R. Dale Safrit

Exploring Hispanic American Involvement in Community Leadership through Volunteerism

Executive Summary The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the Hispanic American involvement in community leadership roles through volunteerism. Twenty Hispanic Americans were interviewed using a 15 item interview schedule. Responses were tape-recorded, translated into English, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Six resulting themes were identified, and corresponding implications discussed: (a) The influence of family and friends on volunteering; (b) the importance of volunteer leadership to benefit youth; (c) the importance of church and religious beliefs in volunteering; (d) volunteering as a requirement (e) the connections between volunteer leadership and the community; and (f) personal satisfaction and growth experienced through volunteerism.