If there are respondants who never received an online assignment, please detail the obstacle(s) that has/have kept this from happening: (you weren't sure what the next step should be, the email address of the respondant no longer worked, you have not had time to send the potential volunteer more information, etc.).

1. We underwent a major structural upheaval and are still trying to re-group and recover. Wwe did not feel that it was an appropriate time to bring in new peole especially at a board level when they would not actually be on site.

2. I am currently in the process of choosing someone from the responses we received. My next step is to make a decision based on the info that they give me.

3. incorrect e-mail address for one receipient

4. No Response

5. n/a

6. Communicating by e-mail only workds, in my opinion, when the info to be conveyed is simple and to the point. The complexitiies of exploring what a person would like to write about, what their level of competency is and what are some potential story idea, is much too much to be conveyed in an efficient way via e-mail.

7. The respondents were far from us and did not appear to be interested either due to the assignment or our geographic location. We have responded to all inquiries usually within a day and at most 2 working days.

8. No Response

9. Our only problem thus far has been the overwhelming numbers of respondents to the virtual pen pal volunteer opportunity - it has far-exceeded the numbers we could involve right away. Other barriers --the Volunteer Manager of the organization which requested that I post this opportunity, was not prepared with the next steps needed to get virtual volunteesr involved. She is scrambling to create the entire program ASAP. She is putting those pieces in place within the week. The good news is that we have permission to copy her entire program and put it in place with other local organizations as a prototype! We have already learned to narrow down the volunteer description to exact language, so that the volunteers wil self eliminate or express their interest with clear expectations from the beginning!

10. No Response

11. Once I got enough volunteers, I had to turn one volunteer down.

12. their decision, I don't know

13. NA

14. one case of a bad e-mail address, one case of a person who never returns our calls or e-mails, several cases of people who were not available at the required times, and lots of people who are not from our area

15. They stopped responding to the email dialog.

16. They never responded to our return e-mail about the specifics of the job.

17. No Response

18. respondent no longer worked, you have not had time to send the potential volunteer more information, etc.). They did not return phone calls/e-mails.

19. No Response

20. They didn't respond to my initial response to their e-mail from VolunteerMatch

21. I am not sure how to retrieve any volunteer information that may be posted online. Do volunteers contact me directly through email or is there a location within the site where I would retrieve the information?

22. Position was filled

23. I have not had any difficulties

24. The virtual volunteer position is relatively new. I did find a volunteer to work on the website locally. When requests come in from Volunteer Match, it is difficult for me to discern how qualified they are. It has also been difficult to convey what our agency is about- important for a volunteer that is working with PEPS. I think these difficulties have more to do with how new it is to be working with virtual volunteer. With our website up and running, I now have a vehicle to acquaint interested volunteers with the work of PEPS. I do think that it will get easier over time to screen potential volunteers online.

25. The rest really wanted hands-on local, not virtual. 3 others ended up helping physically.

26. No Response

27. No one who has responded has been within our geographical area, so there is little of interest to them in our organization. I never hear from them again after I send them more information.

28. No Response

29. Unfortunately, and much to the determent of our group those who have suggested interest have not been responded to. In the past my attempts to get a volunteer to coordinate other volunteers have failed. The majority of hits are for an assistant web master. We have out sourced that project. We do envision the need for an assistant web master shortly.

30. One only wanted info, and the other I only just sent info to, so we will see.

31. No Response

32. No Response

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