• Case

  • Inclusion

Telecommuting, teleconferencing, remote support: the associative world faces the challenges of confinement

Published on 07 December 2020
Update on 26 September 2022
Download in PDF

Summary

While its culture is rooted in the face-to-face setting, the non-profit sector has been hit hard by the health crisis. Events have been cancelled, membership has dropped, and revenues are down. The health crisis has put the association sector to the test. At the time of the first containment, two thirds of the associations - cultural and sports in particular - had to suspend their activities, according to the survey conducted before the summer by Research and Solidarity.

Many associations, however, have switched to telecommuting, remote meetings and webinars. Digital technology and the telephone have been the preferred means of supporting people for several months.

Containment: how "remote volunteering" has taken hold in the nonprofit world

Digital technology has allowed many associations and their volunteers to maintain their activities by avoiding certain travel, which is synonymous with risk in the circumstances of COVID-19.

Two thirds of volunteers in associations have thus practiced remote volunteering, "tele-volunteering" during confinement, according to a study by Recherches & Solidarités. Probably destined to last, tele-volunteering offers these citizens more flexibility, new forms of intervention and complements to the usual missions.

L'survey survey of 2,365 volunteers conducted between April and May 2020 by Recherche Recherches & Solidarités paints a picture of the volunteers who have taken up tele-volunteering during the crisis.

Article that might interest you

Confinement : comment le « bénévolat à distance » s’est imposé dans le monde associatif

Le numérique a permis a de nombreuses associations et à leur bénévoles de maintenir leurs activités en évitant certains déplacements, synonymes de risques dans les circonstances du COVID-19.Deux tiers des bénévoles dans les associations ont ainsi pratiqué le bénévolat à distance, le « télé-bénévolat » pendant le confinement, selon une étude de Recherches & Solidarités. Destiné probablement à  perdurer, le télé-bénévolat offre à ces citoyens plus de flexibilité, de nouvelles formes d’intervention et des compléments aux missions habituelles.L’enquête réalisée auprès 2 365 bénévoles  entre avril et mai 2020, par Recherche Recherches & Solidarités  dresse le portrait des bénévoles qui se sont lancés dans le télé-bénévolat à l’occasion de la crise. On y apprend  que 67% des bénévoles  interrogées  ont pratiqué le télé-bénévolat pendant le confinement : 17% pour la première fois, 27% plus que d’habitude et 23% comme d’habitude (23%).La période de confinement a été un déclencheur plutôt pour les moins de 25 ans et pour les bénévoles dans les domaines du social, de la santé et de la solidarité internationale. Parmi ceux qui ont pratiqué le télé-bénévolat pour la première fois, à l’occasion du confinement, 41% déclarent «  en avoir pris l’initiative, parce que c’était le bon moment ». Les missions en télé-bénévolat peuvent être variées : coordonner un projet, promouvoir l’association (réseaux sociaux), actualiser le site de l’association, remplir des tâches administratives, monter un dossier ou un projet, former les bénévoles sur leur mission, accompagner des jeunes en difficulté…Les usages numériques développés à l’occasion du confinement, ont révélé de nouveaux usages pour le fonctionnement de la vie associative :47% des bénévoles déclarent que le télé-bénévolat perdurera potentiellement, car les atouts se sont montrés nombreux : Selon l'enquête annuelle de Recherches et Solidarités «la France associative en mouvement» (octobre 2020), la France compte entre 1,35 et 1,45 million d'associations pour 12,5 millions de bénévoles, dont 5,2 à 5,4 millions actifs chaque semaine. 24% des Français sont engagés bénévolement dans une association (25% en 2016). 10% des Français lui donnent du temps gratuitement chaque semaine (12,5% en 2010).  La proportion des femmes et des plus jeunes est en hausse. La proportion des bénévoles est bien plus faible, parmi les personnes les plus modestes.avancer sur des projets malgré les événements (42%),se « rapprocher » finalement d’autres bénévoles (32%),tester de nouveaux outils et se perfectionner (28%).

  • Inclusion

The rise of telework and digital governance in associations

"The associations defending the rights, interests and causes of their members, as well as the various associative think tanks, have been practicing telework for a long time and have only had to intensify it," observes Edith Archambault, Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and associative activist."The normal functioning of their sites during a period of confinement proves their digital agility. This is also the case for distributing foundations and charities, which have intensified and targeted their calls for donations."More generally, most associative executives practice telecommuting with an intensity equal to or greater than that of executives in profit-making companies of the same size. General assemblies, which were numerous in the spring, were often held by tele-meeting and electronic or postal voting. In the same way, many distributing foundations have been able to hold their board of directors remotely, which has allowed them to quickly pay the voted subsidies to the beneficiary associations, including those located in the Third World. Keeping these statutory bodies at a distance, however, certainly allows for the continuation of current activities, but not for strategic decisions.

Référence :

The digital tools most used by associations

Asked in 2019 about their association's digital maturity, 21% of managers described their association in 2019 as " not very initiated," 55% as " progressing " and 21% as " experienced. " After a phase of excessive multiplication of certain tools, we are witnessing, in 2019, a phase of rationalization to find those that will really allow to gain in efficiency."

