Volunteering can be done in many different ways and it is important to know that you do not have to physically be somewhere to volunteer. There is no clear-cut way to volunteer and you can decide how you want to volunteer based upon your personal needs and the circumstances in your life. If you want to volunteer from the comfort of your own home, below are three of the many ways you can volunteer remotely.
Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line is a great way to make a difference from the comfort of your home. Crisis Text Line allows volunteers to answer texts from individuals who may be going through a crisis. The volunteers engage in active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and safety planning to calm down the individual. Volunteering with Crisis Text Line has many benefits, one being that you learn how to engage in active listening and empathy. One last important thing to note is that trainings are free to volunteers.
Translators Without Borders
Translators Without Borders (TWB) helps translate texts and other written work in different languages to help overcome language barriers. Their goal is to close language gaps that impede important international and humanitarian development efforts across the world. In order to become a volunteer with this organization, you must be fluent in at least one language other than your native language. However, if you are not bilingual, they have other volunteer opportunities that are needed as well, such as project managers, web page designers, and more.
Be My Eyes
Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that allows volunteers to give assistance to those who are blind or low-sighted. At Be My Eyes, volunteers engage in a live video call with whoever they are assisting to help guide the user in the right direction or to answer a pressing question. There are currently 204,288 blind and low-vision users on the app right now waiting for people like you to join the community.
Dr. Barbara R Edwards practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.