An Exploration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Volunteerism in North American Social Service Organizations

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) volunteers engage in service to social service organizations as a form of sociopolitical involvement, activism, and connection to the LGBTQ and broader communities. This study explored LGBTQ motivations for volunteerism, assessed using the Volunteer Functions Inventory, which measures the reason why people volunteer, including improving social ties, enhancing altruistic values, and gaining greater understanding of the needs of the community served by the social service organization. Using an exploratory design with an American and Canadian convenience sample of LGBTQ-identified volunteers (N = 179), findings of the study showed the desire for socialization and a better understanding of the target community were the strongest predictors of attrition for these volunteers. Future research recruiting LGBTQ volunteers of more diverse social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds and emerging forms of volunteering, such as virtual volunteering, will help strengthen understanding of LGBTQ volunteerism as a means of community engagement.

Keywords:

• Volunteerism
• motivation
• sexual orientation and gender diversity in volunteering
• volunteer attrition
• LGBTQ issues in social services

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Richard Burns for providing helpful feedback in the development of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript.