A new UN report on volunteerism shows that while young people are less likely to get out the placards and picket, they are increasingly outspoken on virtual platforms.
"Online volunteering, online activism through social media, and micro-volunteering are fast-growing trends," the report said.
One of the main survey authors, Robert Leigh, pointed to the impact of popular protests in North Africa and the Middle East, saying the potential has never been greater for citizens to be primary actors - rather than passive bystanders - in their communities, as well as nationally and globally.
“Increasingly, people are able to affect the course of events that shape their destiny,” he said in a release, adding that volunteerism was one of the chief ways for people to get involved.
According to the report, technological developments are opening up spaces for people to volunteer in completely new ways, and to relate to one another globally and more rapidly than ever before. Citizens can now track food insecurity, monitor violent conflict, and provide early warning of impending disasters, notes the UN.
SMS text messaging has had perhaps the most profound impact, the organisation says, serving as a form of “micro-volunteerism”, due to its limited duration, and short-term commitment. “It can contribute to the production and sharing of richer, more complete and more reliable information,” the report states.
The UN points out that SMS communication is often used to raise awareness on local issues, inform people's choices, and monitor and improve public services, including education and health.
The report also focused on the growth and benefits of online volunteering, with one significant aspect being that it can be done from a distance. People with restricted mobility, special needs and social anxieties are able to participate in ways that might not be possible in traditional face-to-face volunteering, the UN notes.
“Online volunteering has eliminated the need for volunteerism to be tied to specific times and locations,” it says, which increases the freedom and flexibility of volunteer engagement, and empowers people who might not otherwise volunteer.
The report adds, however, that while technology has great potential to contribute to volunteerism, changes do not occur without challenges. Some argue the digital divide may further exclude people with limited access to technology, and that benefits are not as accessible in low-income countries.
The UN adds that so-called 'clicktivism' may actually prevent activists from engaging in more meaningful volunteer action. It is argued that, while social media may help to bring awareness of social causes, it does not inspire the passion to create effective social change.
“Yet, while micro-volunteering may not always lead to radical social change, it brings benefits simply by informing and changing attitudes,” the report states.
“On many levels, new ICTs have introduced a network-style, horizontal and participatory flow of information among users, thus opening up innovative opportunities for volunteer participation.”
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