Chapter 3: Online Helping¶
Making an impact from anywhere with an internet connection
The Rise of Remote Volunteering¶
You don't need to leave your couch to change lives. Remote and online volunteering has exploded, opening helping opportunities to people who can't volunteer locally due to disability, caregiving responsibilities, rural location, or simply schedule constraints.
Online helping spans everything from five-minute micro-tasks to ongoing relationships. Whatever time and skills you have, there's a match.
Crisis Support Lines¶
Some of the most impactful online volunteering involves directly supporting people in crisis.
Text and Chat-Based Support¶
Crisis Text Line - What: Text-based support for people in crisis - Commitment: 4 hours/week minimum after 30+ hour training - Website: crisistextline.org - Note: Also operates in UK (Shout), Canada, Ireland
7 Cups - What: Online chat support for emotional well-being (not crisis-level) - Commitment: Flexible, self-paced training - Website: 7cups.com - Note: Lower barrier to entry, good for building listening skills
Trevor Project - What: Crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth - Commitment: Significant training, regular shifts - Website: thetrevorproject.org - Note: Must be 18+, requires comfort with LGBTQ+ issues
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) - What: Support for sexual assault survivors via hotline and chat - Commitment: 16-hour training, minimum 4 hours/week for 6 months - Website: rainn.org - Note: Emotionally demanding; requires strong boundaries
What to Expect¶
Crisis support volunteering is intense but rewarding: - Training is substantial: Expect 20-40+ hours before taking your first conversation - Supervision is ongoing: Regular check-ins, support for difficult conversations - Emotional processing is essential: You'll hear hard things; organizations provide debriefing - Impact is immediate: You're often the difference between someone's worst moment and getting help
Is This Right for You?¶
Crisis support is a good fit if you: - Are emotionally stable and have good boundaries - Can commit to regular shifts for months - Are comfortable with difficult topics (suicide, abuse, trauma) - Have strong listening skills (or want to develop them) - Have access to a private, quiet space during shifts
Micro-Volunteering¶
Short tasks, big impact. Micro-volunteering lets you help in bursts of minutes rather than hours.
Human Connection¶
Be My Eyes - What: Video calls to help blind/low-vision users with quick tasks (reading labels, navigating, etc.) - Time: Calls typically last 2-5 minutes; you accept when available - Website: bemyeyes.com - Note: 7+ million volunteers, so calls may be infrequent
StoryCorps Connect - What: Facilitate recorded conversations between people and their loved ones - Website: storycorps.org - Note: Helps preserve stories while building connection
Research and Data¶
Zooniverse - What: Citizen science projects—classify galaxies, transcribe historical documents, track wildlife - Time: A few minutes per task, do as many as you want - Website: zooniverse.org - Note: Contributes to real research; many projects to choose from
Smithsonian Transcription Center - What: Transcribe historical documents, field notes, diaries - Website: transcription.si.edu - Note: Help make archives searchable and accessible
Folding@home (and similar distributed computing) - What: Donate computer processing power for disease research - Time: Runs in background - Website: foldingathome.org - Note: Passive—just install and let it run
Humanitarian Mapping¶
Missing Maps / Humanitarian OpenStreetMap - What: Trace buildings and roads from satellite imagery to help disaster response - Time: 15-30 minute tasks - Website: missingmaps.org - Note: Training videos provided; work supports Red Cross and MSF operations
Skilled Online Volunteering¶
Put your professional skills to work for nonprofits that can't afford to hire.
