Engagement in digital volunteering and the use of civic tech have profound implications for our society and represent important ways to shape digital transformation and leverage it for the common good.
What is digital volunteering?
Digital volunteering is a modern form of civic engagement that enables individuals to use their technological skills and expertise for the benefit of society. This has several advantages:
Community enrichment
Digital volunteers can provide a variety of services and supports that improve the quality of life in their community, such as developing websites for nonprofits, providing technical assistance to schools, or creating apps for social services.
Skills and personal development
Digital volunteering also provides an opportunity for individuals to expand their technical skills, learn new skills, and gain experience that can enhance their professional development.
Accessibility
Digital volunteering expands opportunities for engagement because it is location-independent and can often be designed flexibly to fit into different lifestyles.
What is Civic Tech?
Civic Tech refers to the use of technology to enhance civic participation, improve the delivery of public services, and promote social innovation. It is an important tool for creating a stronger, more equitable, and more participatory society.
Democratization of decision making
Civic tech can help give citizens a stronger voice in government and public services. Through online citizen participation platforms, crowdsourcing initiatives, and interactive tools, citizens can directly participate in decisions that affect their communities.
Efficiency and transparency
Through the use of technology, public services can be improved and simplified. This can increase efficiency, enhance transparency and strengthen trust in public institutions.
Social innovation
Civic tech also offers new opportunities for social innovation. By leveraging Open Data, AI, and other technologies, new solutions to social challenges can be developed.
In summary, digital volunteering offers a valuable opportunity for individuals to make a positive contribution to society, while civic tech has the potential to fundamentally transform our public institutions and services. It is important that organizations and communities recognize and promote these opportunities to create an inclusive, participatory, and sustainable digital future.
