Values, attitudes & working principles in the digital world

 

Introduction

Voluntary organisations live out core values and live them out in clear attitudes and principles.

In order to be prepared for the digital future, volunteer organisations must think about how they can make their values liveable in the digital world and also take responsibility for this transformation process.

This paper is intended to support voluntary organisations in bringing their values to life in the digital world in the form of attitudes and principles.

Based on a definition of values, attitudes and principles, central lived values of volunteer organisations are translated into attitudes and summarized in principles on how they can be filled with life in digital work.

 

Conceptual design

In order to discuss the manifestations of values, attitudes and principles, there must be a common understanding of what they mean. To this end, the framework has been defined by a common definition.

 

VALUES 
(What do you beleive in?)

Values are those ideas that are generally recognized as desirable in a society and give people orientation. A distinction is made between:

  • moral values (honesty, justice, loyalty)
  • religious values (fear of God, charity)
  • political values (tolerance, freedom, equality)
  • aesthetic values (art, beauty)
  • material values (wealth)
  • family values
  • corporate values.

ATTITUDES
(Who are you? How do you behave?)

Attitude refers to a set of feelings, beliefs, and behaviours toward a particular object, person, thing, or event

  • How do you feel and think about something or someone?
  • What do you believe in?
  • How do you behave?

 

 

 

 

 PRINCIPLES & NORMS
(How do you do it? How do you make values and principles liveable?)

A “principle” is simply a fundamental rule that influences a person’s actions.

  • How do you do things?
  • How you apply your principles in practice?

Values that are relevant to volunteering

In a multi-stage process, experts for volunteering have compiled decisive values that are relevant in the area of impact and that are also important in the digitalisation of work in volunteering or its services.

Following VALUES are important for volunteer organisations we identified usually:

ETHICS

Ethics

Ethics is the science of the practised morals or basic social values of a society. Translated to voluntary organisation, ethics defines what is perceived or evaluated as morally right or wrong.

Attitudes

 

Ethical action becomes visible in the areas in which organizations are active, what goals they pursue, how they act and communicate, and what attitude they take to socio-political issues.

  • Dealing with people
  • Dealing with socio-political phenomena
  • Activities in volunteer organisations

Principles

 

          • Charter
          • Participation in socio-political debates
          • Advocating for the audience you work for
          • Be a role model
          • Address violations
          • Show attitude in everyday life

Implementation in digital work

 

                • Target group-sensitive language
                • Target group-appropriate action
                • Respond on social media
                • Handling of sensitive data
                • Ethical Charter for Digital Work   

PARTICIPATION

Participation

Participation means being part of or participating in something.

Attitudes

 

Participation Fairness

Teamwork

Equality

Inclusion

Accessibility

Principles

 

  • Use methods and tools to which beneficiaries have access
  • Connect with yourtarget groups
  • Flat Hiearchies
  • Co-creation and involvement in projects
  • Ask questions, involve them and perceive needs
  • Involving people in the design of settings
  • Actively addressing people at meetings or events
  • Ask people for their opinion
  • Choose tools that everyone can use
  • Use different methods to enable participation with different resources
  • Using an accessible and inclusive website
  • Make sure that the group size is appropriate for the tasks you want to complete.
  • Don’t give monologues, let your team members have their say and participate
  • Assign equivalent tasks to each team member

 

 

Implementation in digital work

  • Check the availability of possible media in advance
  • Only use media that are also used by the target group
  • Integrating participation opportunities into digital settings
  • Online moderation that ensures good participation
  • Choose tools that everyone can use
  • Use different methods to enable participation with different resources
  • An accessible and inclusive website
  • Groups of no more than 20 people in online seminars and sessions to ensure participation
  • No overload with too much information
  • Note that online formats have a shorter attention span than face-to-face formats – i.e. shorter units 

FAIRNESS

Fairness

Fairness is the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable.

Attitudes

 

Justice

Empathy

Honesty

Transparency

Respect

Trustworthiness

Don’t embarrass anyone

 

 

Principles

 

    • Posting in the social media according to the settings (implementation)
    • Communication (Power of Language)
    • Ensure equal participation
    • Don’t judge people
    • Don’t embarrass anyone
    • Pay attention to balanced speaking times
    • Pointing out injustice – raising one’s voice
    • Show understanding
    • Focus on consensus, not compromise 

Implementation in digital work

 

  • Mindfulness when posting on social media
  • Communication (Power of Language)
  • Make sure that during online sessions, everyone is listening (and not doing other things on the side).
  • Ensure equal participation in discussion processes through good online moderation.
  • Also ensure balanced speaking times during online sessions
  • Use online voting tools only for final decisions, but not for opinion-forming 

INCLUSION

Inclusion

Inclusion is the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who would otherwise be excluded or excluded.

Attitudes

 

Compassion

Empathy

Cooperation

Frankness

Warm-heartedness in communication

Vigilance/attention

Making differences/diversity visible

 

 

Principles

  • Includes application forms that include more options for potentially sensitive questions (gender, origin) and open answers/other/no answers
  • mentioning behavioural/language use “regulate” to avoid verbal violations (no cyberbullying/harassment on the internet) – acting responsibly to maintain a safe online space; give everyone space to express their opinion
  • Connect with the audience
  • Ensure that the offer can be used barrier-free
  • Taking cultural differences into account and not doing justice to them
  • Drawing attention to prejudices and addressing them
  • Use language or phrases that are accessible to participants.

Implementation in digital work

 

  • Use of inclusive language in email communication to avoid discrimination and promote equality (dear applicant/participant)
  • Set up an accessible website
  • Show people with disabilities as beneficiaries or as volunteers.
  • Prepare inclusive online training

ACCESSIBILITY

Accessibility

Accessibility is the fact that you can easily reach, participate in or reach it.