General Platforms¶
Catchafire - What: Matches professionals with nonprofits needing specific skills - Skills needed: Marketing, finance, HR, tech, strategy, design, and more - Website: catchafire.org - Note: Project-based or ongoing; time commitments clearly stated
Taproot Foundation - What: Pro bono consulting projects for nonprofits - Skills needed: Marketing, HR, IT, strategy, design - Website: taprootfoundation.org - Note: More structured, team-based projects
VolunteerMatch Skills-Based Volunteering - What: Filter for virtual/skills-based opportunities - Website: volunteermatch.org
Technology-Specific¶
Code for America Brigade - What: Civic tech projects using software skills - Skills needed: Development, design, UX, data science - Website: brigade.codeforamerica.org - Note: Local brigades meet regularly (often hybrid)
DataKind - What: Data science projects for social good - Skills needed: Data analysis, machine learning, visualization - Website: datakind.org - Note: Structured projects with clear timelines
Open Source Contributions - Many humanitarian and nonprofit tools are open source: - Ushahidi — Crisis mapping - OpenMRS — Medical records for developing countries - Humanitarian OpenStreetMap - Search GitHub for "humanitarian" or "social good" topics
Legal Services¶
Pro Bono Net - What: Connects lawyers with pro bono opportunities - Website: probono.net
Many state bar associations coordinate pro bono matching for licensed attorneys.
Medical/Health¶
Health Volunteers Overseas - What: Remote support and education for healthcare workers abroad - Website: hvousa.org - Note: Primarily for credentialed health professionals
Online Mentoring and Tutoring¶
Share your knowledge directly with people who need guidance.
Academic Tutoring¶
UPchieve - What: Free online tutoring for low-income high school students - Subjects: Math, science, college counseling - Website: upchieve.org - Note: On-demand; you get notified when a student needs help
Learn to Be - What: Online tutoring for K-12 students - Website: learntobe.org - Note: Background check required; 1-hour weekly sessions
Paper (formerly GradePower) - Various organizations recruit tutors; search for opportunities in your subject area
Career Mentoring¶
LinkedIn Career Advice (built into LinkedIn) - Toggle on "Career Advice" to signal you're open to mentoring
SCORE - What: Mentoring for small business owners - Website: score.org - Note: Especially valuable if you have entrepreneurship experience
ADPList - What: Mentoring for people in design, product, tech - Website: adplist.org - Note: Global community, sessions via video call
Translation and Language Support¶
If you speak multiple languages, you have a superpower most people lack.
Translators Without Borders / CLEAR Global - What: Translation for humanitarian organizations - Website: clearglobal.org - Note: Various commitment levels; vital work during crises
Tarjimly - What: Translation/interpretation for refugees via mobile app - Website: tarjimly.org - Note: On-demand requests; respond when available
Kiva Translation - What: Translate loan profiles for microlending - Website: kiva.org/volunteer - Note: Helps borrowers connect with lenders worldwide
Online Support Communities¶
Sometimes helping means showing up consistently in spaces where people need support.
Reddit communities: Many support subreddits welcome kind, consistent contributors - r/Assistance — People helping people with needs - r/Anxiety, r/depression — Peer support communities - r/stopdrinking — Supporting sobriety - r/personalfinance — Financial guidance
Patient/caregiver communities: Disease-specific forums often need experienced voices - Cancer support groups (Cancer Support Community, etc.) - Chronic illness communities - Caregiver forums
Approach with care: These spaces have norms. Lurk before contributing. Offer support, not solutions. Know when to suggest professional help.
Safety and Self-Care Online¶
Protect Your Information¶
- Use your first name only in most volunteer contexts
- Create a separate email for volunteering if needed
- Be cautious about sharing location or personal details
Maintain Boundaries¶
- Set clear limits on when and how much you volunteer
- It's okay to stop responding to conversations that feel unsafe
- Report harassment or concerning behavior to platform moderators
Process What You Encounter¶
- Online helping can expose you to heavy content
- Talk to friends, family, or therapists about what you experience
- Take breaks when needed
- Crisis line programs offer supervision—use it
Getting Started This Week¶
5 minutes: - Download Be My Eyes and complete setup - Sign up for Zooniverse and complete one task
1 hour: - Browse Catchafire for a project matching your skills - Complete Crisis Text Line's initial application
Ongoing commitment: - Finish Crisis Text Line training and start taking shifts - Take on a pro bono project through Catchafire or Taproot - Join a Code for America brigade or DataKind project
Next: Chapter 4: Giving Wisely — Maximizing the impact of your donations