Different types of volunteering
Skill-based: Skill based volunteering is where an individual who is particularly skilled is given over to
an organisation. This usually comes with a mission with a particular goal to achieve. In comparison
with traditional volunteering skill-based is specific and much more demanding time wise and
sometimes the length of the volunteering is indefinite until the missions goals are achieved. An
example of this would be the department for international development who send and fund teams
around the world.
Overseas: overseas volunteering is literally volunteering anywhere outside of your own country,
however there are particular traits that are in this form of volunteering. This includes usually
volunteering in poor countries and helping within the community, but the volunteer can be skilled or
not, it’s irrelevant. An example of this would be an organisation like Oxfam sending UK volunteers
abroad.
Virtual: Virtual volunteering, also known as e-volunteering is volunteering via the use of the internet
to someone else. This is usually done in the form of teaching or support. The use of pda`s and
smartphones is not uncommon and allows effective communication between long distance without
someone actually needing to move and is often the choice of volunteering for many teachers and
those in a similar profession. An example of this would be an organisation like Israeli Humanitarian
Aid to the Gaza Stripi who provides aid information and funds via the internet and phones.
Micro: micro volunteering is done in small amounts of time and whilst alone useless together many
micro volunteering projects form something solid. Usually done for 5 minute instalments it is done
by many people. An example of this would an organisation like micro aid international. ii
Environmental: environmental volunteering is where an individual volunteers to work in particular
with the environment working on conservation projects and similar. This can be to benefit humans
rather than just plants and animals and may involve destruction as well as construction. An example
of this would be DUH (German environmental aid) iii who reduce energy wastage, increase green
energy use protect the environment.
Emergency: emergency volunteering is immediate volunteering in response usually to a disaster and
to try and get as big a response as possible in the first few days of an event in order to try and save as
many people as is possible. This usually involves a lot of time but will include both skilled and non-
skilled volunteers. An example of this would be the Indonesian tsunami aid organisation which set
itself up shortly after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
School: Many developing countries lack the resources to properly run schools and as a result schools
are often understaffed and have few resources. School volunteer can provide the necessary
personnel and resources that schools need to run properly. This can be for very long periods of time
abroad and requires skilled volunteers. However school volunteering is not just limited to LEDCs and
can be used in MEDCs as well to try and develop schools that underperforming or to provide a new
set of skills top that school rather than not develop certain subjects where personnel lack the
knowledge needed. An example of this would be an organisation like Fundraise iv who fund better
education and skilled teachers to go to schools.
Skill-based: Skill based volunteering is where an individual who is particularly skilled is given over to
an organisation. This usually comes with a mission with a particular goal to achieve. In comparison
with traditional volunteering skill-based is specific and much more demanding time wise and
sometimes the length of the volunteering is indefinite until the missions goals are achieved. An
example of this would be the department for international development who send and fund teams
around the world.
Overseas: overseas volunteering is literally volunteering anywhere outside of your own country,
however there are particular traits that are in this form of volunteering. This includes usually
volunteering in poor countries and helping within the community, but the volunteer can be skilled or
not, it’s irrelevant. An example of this would be an organisation like Oxfam sending UK volunteers
abroad.
Virtual: Virtual volunteering, also known as e-volunteering is volunteering via the use of the internet
to someone else. This is usually done in the form of teaching or support. The use of pda`s and
smartphones is not uncommon and allows effective communication between long distance without
someone actually needing to move and is often the choice of volunteering for many teachers and
those in a similar profession. An example of this would be an organisation like Israeli Humanitarian
Aid to the Gaza Stripi who provides aid information and funds via the internet and phones.
Micro: micro volunteering is done in small amounts of time and whilst alone useless together many
micro volunteering projects form something solid. Usually done for 5 minute instalments it is done
by many people. An example of this would an organisation like micro aid international. ii
Environmental: environmental volunteering is where an individual volunteers to work in particular
with the environment working on conservation projects and similar. This can be to benefit humans
rather than just plants and animals and may involve destruction as well as construction. An example
of this would be DUH (German environmental aid) iii who reduce energy wastage, increase green
energy use protect the environment.
Emergency: emergency volunteering is immediate volunteering in response usually to a disaster and
to try and get as big a response as possible in the first few days of an event in order to try and save as
many people as is possible. This usually involves a lot of time but will include both skilled and non-
skilled volunteers. An example of this would be the Indonesian tsunami aid organisation which set
itself up shortly after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
School: Many developing countries lack the resources to properly run schools and as a result schools
are often understaffed and have few resources. School volunteer can provide the necessary
personnel and resources that schools need to run properly. This can be for very long periods of time
abroad and requires skilled volunteers. However school volunteering is not just limited to LEDCs and
can be used in MEDCs as well to try and develop schools that underperforming or to provide a new
set of skills top that school rather than not develop certain subjects where personnel lack the
knowledge needed. An example of this would be an organisation like Fundraise iv who fund better
education and skilled teachers to go to schools.
