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Top Virtual Volunteer Opportunities for Students

By Zach Skillings
Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts. Full Bio
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and Savannah Dawson
Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies. Full Bio
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Edited by
Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania. Full Bio
Maria Geiger
Updated: August 10th, 2023

Today’s digital world makes it easier than ever to volunteer from home. Whether over the phone or through the internet, you can participate in your community without ever leaving your couch. From tutoring and crisis support to translating and researching, there’s plenty of online volunteer opportunities out there. Not only is volunteering an excellent way to give back, it’s also a great chance to build your extracurricular resume, win scholarships, and gain experience in your desired career field. In this guide, we’ll cover some of the best online volunteer opportunities that you can seek out.

Related: Top community service scholarships

Top 20 online volunteer opportunities 

1. Smithsonian Digital Volunteers 

Put your passion for history to use at the Smithsonian Institute, where you’ll transcribe historic documents and records. Through your work, you’ll aid research efforts and help make valuable information more accessible to the public. Not to mention, you’ll get to explore the Smithsonian’s incredible collections of art, history, and science materials. 

2. Zooniverse

Zooniverse volunteers contribute to professional research projects in fields such as space, physics, nature, medicine, language, and much more. For instance, you could end up studying images of faraway galaxies, analyzing videos of animals in their natural habitats, or transcribing historical records and diaries. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to build meaningful research experience.

3. United Nations Volunteers

UNV is an excellent opportunity for volunteers who want to have a positive international impact. UNV connects volunteers with organizations around the world committed to peacebuilding, post-conflict recovery, and humanitarian efforts. Volunteers typically perform tasks involving research, writing, art, and design. 

4. Amnesty Decoders

This network of digital volunteers helps research and expose human rights violations. Decoders do everything from investigating the source of oil spills to researching online abuse against women. If you’re eager to make a difference in the fight for global human rights, this is a great place to start. 

5. Dosomething.org 

Do Something is a network of online volunteers who use the internet to help solve real-world problems. The platform features a variety of campaigns addressing issues related to voter registration, racism and discrimination, hunger, gun safety, and more. In addition to making a positive impact, students can earn scholarships by volunteering. 

6. Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders is a great opportunity for volunteers who are fluent in more than one language. This network of volunteers provides translations to international organizations committed to crisis relief, health, and education.

7. Audiopedia 

Audiopedia is an online collection of audible knowledge for illiterate rural women. The platform contains relevant questions and answers about health, nutrition, family planning, childcare, work, and more. The site needs volunteers to translate and record this information into different languages. 

8. TED Translate

Another organization dedicated to translation services; this one is perfect for TED Talk enthusiasts. TED Translators subtitle TED Talks, enabling inspiring ideas to transcend borders and languages. The organization currently features over 40,000 translators working in 115 different languages. 

9. Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line is a free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis in the U.S. It’s powered by remote volunteers who answer texts and help support people in moments of need. This is an excellent volunteer opportunity for students pursuing careers as social workers, therapists, psychiatrists, or guidance counselors. Applicants must be 18 years or older and willing to commit at least 200 hours of service. Similar organizations include Empower Work and IMALIVE. 

10. The Trevor Project

The purpose of the Trevor Project is to provide support to LGBTQ youth. Trevor volunteers work to create a safe online space for young people struggling with issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity, depression, and suicide. Volunteers provide support via phone, text, and chat. 

11. National Sexual Assault Hotline (NSAH) 

Operated by RAINN, the NSAH provides crisis counseling to victims of sexual assault and their loved ones. Applicants must be 18 years or older, and be willing to work a schedule of set shifts that may include nights and weekends. The commitment is sizable, but it’s an incredible way to provide much-needed support to survivors and their loved ones. 

12. Caring Calls 

This organization matches volunteers with senior citizens seeking companionship and connections. As a volunteer, you’ll hop on the phone and chat with older adults experiencing isolation and loneliness. Applicants must be 18 years or older, and be willing to serve about 30 minutes per week for eight weeks. Lifetime Connections Without Walls is a similar organization.

13. Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a free app dedicated to making the world more accessible for blind and low-vision individuals. The app is powered by volunteers who help people perform daily tasks ranging from reading instructions to navigating surroundings. Volunteers have flexible hours and work remotely through video calls. 

14. Cards for a Cause

If you enjoy arts and crafts, this is a great chance to put your talents to good use. Volunteers at this organization make uplifting cards to send to hospitalized and seriously ill children. The organization makes cards for all major holidays, making this a year-round volunteer opportunity. 

15. Writing Wonders Organization

Similar to Cards for a Cause, this organization spreads kindness and positivity through letters, art, and messages. Founded in 2020 during the midst of COVID-19, Writing Wonders is particularly focused on supporting children, healthcare workers, and the elderly. This is a powerful way to uplift people struggling with difficult circumstances. 

16. Oakwood Education Foundation 

This foundation exists to fight educational inequality and support students attending underfunded and under equipped schools. The foundation needs volunteers to tutor students in a variety of subjects ranging from math and science to history and English. You can tailor your time spent volunteering to fit your schedule and area of expertise.

17. Learn to Be

Learn to Be is an online tutoring platform that helps underserved children perform better in school. Volunteers work 1-on-1 with the same student each week helping them achieve their academic goals. Besides having a positive impact, other perks for volunteers include gaining school credit and building experience for a service-oriented career. 

18. The Kids Circle Foundation 

Kids Circle is dedicated to enriching the lives of children by providing them guidance, support, tutoring, and companionship. Volunteers can sign up to be tutors or get involved in areas such as web development, graphic design, blog writing, and social media. This opportunity is mainly for high school students, but others are welcome. 

19. Distributed Proofreaders 

Those who love books and have a keen attention to detail might find a good match with Distributed Proofreaders. Volunteers are tasked with proofreading books and preparing them for submission to Project Gutenberg, a free ebook library. For anyone pursuing a career in writing or editing, this is a great resume booster. 

20. LibriVox

Another platform geared toward bookworms, LibriVox is an online collection of free audiobooks. Volunteers are needed to record audio versions of books in the public domain, making them available for free on the Internet. You don’t need any prior experience to volunteer. 

Also see: Guide to winning local scholarships

Additional online volunteer opportunities

If you haven’t found what you’re looking for, try using the following search engines to discover other online volunteer opportunities: 

Next Steps

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Also see: Scholarships360 college major guides

Frequently asked questions about virtual volunteer opportunities

How do I become a virtual volunteer

The easiest and quickest way to become a volunteer at one of these organizations would be to reach out to them directly. You can do this by searching on their websites for a contact email or phone number. Then, simply ask them what kind of volunteers they are looking for or how you could help them.

How do I find the right organization for me?

Finding the right volunteer organization for you is completely up to what you are passionate about. Think about what makes you happy and what you want to see done in the world to make it a better place. Now, bring those things together, and see if any organizations apply to that. This is how you will ensure that you have fun while making a difference.

How do I find virtual volunteering opportunities?

If the options on this list don’t spark your interest, you can try reaching out directly to organizations that interest you to see if there are any virtual opportunities. You would be surprised at the opportunities that can be presented to you if you just ask!

What types of volunteering can be done online?

There are tons of industries within philanthropy and volunteer work that need online volunteers. This can include archives and genealogy, mapping, health and wellbeing, empowerment, literacy, mentoring, technology, and much more.