HelloAsso (the online payment platform for associations) conducted a study last spring among associations that use HelloAsso) to know the software equipment of associations: management software, dashboards, CRM (customer relations, database), administrative tasks (accounting software, billing spreadsheet, cash management), planning, management software emailing pro, free software, communication software, office automation etc...

  • Spreadsheets top the list of digital tools used by associations (Microsoft Excel, first and foremost) for accounting and management of members and donors, mainly.
  • 90% of the associations surveyed declared that they had a website. 46% of them use Wordpress. The sites are often created by a third party and the association has a certain ignorance of the solution used.
  • More than half of the associations say they do not use an audience analysis tool. Google analytics is cited by over 35% of respondents.
  • About 40% of associations use a professional emailing solution (Mailchimp, SendinBlue, MailJet).
  • As for collaborative tools, 50% use proprietary solutions for storage, document sharing and instant messaging. Whatsapp and Messenger are the most used conversation tools. 15% of the associations surveyed use the Framasoft suite.
  • 10% use online platforms to find volunteers
  • Only 5% of associations use a CRM solution (customer relations, database).
This study was carried out thanks to a questionnaire sent by e-mail. HelloAsso received a total of 1,543 responses from associations.

Référence :

An inclusicore to evaluate the openness of associative projects

"Associations are not inclusive by nature ," says the Mouvement associatif, whose mission is to defend and promote associative life as a whole, and which has more than 700 national and regional federations and unions through its members.
  • "Numerous inequalities influence commitment in associations (social origin, territorial inequalities in access to commitment, economic inequalities in access to commitment, more male or more female volunteers in certain associations, etc.).
  • Certain practices of associations can reinforce inequalities (associative responsibilities remaining in the hands of seniors and men, lack of delegation on the part of certain associative leaders which weakens the transmission within the association, certain vulnerabilities require accessibility and adaptation of volunteer missions, the sometimes "privileged" reception of volunteers who have skills, with a border sometimes held with a recruitment process etc.)".
To encourage each association to reflect on issues related to inclusion, the Mouvement associatif has developed a questioning tool: the inclusiscore."This inclusiscore will allow you to evaluate your association's project, your openness, your governance, from the point of view of issues related to inclusion. More than an evaluation tool, the inclusiscore is a pedagogical tool designed to initiate an internal questioning process. It will give you a snapshot at a given moment of the way your association is situated in relation to these issues, but it will also allow you to have access to a certain number of resources to exchange, to pose debates, and to go further.

Référence :

Sources

Telecommuting, teleconferencing, remote support: the associative world faces the challenges of confinement

While its culture is rooted in the face-to-face setting, the non-profit sector has been hit hard by the health crisis. Events have been cancelled, membership has dropped, and revenues are down. The health crisis has put the association sector to the test. At the time of the first containment, two thirds of the associations - cultural and sports in particular - had to suspend their activities, according to the survey conducted before the summer by Research and Solidarity.

Many associations, however, have switched to telecommuting, remote meetings and webinars. Digital technology and the telephone have been the preferred means of supporting people for several months.

Containment: how "remote volunteering" has taken hold in the nonprofit world

Digital technology has allowed many associations and their volunteers to maintain their activities by avoiding certain travel, which is synonymous with risk in the circumstances of COVID-19.

Two thirds of volunteers in associations have thus practiced remote volunteering, "tele-volunteering" during confinement, according to a study by Recherches & Solidarités. Probably destined to last, tele-volunteering offers these citizens more flexibility, new forms of intervention and complements to the usual missions.

L'survey survey of 2,365 volunteers conducted between April and May 2020 by Recherche Recherches & Solidarités paints a picture of the volunteers who have taken up tele-volunteering during the crisis.

Article that might interest you

Confinement : comment le « bénévolat à distance » s’est imposé dans le monde associatif

