virtual
volunteering as a strategic tool to recruit older adults and greater
usage of information communication technologies to promote civic
engagement among older people and, thus, positively influence their
health and well-being."
- "Volunteered
Geographic Information and Crowdsourcing Disaster Relief: A Case
Study of the Haitian Earthquake," by Matthew Zook, University of
Kentucky, Mark Graham, University of Oxford, Taylor Shelton,
University of Kentucky, Sean Gorman, FortiusOne. From World
Medical & Health Policy, Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 2,
published in 2010. Abstract: This paper outlines the ways in which
information technologies (ITs) were used in the Haiti relief effort,
especially with respect to web-based mapping services. Although there
were numerous ways in which this took place, this paper focuses on
four in particular: CrisisCamp Haiti, OpenStreetMap, Ushahidi, and
GeoCommons. This analysis demonstrates that ITs were a key means
through which individuals could make a tangible difference in the work
of relief and aid agencies without actually being physically present
in Haiti. While not without problems, this effort nevertheless
represents a remarkable example of the power and crowdsourced online
mapping and the potential for new avenues of interaction between
physically distant places that vary tremendously.
- "Potential
and promise of online volunteering" by Yair Amichai-Hamburger,
Bezeq International Research Center for Internet Psychology, Sammy
Ofer School of Communications, Interdisciplinary Center, Israel. 2008.
Published in Computers in Human Behavior 24(2). "Advocates a
model to explain the potential and promise of online volunteerism from
the perspective of the volunteer."
- Why
Do People Write Free Documentation? Results of a Survey ,
published in June 2007, by Andy
Oram. "A unique survey ran on O'Reilly's web site during the
first three months of 2007, aimed at people who contribute free
documentation to online mailing lists, web sites, and other forums.
The survey garnered 354 responses, which in itself indicates the
thriving state of free documentation and the dedication of the people
who write it… Thousands edit wikis, answer questions on forums, and
blog about experiments with technology--mostly for free. Their
contributions may go on sites that are advertising-supported, but they
rarely share in the revenue. Some receive fees elsewhere for articles
and books, but the writing done gratis often comes up in search
engines at rankings equal to or higher than official corporate sites
such as Sun Microsystems' Java documentation."
- "Online Volunteers: Knowledge Managers in Nonprofits," by Ismael
Peña-López. Published in The Journal of Information
Technology in Social Change, Spring Edition - April 2007.
Analyzed 17 web sites devoted to fostering volunteering to find out
(a) if there was a broadly accepted definition of the concept of
online volunteering and (b) if there was a list of tasks thus designed
as the core or ideal competencies of online volunteers.
- Voluntary Engagement in
an Open web-based Encyclopedia : Wikipedians, and Why They Do It,
Joachim Schroer, Guido Hertel, University of Würzburg, 8 January
2007, texte
intégral en ligne.
- "Involving
International Online Volunteers: Factors for Success,
Organizational Benefits, and New Views of Community," by
Jayne
Cravens, MSc. In conjunction with the Institute
for Volunteering Research's November 2005 conference,
"Volunteering Research: Frontiers and Horizons," this research, the
first done regarding Online Volunteering in quite a while, was
undertaken to assess current common practices among organizations
successfully involving international online volunteers; to explore the
role online volunteering may play in building a more cohesive global
community; and to assess the relationship between involving online
volunteers and building organizational capacities. This paper offers a
brief history and overview of online volunteering practice and details
survey results regarding organizations that involved the Outstanding
Online Volunteers of 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 at www.onlinevolunteering.org.
This paper was published in The
International Journal of Volunteer Administration (IJOVA)in July
2006.
- "Virtual
Volunteering: Current Status and Future Prospects", by Yvonne
Harrison and Vic
Murray, published in Emerging Areas of Volunteering by
ARNOVA
in 2005. Other articles by these authors include a chapter, "Bridging
the Effectiveness Divide: The Case of Online Recruitment in Canada,"
in the book Nonprofits and Technology: Emerging Research for
Usable Knowledge , edited by Cortes and Rafter, 2007; a summary
of the research carried out by Harrison, Murray and Jim MacGregor on
the impact of information and communications technology on the
management of Canadian volunteer programs, featured in The
Canadian Journal of Volunteer Resources Management Vol. 12, No.
2, 2004; "Information and Communications Technology: Navigating
Technological Change and Changing Relationships in Volunteer
Administration," the lead article in the Journal of Volunteer
Administration, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2004; "The Use and
Effectiveness of Information and Communications Technology in the
Management of Volunteer Programs", (2004); "The Impact of ICT on the
Management of Canadian Volunteer Programs: Information and
Communications Technology: Beyond Anecdotes, (2004); "Virtual
Volunteering in Canada Fact Sheet 2002"; "The Impact of Information
and Communications Technology on Volunteer Management" (2002); and
"Virtual Volunteering: Current Status and Future Prospects", regarding
online volunteering in Canada (2002).
- "Social Movement Participation in the Digital Age: Predicting
Offline and Online Collective Action," by Suzanne Brunsting and Tom
Postmes. Published in Small
Group Research, vol. 33, issue 5, October 2002 "Motives
to participate in online versus offline collective action were
investigated among environmental activists in the Netherlands... This
research gives an empirical insight in the influence of Internet on
motives for collective action and on the participation of peripheral
members."
- Technology-Assisted Delivery of School Based Mental Health
Services: Defining School Social Work for the 21st Century,
which was co-published simultaneously as the Journal of
Technology in Human Services, Volume 21, Numbers 1/2 2003, by The
Haworth Press, featured a paper by Jayne
Cravens, Online Mentoring: Programs and Suggested Practices as
of February 2001.
- Human Services Online: A New Arena for Service Delivery,
which was co-published simultaneously as the Journal of
Technology in Human Services, Volume 17, Numbers 1 and 2/3
2000, by The
Haworth Press, featured a paper by Jayne
Cravens, "Virtual Volunteering: Online Volunteers Providing
Assistance to Human Service Agencies."
- The Virtual
Volunteering Guidebook, by Susan Ellis and Jayne Cravens.
Published in 2000, based on the Virtual Volunteering Project (see
above). Also translated into Spanish (see below).
Other
resources:
Lista
de las actividades de los voluntarios digitales, voluntarios de
Internet, voluntarios en red, voluntarios en línea y Programa de
Formación, "Redes sociais e Comunicación 2.0", con
presentaciones
en español.
Presentaciones
a SocialTIC, TIC para la transformación social y el voluntariado.
Short web page on the primary volunteering portal of France,
France
Bénévolat, linking to
Canadian
materials regarding virtual volunteering (in French)
"So
what do we know about micro-volunteering?", a very short blog by
Veronique Jochum, 21-Feb-2013, published at
National
Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
How
to develop a microvolunteering action. A guide for charities &
nonprofits. From
Help
From Home.
Wiki
Contents
The
Last Virtual Volunteering
Guidebook