Chinese Association for International Understanding

China Volunteer Service Federation is a national federated social organization composed of voluntary service organizations and volunteers. Since its founding in more than two years ago, by strengthening cooperation with diversified voluntary service organizations at all levels, promoting the working methods innovation of voluntary service in all sectors and regions, as well as promoting the institutionalization and normalization of Lei Feng (a role model of voluntary service in China) style voluntary service, China Volunteer Service Federation has been effectively playing its leading and coordinating role as a professional body in the field of voluntary service.

Approved by and registered in the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China Volunteer Service Federation was founded in Beijing on December 18 2013 and Liu Qi, former member of Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and former Secretary of CPC Beijing Committee served as the President of the Federation. The purpose of the Federation was to promote the idea and spirit of voluntary service, cultivate voluntary service culture, enhance the development of voluntary service, and organize voluntary service activities, so as to foster a social atmosphere of mutual help and mutual benefit.

Since its establishment, the Federation has been striving to play its role in the following four aspects: 1) the role of “coordination”: extensively strengthen contact with voluntary service organizations, volunteers and all walks of society, combine the forces and organizations of voluntary service, and realize work coordination; 2) the role of “service”: targeting at voluntary service organizations and volunteers, with its features of comprehensive, policy-oriented and fundamental, actively building platforms, cultivating atmosphere and optimizing development environment for voluntary service; 3) the role of “promotion”: with the objective of realizing institutionalization of voluntary service, strive to perfect the system and mechanism of voluntary service, promote the legislative process of voluntary service, conduct research on major theoretical and practical issues in terms of voluntary service, so as to promote the long-term development of voluntary service in China; 4) the role of “exchange”: promote the concept of voluntary service in the whole society, cultivate the culture of voluntary service, establish platforms of publicity and exchange for voluntary service, enhance exchanges in terms of information, experience and culture among voluntary service organizations. Meanwhile, actively conduct foreign exchange and program cooperation, and strive to establish a positive image for voluntary service of China on international stage.

The founding of China Volunteer Service Federation conformed to the reality and development needs of voluntary service in China. Since reform and opening up, with its rapid expansion in terms of scale and areas, as well as gradual improvement in development level, voluntary service has become an important force in enhancing social harmony and advancing human civilization. With the advancement of the cause of voluntary service, the scope of voluntary service activities is expected to expand, the system and mechanism of voluntary service are expected to be optimized, the service and organization of voluntary service are expected to improve, therefore, it is urgently needed to deepen research in theory, further explore in practice and continuously innovate and improve the system and mechanism. The establishment of China Volunteer Service Federation is conducive to the standardization, resource integration, and work coordination of the voluntary service sector, which went in line with inherent laws and call of the times of voluntary service. China Volunteer Service Federation covers all 31 provinces, regions and municipalities of China and boasts a volunteer team of nearly 100 million people, which symbolizes that voluntary service with Chinese characteristics has entered a new development stage.

When China Volunteer Service Federation was founded, there had already been many professional organizations in the field of voluntary service at the national level. How to position its role, make a good start, and play its due role in terms of organization and coordination, concerns the long term development of the Federation. In the past more than two years, the Federation initiated the voluntary service spirit of “contribution, fraternity, cooperation, progress”, organized diversified and considerate voluntary service activities, and promoted the institutionalization and normalization of voluntary service, thus effectively promoting the development of the cause of voluntary service.

First, enhance the development of voluntary service culture. Carrying forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, and setting “morality” as the precursor, “fraternity” the essence, “action” the crux, and “normalization” the foundation, the Federation proposed the voluntary service concept of “devotion and virtue”. By establishing coordination mechanism with mainstream media, the Federation constructed an all-media platform integrating websites, WeChat and micro-blog, and launched the China Volunteer magazine, which has published 10 issues (including one English edition). The Federation also launched the “neighborhood” series public service advertisements, invited renowned artists composed and sang the song “offer your hand”, and nominated the first group of 52 “national demonstrative teams of voluntary service”.

Second, cultivate demonstration programs in terms of voluntary service. Since the founding of the Federation in December 2013, targeting at key groups such as empty nesters, the disabled, migrant workers, poverty-stricken workers and left-behind children, the Federation issued the “neighborhood” initiative to all voluntary service organizations and volunteers of the country, calling them to start from everyday life and trivial things and establish community-based voluntary service networks. The Federation also worked with China Disabled Persons’ Federation and All-China Federation of Trade Unions and launched initiatives of assisting disabled persons and financially-needy workers. Since the beginning of the “neighborhood” activities, with the warm response and active participation of volunteers and voluntary organizations all over the country, a series of good practices have emerged, such as integrated service for households, twinning assistance, “1+1” mutual assistance. In March 2014, the Federation organized the “neighborhood” national forum of voluntary service. In October 2015, the Federation staged the “voluntary service in China” national voluntary service accomplishments exhibition activities, which nominated 100 good practical accomplishments and 100 outstanding artistic works, drawing a positive social effect.

Third, deepen the understanding on the regularities of voluntary service. The Federation attached great importance to theoretical research of voluntary service-under the guidance of President Liu Qi, the Federation has made field investigations in over 20 provinces, regions and municipalities in the past two years, summarizing and refining firsthand grass-root experiences, as well as guiding and promoting the job of voluntary service. The Federation has employed the first group of 11 consultative experts and 13 training experts, organized the editing and publishing of the Encyclopedia of Chinese Voluntary Service-the first such book in the field of Chinese voluntary service, conducted thematic research such as comparative research on voluntary service organizations at home and abroad, and was organizing the writing of Report on the Development of Chinese Voluntary Service. In September 2015, the Federation staged the 1st Forum on Chinese Voluntary Service, and raised objectives and missions including innovation in terms of theory, practice, institutions and culture. The Federation also made investigations in voluntary service legislation and participated actively in promoting the enactment of regulations on voluntary service at the national level.

Fourth, launched and promoted the information system of “voluntary service cloud”. According to the requirements of general specification for voluntary service information system issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, based on integrating the technological advantages of voluntary service information systems of different places, and taking the advantage of cloud technology and big data, the Federation launched the information system of “voluntary service cloud”, which solved the problems such as real-name registration of volunteers and the transfer and connection of service recordings in different places. Meanwhile, in accordance with the requirements of Ministry of Civil Affairs and National Technical Committee on Social Work Standardization, the Federation participated in the formulation of technical specifications of information systems on voluntary service. Since its operation in March 2014, the “voluntary service cloud” system has covered 26 provinces and regions and 71 municipalities, boasted 22.98 million registered volunteers and 218,000 registered voluntary service organizations, and has launched 303,000 voluntary service programs.

Fifth, strengthen the multi-level and categorized training on voluntary service. In October 2014, the Federation staged the opening ceremony of its 1st training course for secretary-general and the opening ceremony of the national training center of voluntary service in National Publicity Cadres Academy, and it has organized successively training course for secretary-general, training on informationization, theoretical training, thematic training on law, training for grass-root young volunteers in an effort to summarize and promote experience of different places. Meanwhile, with the aid of the training center, the Federation guided and aided the establishment of Guangdong research center of China Volunteer Service Federation, