Volunteerism and Cultural Competence: A Qualitative Study of Tzu Chi's Immigrant Healthcare Model.

Despite growing immigrant populations, healthcare systems often fail to address linguistic and cultural barriers, necessitating models like Tzu Chi's volunteer-driven approach. This qualitative study examines how cultural competence and volunteerism enhance healthcare delivery for immigrants at the Tzu Chi Boston Service Center, a volunteer-driven organization serving diverse urban communities. Through thematic analysis of 17 semi-structured interviews, five participant observations, and 22 documents, the study explores the effectiveness of this model. Three key themes were developed: cultural competence with language services fosters trust and equity; community-based, tailored care enhances accessibility; and compassionate, holistic support promotes well-being. Volunteers' multilingual skills and cultural sensitivity bridge linguistic and cultural divides, while community-embedded services address intersectional barriers like poverty and isolation. Tzu Chi's model, grounded in Buddhist compassion, adapts to Chinese, Latino, and African immigrants, offering a scalable framework for multicultural settings. These findings advocate integrating cultural competence and volunteerism into healthcare policies to reduce disparities and ensure equitable care for immigrant populations.