Orange has launched a mobile volunteering iPhone app, backed by Prime Minister David Cameron as part of his ‘Big Society’ initiative.
The ‘Do Some Good’ app allows volunteering through a mobile phone. The app will include twelve different charity ‘actions’ that consumers can complete anytime, with Orange committed to adding new actions throughout the year.
For example, people can use the app to upload a photo of a rundown green space for guerrilla gardeners to consider renovating, or complete a five question survey to help the Samaritans gain a better understanding of the nation’s wellbeing.
Tom Alexander, CEO at Everything Everywhere said: “The potential for this app is huge; if one million people give just five minutes of their time, it will amount to nearly a decade worth of volunteering time. This landmark mobile volunteering project is a fantastic opportunity for us in our time pressured society to use mobile technology as a force for good. Making a significant change starts with small steps – and we hope that by making volunteering an everyday activity, we’ll mobilise people to give previously untapped time to change the face of volunteering in the UK.”
David Cameron, Prime Minister said: “Millions of people who don’t currently volunteer would like to do so if they had the time and information to make it as easy as possible. ‘Do Some Good’ is a great way of tapping into this huge pool of untapped volunteering energy.”
Andrea Grace Rannard, Further and Higher Education Senior Manager, Volunteering England said: “Mobile volunteering is an innovative approach with the potential to engage new audiences in volunteering and have an enormous impact on the lives of people across the UK.”
Orange has created these different volunteering actions in collaboration with the 12 charities, enabling them to reach potentially millions of people.
Research indicates that a quarter of people (25%) would give five minutes of time to a good cause every day if they could do so via their phone – whether that is whilst boiling the kettle (14%), queuing in a shop (12%) or during their commute to work (9%). With nearly three quarters (69%) of people preferring to volunteer five minutes than donate £5, mobile volunteering empowers people who are tight for time to make a difference.
Furthermore, research shows that mobile volunteering could make a significant change to the government’s Big Society, with a third of 18-34 year olds (32%) more likely to contribute to this ambition if they could do so in five minutes via their mobile phone.
To gain greater insight into the volunteering landscape, the Orange commissioned research also revealed:
• Nearly three quarters (69% and 74% respectively) of 25 – 34 year olds and 18 – 24 year olds said they would volunteer via their mobile phones
• 18 – 24 year olds are the age group most likely to fit mobile volunteering into their routine, either on the train (27%) or during their commute (44%)
• Time pressured 25 – 44 year olds could benefit most from mobile volunteering, with over 50% of 25 – 34 year olds and 49% of 35 – 44 year olds claiming they don’t have time to volunteer, over 10% above the UK average
To accompany the app, Orange has also launched a website which features other exciting charity apps, links to real life volunteering opportunities and the collective impact of mobile volunteers.
Furthermore, people who complete 60 actions (equivalent to four hours) of volunteering time through the ‘Do Some Good’ app will become eligible to join the Orange RockCorps Collective and earn amazing music rewards, such as tickets to a gig.
The Orange ‘Do Some Good’ mobile volunteering app is currently available on the iPhone and can be downloaded for free via the Apple app store. The app will be launched on other platforms later this year.
www.orange.co.uk/dosomegood
