Have you ever heard of skill-based volunteering or also called pro bono consulting? These terms became relevant in the last few years as more organizations started to use the Internet as leverage to their business. If you want to help organizations with your professional skills, then you’re in the right place!

Many social impact organizations realized some problems the world in general or certain segment of the population is facing on a daily basis. If there is a problem, there should be a practical solution, right?

It’s amazing to know that more and more organizations turn to social impact entrepreneurship which has a goal of improving the current situation in communities around the world.

Look at Africa for example. Few countries have a huge problem with malnutrition, clear water sources and we don’t need even to mention poverty. You can definitely help these communities by volunteering your time and energy, so you can actively be present on the field. But what if you want to work on a long-term solution? It would be really hard to solve the problem with individual volunteering approach.

There come social change organizations who actively work on improving the situations of communities in need, and they’re actively looking for help of skilled volunteers like you. How to find these organizations and projects? Well, the best starting point is a skilled-based volunteer platform called Taproot.

Keep reading as I’m going to answer to the most common questions people who’re interested in pro bono consulting face. So, let’s start!

What Kind of Volunteer Projects Can I Enroll Into?

Basically, skill-based volunteering is not so different from classic volunteering. As we’re living in a global world, many social organizations are actively trying to improve the quality of life in the certain communities. These organizations are generally non-profit, which means these don’t have enough resources to fund a team of professionals who can make their project working.

If you’re interested in making the world a better place with your professional skills, then Taproot might be the perfect platform for you. The organizations on the platform are mainly looking for business professionals that can help them in marketing, human resources, strategy management, finance or any branch of IT. People who’re making money in these fields will be of great help in achieving the mission of social impact organization.

Generally, there are two basic types of projects you can enroll using this platform. There is a Taproot Plus which refers to virtual pro bono, and there is Taproot team project. What’s the difference between these two you may ask?

Taproot Plus is perfect for people who believe they have the right skills to jump in a team who is working on improving a certain community. These projects vary, but the majority of them are helping communities solving the problems like poverty, pollution, the supply of clean water and similar. You can choose between many projects and organizations, but it’s important that you have required skills before applying to each project.

Think of it like applying for the real job, but instead, you will willingly give your time, energy and skills to achieve a greater goal. You’re totally flexible when agreeing on terms and these projects usually last for 4 - 6 weeks. Also, the amazing fact is that you’ll be working remotely which means that you can connect with other professionals on a global scale.

Pro bono volunteering has many benefits for an individual as it shows you how the business is done and gives you the picture of the world’s problems. Also, you will definitely get few connections and references so who knows; maybe you will start working on the amazing idea with someone who works on pro bono project with you.

Another type of projects you can get involved are called in-person pro bono service, and as the name suggests, you’re working in the physical location with a team of people who’re having the same goal. The process of starting is similar to the first type, but unfortunately, these projects are only available in major American cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City.

What Makes This Volunteer Platform Unique?

It’s the only platform that solely focuses on skill-based volunteering. The simplicity and reliability of the platform is just a plus.

Taproot is an amazing platform for professionals who have a few hours extra to put in the social impact projects that have goals to solve the world’s problems. Professionals are almost flexible when working with such organizations and there are many projects with different goals so that everyone could find their fit.

The platform acts as a mediator between pro bono consultants and social impact organizations, so it’s easy for both sides to find their missing piece. The amazing fact is that you can have an impact on remote communities working on the projects remotely.

By this day, Taproot foundation has 42 social impact organizations that are actively working in 30 countries around the world.

Here’s the full list of countries where you can have an impact by using your professional skills:

• Asia: China, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
• Africa: Morocco
• Europe: France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, UK
• South America: Brazil, Chile, Peru,
• Australia
• United States
• Canada

The number of organizations is rapidly growing each month, and you should take into the account that global volunteer network only started in 2012. Professionals and organizations around the world realized the potential they could have in improving the quality of life in some communities or solving the problems.

Do you have an idea for improving a certain community, but you don’t have enough skills to make it happen? You can easily ask Taproot for their professional help. Remember, Taproot is the platform that stands between professionals and organizations.

Simply, read their eligibility criteria for projects and post your social impact project on their platform. Taproot will match you with the team of professionals based on your needs and skills. Their matching system is very effective, and you can connect with amazing individuals that can help you in achieving your mission.

Taproot Reviews - What Do the Participants Think About the Platform?

Taproot is a well-established volunteer platform that connects professionals with social impact organizations that need the help of skilled people. Each month, the platform has more organizations and projects where professionals could give back their time to communities around the world.

There are many reviews of people who worked for social impact organizations through the platform, and the feedback is positive overall. There are also some interesting negative experiences that are crucial to take into the account. I will share with you some reviews of the users that will give you general feedback on the platform. Also, I genuinely recommend you to read other reviews and talk with professionals who worked on similar projects.

Professionals are generally very happy to work on interesting projects that help communities around the world. Also, the fact that they can work remotely gives them extra freedom and flexibility, so they feel more productive in general. People love to connect with like-minded professionals, and they believe that the experience on the social impact projects benefits them in professional and personal ways.

The most common negative comment on the projects through Taproot is the unprofessional approach of some people. The deadlines are pretty strict, and there is a lot to be done. Some people simply give up in the middle of the project which leads to many complications in the flow of the project. Also, some organizations are in the business making money with the foundation of volunteers which isn’t right.

How Can I Get Involved?

It’s literally effortless to find an organization with the mission that aligns with your values and exciting project on the platform. Here’s the process of getting involved in more details:

• Sign in to Taproot platform. You can sign in through LinkedIn which is amazing as the platform will use your portfolio and working experiences automatically. That way, organizations will see your skills and availability, so it makes the work of recruiting volunteers much easier.
• Decide if you want to use the platform as a volunteer or organization.
• Fill in more details about you, so people and organizations will know more about you even before reaching out.
• Find interesting projects or post your project on the platform.
• Connect with professionals or organizations, agree on terms and goals.
• Start making the change!

In short, Taproot foundation is a very interesting concept that connects professionals with the right skills and social impact organizations. It’s an amazing fact that you can actively change the world around you by applying your skills in the project. The platform isn’t perfect, it has its downfalls, but it’s worth a try. Working on these kinds of projects will give you amazing connections in the business world, and these projects will help you grow in a professional and personal way.