Distinctive

By Nora Lessersohn and Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D.

As spring and summer programs are cancelled, and the world’s communities continue to suffer from the COVID-19 crisis, you may be looking for ways to spend your time and help others. Of course, most of us can’t be out contributing on the front lines.

Fortunately, many organizations have found ways to bring the front lines online!

We’ve compiled a list of virtual volunteering opportunities that are open to high school students. 

We’re confident there is something on this list for everyone!

Translators Without Borders offers language and translation support for global humanitarian and development agencies. They need volunteers who are fluent in at least one language other than English to translate words for medical texts, crisis response, and other important work.

UPchieve is a free, online platform that connects low-income high school students in the US with live, volunteer coaches (that’s you!) any time they need it, especially during this time of school closures. The volunteer experience is ultra-flexible so you can help students from anywhere with an internet connection.

Missing Maps is an open, collaborative project in which you can help to map areas where humanitarian organizations are trying to meet the needs of parts of the world that are vulnerable to natural disasters, conflicts, and disease epidemics. Join thousands of others in coordinated humanitarian projects to map OpenStreetMap and support communities in need.

Be My Eyes is a free mobile app with one main goal: to make the world more accessible for blind and low-vision people. The app connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers (like you!) from all over the world through a live video call.

The Smithsonian seeks to engage the public in making their collections more accessible through digital technology. “Digital Volunteers” can take on important assignments to expand access to the Smithsonian’s massive collections and can participate in a variety of research programs. Learn more about the Smithsonian Institution’s WikiProject or become a citizen scholar through the Smithsonian Transcription Center.

The Red Cross delivers vital services – from providing relief and support to those in crisis, to helping you be prepared to respond in emergencies. They also have a wide range of remote volunteer opportunities: search for “NHQ” or “virtual” in the search bar to find volunteer-from-home positions.

Amnesty International strives to combat human rights violations around the world. As an Amnesty Decoder, you can use your smartphone and computer to help the organization sift through images and documents to protect vulnerable populations. 

Project Gutenberg aims to provide free ebooks to the world as well as CDs and DVDs to communities without internet. They need your help proofreading and procuring texts, as well as sending materials. 

The Library of Congress is best known for having the largest book collection in the world. It now needs your help transcribing historical and literary documents for its digitized collections through the By the People crowdsourcing campaign.

Citizen Science helps several federal agencies advance projects through public crowdsourcing. The variety is astounding, and the offerings span the globe. There is clearly something for everyone! You just have to spend some time sorting through your options.

Zooinverse connects students with exciting research being conducted around the world. Pick from active projects in the Arts, Biology, Climate, History, Language, Literature, Medicine, Nature, Physics, Social Science, or Space. 

Catchafire connects volunteers with short-term projects needed to assist non-profit organizations and social enterprises. If you’re looking to apply or stretch your business skills, this is a great choice for you!

7 Cups connects volunteer listeners with people who are looking for free emotional support. If you’re 18 or older (or 15 with parental consent) you can sign up to help people in need of a chat. This is a wonderful opportunity for future Psychology majors, or those looking to connect with others in a person-to-person way.