Virtual volunteering in social service non-profit organizations : a case study

Abstract

This case study examined how managers of social service non-profit organizations in the Greater Vancouver area are responding to the emergence of virtual volunteering. The literature indicates virtual volunteering is a relatively new activity with limited research directed towards social service non-profit organizations. Participants involved in the study stated they knew very little about virtual volunteerism, and as a result, were not clear if the approach was one they could adopt or benefit from. Recommendations include further examination of virtual volunteerism and the creation of a common definition for the social service non-profit sector; identification of how the constructs of social presence theory (i.e., authenticity, realness, credibility) can be demonstrated in virtual interactions; the development of an assessment process to analyze the viability and relativity of virtual interactions; and the development of a process and practice designed to capture volunteer meaningfulness in virtual interactions to support quality improvement efforts and volunteer satisfaction.