Journal article
Older Australian Sexual and Gender Diverse Volunteers During COVID-19: Community Connectedness and Changes in Volunteering
Journal of community practice, Vol.33(1), pp.6-18
20/02/2025
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
Metrics
20 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
COVID-19 exacerbated inequities for Australian LGBTQ+ older adults and impacted their ability to stay engaged in civic activities. This research note examines the extent to which voluntaryactivity changed for Australian LGBTQ+ older adults during COVID-19 and whether community connectedness predicts volunteering both pre-COVID and during COVID-19. We recruited an online sample of Australian LGBTQ+ older adults. 525 participants completed the survey, with 341 participants reporting data on volunteerism and connection to the LGBTQ+ community. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences between time, but not gender and sexuality, nor between gender and sexuality and time. Pairwise comparisons reveal that volunteering was statistically significantly higher pre-COVID than during COVID for these Australian LGBTQ+ older adults. COVID-19 changed volunteerism among older LGBTQ+ Australians. Over a third reported volunteering at least once a week or more prior to COVID. The sample saw an overall reduction of about 10% of volunteering during COVID-19, which is consistent with other national reports of a pandemicrelated reduction in volunteering among older Australians. The findings of this study suggest that, while volunteering plays an important role in the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people, these participants were possibly willing to sacrifice the benefits of staying physically connected to the community to protect their own welfare, which may have implications for the social and political engagement of LGBTQ+ Australians.
Details
- Title
- Older Australian Sexual and Gender Diverse Volunteers During COVID-19: Community Connectedness and Changes in Volunteering
- Creators
- Trevor G. Gates - Colorado State University PuebloMark Hughes - Southern Cross UniversityJack Thepsourinthone - Western Sydney UniversityTinashe Dune - Western Sydney University
- Publication Details
- Journal of community practice, Vol.33(1), pp.6-18
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
- Grant note
- LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
We would like to acknowledge the generosity of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia for their involvement and support in this research.
- Identifiers
- 991013264909502368
- Copyright
- © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
- Academic Unit
- Social Work; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article