We recently held an online get-together for some our volunteer experts.
We combined what everyone said was important about volunteering through Digital Candle with the feedback from a survey we had already done with them, and some of the core principles on liberatory tech that our main funders Catalyst embody so well.
So if you're a volunteer expert with Digital (or are interested in being one), here's our volunteer manifesto that our team of volunteer experts sign up to when they join us. We hope it resonates with you too!
Our vision
Digital Candle exists to bridge the digital knowledge gap within charities, so every charity professional practitioner who has a question about digital can access the expertise they need to create meaningful change.
Core principles and standards
1. Knowledge sharing
We believe digital expertise should be accessible to all organisations working for social good, particularly those traditionally marginalised by technology.
As Digital Candle volunteers, we:
- Share our professional expertise generously and clearly, avoiding jargon where possible
- Focus on practical, actionable guidance that matches organisations' resources and capacity
- Recognise that small improvements can have transformative impacts for resource-constrained organisations
- Consider sustainability and regenerative practices in our recommendations
- Document and share our knowledge to help build sector-wide digital capability
- Support organisations in challenging structural inequalities through technology choices
2. Community empowerment
We support organisations in making informed, independent technology decisions that serve their communities and advance tech justice.
As Digital Candle volunteers, we:
- Help organisations understand their options
- Centre accessibility and inclusion in all technological recommendations
- Respect budgetary constraints and suggest appropriate solutions
- Empower organisations to make confident decisions about their digital future
- Prioritise solutions that give organisations control over their digital estate
- Consider how technology choices can shift power to communities being served
3. Ethical practice
We provide guidance that prioritises accessibility, sustainability, and justice in technology choices.
Wherever possible, we:
- Consider environmental and social impact in our technology recommendations
- Help organisations understand privacy implications and data protection
- Discuss both mainstream and alternative technology options, including open source alternatives where appropriate
- Acknowledge when commonly-used tools have problematic aspects
- Support organisations in making informed choices that align with their values
- Advocate for technology that serves collective wellbeing over profit
4. Respectful partnership
We embrace being experts in our field, and share our expertise freely and kindly.
We recognise that our technical knowledge complements organisations' deep understanding of their communities and missions.
As Digital Candle volunteers, we:
- Share our expertise with confidence while remaining approachable and supportive
- Listen actively to understand each organisation's unique context and challenges
- Respect that organisations are the experts in their mission and communities
- Acknowledge when questions fall outside our area of expertise
- Value the reciprocal learning opportunity these exchanges provide
5. Collective impact
We contribute to building just and regenerative futures by democratising access to digital skills and knowledge.
As Digital Candle volunteers, we:
- Prioritise helping organisations that lack access to paid digital expertise
- Consider how our advice can help build long-term digital capability
- Share insights about common challenges to help improve sector-wide support
- Support Digital Candle in reaching underserved communities and organisations
- Contribute to a culture of knowledge-sharing in the tech for good space
- Work towards tech justice through each interaction
Our commitments
As Digital Candle volunteers, we commit to:
- reviewing what we know about the challenge before the call
- being reliable and professional in our interactions
- providing clear, actionable advice within our areas of expertise
- maintaining appropriate boundaries around the scope of support
- upholding confidentiality of everything that we’re told
- contributing to an inclusive and supportive volunteer community
- supporting Digital Candle's mission to democratise digital expertise
- advancing tech justice through our volunteer work
Supporting your volunteer journey
Digital Candle commits to:
- Matching you with appropriate questions that fit your expertise
- Providing clear briefings and structure for consultations
- Respecting your time and availability preferences
- Gathering and sharing feedback to help improve the service
- Creating opportunities for volunteer community connection
- Celebrating and recognising your contributions
- Supporting your development as a tech justice advocate
- Building collective power for positive technological change
Our volunteer manifesto, co-created by Digital Candle and our volunteers.