Attitudes

 

Simplification

Overcoming language barriers

Creativity

Quality

Structure

Manageability

 

Principles

 

  • Don’t use the most complicated terms, although there are simpler words you can use.
  • Use different methods and tools, but limit yourself to a few and don’t use them in abundance
  • Conduct sessions/seminars that are easy to follow
  • Be compatible with the target group when addressing the target group, designing activities and carrying out events
  • Ask questions when everyone understands everything

Implementation in digital work

 

  • An easily accessible website in simple language and with easy navigation
  • Use few digital tools that are easy to use
  • Use tools that are available for free
  • Use tools and methods that take into account participants’ upload/download speeds
  • Note that pdf documents are mostly non-editable – use document formats that can be edited by anyone if desired.
  • Use OER (Open Educational Ressource) enabled materials

RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility

Responsibility is the duty to act correctly in relation to the defined role or what has been agreed/assumed.

Attitudes

 

Correctness

Respect for others and for work

Maturity

Honesty

Righteousness

Balance

Accountability

 

Principles

 

  • Respect for privacy/GDPR
  • Request permission for photo/video
  • Mention of the purpose of certain data collection (for statistical reasons, for communication in the project, etc.)
  • Dissemination/promotion of events/actions on special platforms in order to reach a wider audience (this also serves integration)
  • Mention of behavioural/language use “rules” to avoid verbal violations (no cyberbullying/harassment on the internet) – acting responsibly to maintain a safe space on the internet; give everyone space to express their opinion

Implementation in digital work

  • Don’t automatically post photos online
  • Use social media consciously andaccountably
  • Do not record or digitally log online sessions unless all participants have given their consent.
  • Always share well-researched information
  • Consciously dealing with uncertainty and risk.

 

NON-DISCRIMINATION

Non-Discrimination

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, Title III Equality, Article 21 Non-discrimination

1. Any discrimination based on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.

2. Within the scope of application of the Treaties, and without prejudice to the specific provisions of the Treaties, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited 

Attitudes

 

Equality of people

Enforcement of fundamental human rights

Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms

 

Principles

 

  • All EU citizens have the right to receive information about digital volunteering opportunities
  • All EU citizens have the right to request or refuse volunteering services and products
  • Discrimination between different groups based on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
  • We treat everyone interested in volunteering equally.
  • The tools chosen in the digital world should be appropriate, accessible, variable and motivating for all groups

Implementation in digital work

 

  • Consider the technical tools for designing an accessible website
  • Consider the recommendations on gender-sensitive language in public relations
  • Pay attention to the statements/contents of images/videos that are used
  • Support equal treatment at all levels (e.g. design written material in such a way that it can also be experienced by visually and hearing-impaired people or can be “translated” for the aids they use).
  • In public relations, make sure that everyone is included/no one is excluded

DIVERSITY

Diversity

The practice or quality of inclusion of people with different social and ethnic backgrounds, ages, religions, genders, sexual orientations, body weights, and disabilities

Attitudes

 

Tolerance

Frankness

The desire to learn more

Openness

Acceptence

Positivity

Participation

Integration

Non-discrimination

 

 

Principles

  • Depiction of diversity in visual (advertising) material – when images with people are used to show a diversity of genders, skin colors, etc.
  • Use of bilingual languages or languages suitable for the target groups
  • In calls for actions, courses, etc., openness to diversity should be mentioned directly.
  • Online materials and websites should be designed to indicate diversity
  • Hire a diverse team/group of volunteers and also have diverse partners/collaborators and display them on your website and social media
  • Take a stand against discriminatory and hateful posts on your social media.
  • Listen to your team members and learn from them
  • Make your website accessible to as many people as possible

Implementation in digital work

  • Online materials and websites should be created in a way that indicates diversity – language, images, …
  • Take a stand against discriminatory and hateful posts on your social media.
  • Make your website accessible to as many people as possible
  • Provide digital tools to facilitate work in and with heterogeneous groups.

EASE

Ease

Ease means effortlessness and carefreeness.

Attitudes

 

Softness

Mildness

Light-heartedness

Openness

Mobility

Error culture

 

Principles

 

  • Pay attention to the language in direct and indirect communication
  • Use simple tools that anyone can use
  • Use language that is understood by others
  • Don’t overload sessions with presentations
  • Follow the principle: structure follows strategy – be flexible about how you work and work with people
  •  Have fun
  • Celebrate success
  • Be open to criticism and suggestions
  • Be excited to try new things
  • Joy of trying new things
  • Allow mistakes and see them as an opportunity to change something
  • People trust that they are doing something

Implementation in digital work

 

    • Set up digital coffee breaks
    • Fostering the digital community
    • Explain and try out the use of digital tools
    • Difficulties with online meetings are normal, take them for granted
    • Support the use of digital tools
    • Always allow feedback and questions
    • Use microlearning knowledge in small bites!

KINDNESS

Kindness

Kindness is an appreciative and kind behavior of a person.

Attitudes

 

Charity

Friendliness

Politeness

Care

Interest

 

Principles

 

  • Always reply to or reply to messages
  • Self-reflection
  • Pay attention to gestures and facial expressions
  • Welcome at the beginning of events
  • Ask if there are any questions or needs
  • Address people directly by name
  • Create a pleasant atmosphere
  • Give an overview of the state of affairs or what is expected or planned
  • Provide summaries

Implementation in digital work

 

  • Online meetings also need an orderly course of meetings: welcome, presentation of the agenda, (round of introductions), discussion, conclusion.
  • Let participants have their say in online meetings
  • Small talk is also allowed in online sessions
  • Introduction of a digital playbook

 

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