Today, Monday 15th April, is International Micro-volunteering Day. So let’s find out a little more about it. 

How did International Micro-Volunteering Day begin? 

International Micro-volunteering Day started as an initiative from Help From Home who have been leading the promotion of micro-actions since 2008. 

The first Micro-volunteering Day was held in 2014, which attracted attention from many charitable organisations, resulting in thousands of people dedicating some of their space time to good causes. 

The main aim of International Micro-volunteering Day is to encourage people to get involved with volunteering through microvolunteering tasks and to encourage organisations that can benefit to support the idea of microvolunteering. 

The term microvolunteering first became popular in 2008 and has since grown to become a prevalent concept in the charity sector. It has the power to become a global force to connect charitable organisations with people who want tp spend their time on impactful volunteering tasks (no matter how small). 

The great thing about microvolunteering is that it’s ‘bite-sized’ which means people can get involved with little commitment and a small amount of time – From as short as an hour!

Typically, there are two types of microvolunteering – Skilled one-off tasks and unskilled repeatable tasks. Microvolunteering can be done anyway using online means – During your commute to work, during the adverts between a favourite show, even tucked up in bed! This is perhaps the best bit of microvolunteering. 

Tasks can also be offline – Things like litter picking, collecting food donations, taking elderly people shopping etc. There are so many ways you can get involved with your local good causes by donating very little of your time. 

Why is International Volunteering Day so important?

Volunteering is an important aspect of any charitable cause. Starting to volunteer somewhere and offering your precious time can feel like a daunting task, which is why having a go on International Volunteering Day is a great way to start. 

• Microvolunteering is convenient – It helps people be a bit more willing to participate in volunteering opportunities as they seem more doable in micro moments. 
• Initiating a volunteering opportunity on International Microvolunteering Day can help more people get involved, which benefits good causes and charitable organisations in the long run. 
• Microvolunteering and volunteering in general can help give people a real sense of purpose. By spending out time engaged in meaningful activities and actions, we are actively contributing to good causes that help other people and our communities. 

How can you get involved in International Microvolunteering Day? 

If microvolunteering appeals, there are a few different ways you can get involved. You can participate in Microvolunteering Day by:

• Getting in touch with a local charity or good cause and asking if there is a microvolunteering task you could undertake for them. It could be as simple as lending your expertise to write a blog article for their website, creating an infographic, or sharing information on social media.
  
• Once you’ve done a microvolunteering task, spread the word! That in itself can be a form of microvolunteering itself. Help raise awareness and get the information to a wider audience to help make an impact and difference to those who need it most. You can spread the word on social media by using the hashtag #microvolunteering
  
• Use this day of International Microvolunteering to get involved with a charity or good cause near you by offering your time. It could be a food bank, a school PTA or a community initiative like Round Table. Your help is needed and by volunteering, you could be making a huge difference. 

The Benefits of Volunteering 

• Most volunteers enjoy doing it – 93% of people enjoy the experience of volunteering
• Volunteering can improve wellbeing – It gives people that ‘feel good’ factor, satisfied knowing that they are doing something for the good of their community and others
• People are more likely to volunteer if a trusted friend already does volunteering and encourages them to join them
• Volunteering can give you extra experience which could help find a new job