In a time of COVID-19, many students are sheltering in place. Everything that can move online has, including classes, clubs, and internships, but many other activities have been halted. Forms of career advancement that are typically very popular, such as career fairs and volunteer opportunities, have been forced to postpone or cancel their events, and many students have been left with extra free time.
We have all adapted to the situation in our own ways. For some, this period can be a much-needed break! As Cornell students we tend to over-work ourselves, and free time is a luxury to be enjoyed. This is totally okay. There is no expectation that you have to be “productive” during this time. There are so many good ways to take care of yourself, and online classes are an adjustment. However, others may feel that this semester is the perfect opportunity to try or get involved in something new, or that they would like to help their local community to cope with the pandemic. If so, this blog post is for you! Even though many in-person activities have been left on pause, there are still plenty of opportunities that students can engage with from the comforts of their own home. There are still plenty of ways for students to give back to their communities, which are no less satisfying than many in-person opportunities.
The following is a non-exhaustive and continually-updated list of some virtual volunteer opportunities, categorized by interest. Feel free to send us an email of any additional opportunities that you have discovered; we’d love to hear what you’ve found!
Research
- Help scientists with their research projects, features a variety of different projects in many different areas of study (including biology, astronomy, etc.)
- Help the researchers at The Smithsonian transcribe historical documents
Social Work
- Serve as a Crisis Counselor and text those needing immediate support, involves 30-hour training session and 4-hour weekly commitment
- Looking for Hawaiians and west-coasters in particular, because the hours between 11 PM and 7 AM EST are typically the busiest
- Available for US, Canada, Ireland, and UK residents
- Help blind or low-sight individuals with daily tasks through video calls
- Calls are relatively infrequent, can be available whenever the volunteers choose to be
- Run chat rooms for those that need emotional support
- Quite similar to EARS on-campus
- Help review the work of an AI in classifying regions subject to historical racial prejudice
- Help map vulnerable places in the developing world so that resources can be distributed there faster during times of need
Language
- Available to anyone who speaks two or more languages fluently
- Translate various documents for non-profit organizations
- Leave comments and feedback on the poetry of young incarcerated individuals
Education
- Tutor individuals in conflict regions
- Tutor low-income students in the US
- Teach low-income individuals in the US to use technology
- Tutor the children of essential workers
Fashion & Design
Make masks to deliver to local hospitals and grocery stores
- Make masks at home using sewing machines, donate them
- Joann Fabrics stores across the US are giving away free mask kits and then donating completed masks that are returned to their stores
- Crochet or knit 7”x 9” squares, to be made into full blankets for a variety of vulnerable US populations
UNFPA Division for Human Resources
- Edit training videos for UNFPA, up to 50 modules
- Develop social media content for a peace-building NGO in Nigeria