USING SKYPE WITH ONLINE VOLUNTEERS - A POWERFUL TOOL FOR A NON-PROFIT

Winnipeg, Canada, November 15, 2006: In working with online volunteers, there are certain types of tasks where real time voice communication can be an efficient way to solve a problem quickly. When Canadian-based charitable organization Macdonald Youth Services’(MYS) encounters these types of situations, they reach for Skype, a free cross-platform computer application that allows them to talk to their online volunteer Skype users anywhere in the world for free.

MYS’s Online Volunteer Program developer Randy Tyler highlights how the clarity of a real-time Skype voice conversation helped him advance their video production.

“We are currently working on the production of a Youth Care Worker recruitment video and during an hour long Skype conversation with the Indiana-based online volunteer producer, I was able to move the project forward very quickly, commented Tyler. Working out the video direction via e-mail would have been possible but would have taken much longer,” continued Tyler.

“Skype is a cost-effective tool that lends itself to conditions that are best served by real-time communications across all points of the globe,” stated Indiana-based online volunteer video producer, Kibben Miller.

“In media development, Brainstorming is a critical element to insure objectives are addressed and creative solutions are explored. The give and take between collaborators is vital to a project’s success and Skype is a tool that allows this interaction without technology or a colleague’s location presenting additional barriers” Miller added.

Tyler also develops and maintains MYS’s Web site. Highly-skilled online volunteers are an invaluable resource MYS uses to assist them to enhance their charitable organization’s Web site. However, when using e-mail, testing changes in software can be a protracted process. For MYS’s Tyler, Skype was an effective and efficient tool in quickly arriving at a solution when working with Online Volunteer software developer Eugen Bodolak, who is based in the Middle East (Cyprus).

“Instead of exchanging a number of e-mail messages, testing and replying, we connected via Skype,” said Tyler. “Along with Skype’s voice communication, we also used the application’s chat feature to exchange code snippets and its file transfer ability to transfer finals, which resulted in a quick fix to the Perl-based script,” added Tyler.

“Information is the key word, ‘information is power’, if the power comes free, why not to take advantage of it,” stated MYS’s Middle East Online Volunteer Eugen Bodolak. “In comparison with other softs, that serves the same purpose, the rate of used system resource and quality since to be in the advantage of the Skype,” added Bodolak.

As SkypeOut (meaning a call from a computer to a landline or mobile) is currently free throughout North America to the end of December, Tyler also uses Skipe to call MYS online volunteers located in the US or Canada. To ensure that online volunteers can connect with him or so that he can leave a voice message for other MYS online volunteers using Skype, Tyler also subscribes to Skype Voicemail. Although not free (it is about $20.00 Canadian a Year), Tyler find the service invaluable.

“With Skype Voicemail, because my computer doesn’t have to left on, I do not miss any messages,’ stated Tyler. “Moreover, I can leave a five or ten minute voicemail message (and communicate my message more effectivelty) for an online volunteer Skype user that would take me an hour or more to type.” commented Tyler.

To subscribe or unsubscribe from MYS’s Virtual Volunteering News E-Mail List, please see the URL below:

http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/media/mail_list.pl

For Further Information:

Randy Tyler
Webmaster/Online Volunteer Program Developer
Macdonald Youth Services
Winnipeg, MB Canada
W: http://www.mys.ca/aov
W: http://www.mys.ca/volunter
E: http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
Skype: randytyler_canada
Video Mail: http://www.mys.ca/vm
PGP Key: http://www.mys.ca/pgp