Want to Make a Difference While Wearing Your Pajamas?

Why micro-volunteering is catching on



Volunteering your time and skills can make you feel worthwhile, add meaning to your life, make a difference for others and it even looks good on a resume. Especially when you're looking for a job or have been out of work for a long period of time, just being able to do something productive can help keep depression from creeping in and de-railing your efforts.



The problem is, in order to get started volunteering, you have to find a non-profit, apply and then physically go there at prearranged times. For those of us who have frequently changing schedules and are very busy, this can be the challenge that prevents us from getting involved.



Well, now a new company has come up with a novel solution to the problem. Enter, mico-volunteering. A new site called Sparked is helping people make a difference without even having to get out of their pajamas. It's tagline is "Online volunteering for busy people". Not only do they have a website, they also have a mobile app for your smartphone.



Basically how it works is that people can log on to the site and find volunteer opportunities that match their skills and the amount of time they have to give. For some people, it can simply be tagging photos for a few minutes while they are on the go, or they can get involved in larger products. Because the volunteer opportunities are skill based, they can connect you with organizations who are looking for people with those specific skills.



Some of the projects they have been involved with have ranged from helping a Kenyan village get access to fresh water to helping a tech company in a third world country work on their banner ad. They have projects for just about anyone at any skill level.



This type of micro-volunteering could possibly harness the power of the 75% of Americans who don't volunteer. Most of us have access to the internet and/or have smart phones. Just think, if you spend an hour online working to make the world a better place, you don't have to feel so bad about the hours you waste on Facebook or watching videos on YouTube. You can even become a more productive citizen while waiting for your Farmville crops to grow.



So, if you have been thinking that you really ought to get out there and do something productive, now is your chance. Take a look at the website and see how you can help make a change!



Have you ever volunteered? If not, why? Let me know in the comments.



By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for SalesHeadsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.