Le numérique a permis a de nombreuses associations et à leur bénévoles de maintenir leurs activités en évitant certains déplacements, synonymes de risques dans les circonstances du COVID-19.Deux tiers des bénévoles dans les associations ont ainsi pratiqué le bénévolat à distance, le « télé-bénévolat » pendant le confinement, selon une étude de Recherches & Solidarités. Destiné probablement à  perdurer, le télé-bénévolat offre à ces citoyens plus de flexibilité, de nouvelles formes d’intervention et des compléments aux missions habituelles.L’enquête réalisée auprès 2 365 bénévoles  entre avril et mai 2020, par Recherche Recherches & Solidarités  dresse le portrait des bénévoles qui se sont lancés dans le télé-bénévolat à l’occasion de la crise. On y apprend  que 67% des bénévoles  interrogées  ont pratiqué le télé-bénévolat pendant le confinement : 17% pour la première fois, 27% plus que d’habitude et 23% comme d’habitude (23%).La période de confinement a été un déclencheur plutôt pour les moins de 25 ans et pour les bénévoles dans les domaines du social, de la santé et de la solidarité internationale. Parmi ceux qui ont pratiqué le télé-bénévolat pour la première fois, à l’occasion du confinement, 41% déclarent «  en avoir pris l’initiative, parce que c’était le bon moment ». Les missions en télé-bénévolat peuvent être variées : coordonner un projet, promouvoir l’association (réseaux sociaux), actualiser le site de l’association, remplir des tâches administratives, monter un dossier ou un projet, former les bénévoles sur leur mission, accompagner des jeunes en difficulté…Les usages numériques développés à l’occasion du confinement, ont révélé de nouveaux usages pour le fonctionnement de la vie associative :47% des bénévoles déclarent que le télé-bénévolat perdurera potentiellement, car les atouts se sont montrés nombreux : Selon l'enquête annuelle de Recherches et Solidarités «la France associative en mouvement» (octobre 2020), la France compte entre 1,35 et 1,45 million d'associations pour 12,5 millions de bénévoles, dont 5,2 à 5,4 millions actifs chaque semaine. 24% des Français sont engagés bénévolement dans une association (25% en 2016). 10% des Français lui donnent du temps gratuitement chaque semaine (12,5% en 2010).  La proportion des femmes et des plus jeunes est en hausse. La proportion des bénévoles est bien plus faible, parmi les personnes les plus modestes.avancer sur des projets malgré les événements (42%),se « rapprocher » finalement d’autres bénévoles (32%),tester de nouveaux outils et se perfectionner (28%).

  • Inclusion

The rise of telework and digital governance in associations

"The associations defending the rights, interests and causes of their members, as well as the various associative think tanks, have been practicing telework for a long time and have only had to intensify it," observes Edith Archambault, Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and associative activist."The normal functioning of their sites during a period of confinement proves their digital agility. This is also the case for distributing foundations and charities, which have intensified and targeted their calls for donations."More generally, most associative executives practice telecommuting with an intensity equal to or greater than that of executives in profit-making companies of the same size. General assemblies, which were numerous in the spring, were often held by tele-meeting and electronic or postal voting. In the same way, many distributing foundations have been able to hold their board of directors remotely, which has allowed them to quickly pay the voted subsidies to the beneficiary associations, including those located in the Third World. Keeping these statutory bodies at a distance, however, certainly allows for the continuation of current activities, but not for strategic decisions.

Référence :

The digital tools most used by associations

Asked in 2019 about their association's digital maturity, 21% of managers described their association in 2019 as " not very initiated," 55% as " progressing " and 21% as " experienced. " After a phase of excessive multiplication of certain tools, we are witnessing, in 2019, a phase of rationalization to find those that will really allow to gain in efficiency."

HelloAsso (the online payment platform for associations) conducted a study last spring among associations that use HelloAsso) to know the software equipment of associations: management software, dashboards, CRM (customer relations, database), administrative tasks (accounting software, billing spreadsheet, cash management), planning, management software emailing pro, free software, communication software, office automation etc...

  • Spreadsheets top the list of digital tools used by associations (Microsoft Excel, first and foremost) for accounting and management of members and donors, mainly.
  • 90% of the associations surveyed declared that they had a website. 46% of them use Wordpress. The sites are often created by a third party and the association has a certain ignorance of the solution used.
  • More than half of the associations say they do not use an audience analysis tool. Google analytics is cited by over 35% of respondents.
  • About 40% of associations use a professional emailing solution (Mailchimp, SendinBlue, MailJet).
  • As for collaborative tools, 50% use proprietary solutions for storage, document sharing and instant messaging. Whatsapp and Messenger are the most used conversation tools. 15% of the associations surveyed use the Framasoft suite.
  • 10% use online platforms to find volunteers
  • Only 5% of associations use a CRM solution (customer relations, database).
This study was carried out thanks to a questionnaire sent by e-mail. HelloAsso received a total of 1,543 responses from associations.

Référence :

An inclusicore to evaluate the openness of associative projects

"Associations are not inclusive by nature ," says the Mouvement associatif, whose mission is to defend and promote associative life as a whole, and which has more than 700 national and regional federations and unions through its members.
  • "Numerous inequalities influence commitment in associations (social origin, territorial inequalities in access to commitment, economic inequalities in access to commitment, more male or more female volunteers in certain associations, etc.).
  • Certain practices of associations can reinforce inequalities (associative responsibilities remaining in the hands of seniors and men, lack of delegation on the part of certain associative leaders which weakens the transmission within the association, certain vulnerabilities require accessibility and adaptation of volunteer missions, the sometimes "privileged" reception of volunteers who have skills, with a border sometimes held with a recruitment process etc.)".
To encourage each association to reflect on issues related to inclusion, the Mouvement associatif has developed a questioning tool: the inclusiscore."This inclusiscore will allow you to evaluate your association's project, your openness, your governance, from the point of view of issues related to inclusion. More than an evaluation tool, the inclusiscore is a pedagogical tool designed to initiate an internal questioning process. It will give you a snapshot at a given moment of the way your association is situated in relation to these issues, but it will also allow you to have access to a certain number of resources to exchange, to pose debates, and to go further.

Référence :

Sources

Labo Société Numérique

Labo République Française Agence nationale de cohésion des territoires
Telecommuting, teleconferencing, remote support: the associative world faces the challenges of confinement