subject: Making a Difference via Wireless Internet [print this page] Making a Difference via Wireless Internet
Most professions utilize computer technology and rely on web connectivity to support their work. Personally, people use social networking sites and email to stay in touch with friends and extended family. It is thus no wonder that wireless internet has also affected the world of volunteering. Even if you are busy with work, school, and your own family, technology makes it easier for you to donate time or funds to any organization you believe in supporting.
The idea of giving something back to your community has a long history in this country. During Kennedy's government in the 1960s, international volunteerism got a big boost when the then-president challenged students at a University of Michigan ceremony to offer what they could to the less fortunate. The program quickly got off the ground. Since the moment the Peace Corps was founded, which happened just one year after Kennedy's speech, over 200,000 individuals have made time in their lives to make a difference in developing countries.
When volunteers first arrived in countries around the world in the 1960s, they often were immersed in entirely new cultures and also had to give up connections with their homes. A lack of communications infrastructure meant that even if it was possible to talk with family back in the U.S., it was very expensive. Consequently, occasional communication via letters and phone calls was the norm for most Peace Corps participants during the two years they spent abroad. But since that time, the expansion of dial-up and more recently wireless internet have transformed the experience of volunteering.
The first way that technology has affected volunteering starts with the application process. The website has detailed information about ongoing projects and opportunities, making it much easier for anyone interested in the program to learn about their choices and the countries where people work. You can also submit application materials online including recommendations and personal essays. After submission, you can use wireless internet to check the status of your application and then make initial arrangements once accepted.
It has also become much easier to support volunteers while they are abroad. If you have 4G access in your city, you can learn about what different people are doing and where. This includes project details and needs, as well as a space for people to donate funds. The Peace Corps is far from the only organization with such a set-up. There are thousands, if not more, nonprofit groups that offer volunteer positions and accept online donations.
4G service is also useful for volunteering online. Many organizations ask for assistance in developing websites, translating, or with the creation of materials. Such work can often be done from a distance. Therefore, even if you do not have the time to travel to their offices, you can nonetheless contribute to the nonprofit's mission in your spare time throughout the day. The service keeps your laptop connected whether you are outdoors in a park or waiting at the bus stop, which makes it much easier to find a few minutes in the day to donate to the organizations that are working to make a difference.
