Abstract:  Volunteer service has been advancing rapidly in recent years and has reaped fruitful results. An analysis of the research on the social function of volunteer service will be of significance to the improvement of the social function of volunteer service. In general, foreign researchers divide the social function of volunteer service into four types, that is, economic function, democratic and political function, individual function, and social function. Chinese researchers have a similar view and adopt a division into four types as well: economic function, political function, cultural and educational function, and social function. Foreign research emphasizes theoretical reasoning and empirical analysis, exerting a practical influence on the social and political decisions. On the other hand, the domestic study is characterized by clear category and deep analysis of the function of moral education, paying attention to the significance of combining volunteer service and social work. However, there are some disadvantages such as the dispersion of research topics, weak basis of theory, insufficient study of the political function, lack of an evaluation system, and failure to put forward a development path for volunteer service. Thus the focus of future study should be on remedying these defects.

Key words: volunteer service, social function , research status quo