Tech & Social Impact: What specific opportunities are there?
This is the last in a series of posts about how folks who work in tech can be superheroes of social impact in their own backyards - wherever that might be, no matter how busy they are, and no matter their specific skills.
The first piece examined why we should volunteer; the second explored how folks can choose types of volunteering best suited for their goals and needs. In this final post, we'll look at the plethora of tech or tech-adjacent volunteering opportunities available, as well as national and local resources for finding options in your own community.
Volunteering opportunities by type
💻 CODE
- Contribute to open-source
- Participate in community hackathons
- Help build or maintain websites for community groups and nonprofits
📝 WRITE
- Blog to share your knowledge
- Create tutorials for others to learn
💡 MENTOR
Check for established programs, or just reach out to see if anyone is interested in an adhoc mentoring relationship.
- Local colleges or universities
- Area tech meetups
- Young professionals groups
- Alumni networks
🍎 TEACH / TUTOR
Maybe it's a one-time workshop, maybe it's a semester-long program, maybe it's weekly tutoring - there are almost certainly opportunities available in your area.
- Community centers
- Senior centers
- After-school programs
📅 ORGANIZE
Pick your favorite local tech group and reach out to see how you can help; if your area is lacking, consider starting your own!
- Meetups
- Local chapters of national organizations
💰 FUND
Maybe you don't have a lot of extra time, but you're able to support financially. I can say from experience that local meetups can always use help.
- Donate to local tech nonprofits
- Provide a scholarship for someone to study tech in your area
- Sponsor events (provide space, snacks or both!)
🗣 SPEAK
Don't feel like you have to wait to be asked - if you have an idea, reach out to your local educational institutions / community groups and see if they're interested! (They almost certainly are.)
- Conferences
- High school / university classes
- Meetups
📡 SIGNAL BOOST
Promote voices from the tech community that are often marginalized; use your platforms to elevate their message.
- Social media
- The speakers you select for events
National volunteering resources
TECH ORGANIZATIONS
- ChickTech
- Girls Who Code
- CoderDojo
- Bridge Foundry
- Tech for Campaigns
- Hour of Code
- Girl Develop It
- TEALS
- Write / Speak / Code
NATIONAL NONPROFITS
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MATCHING SITES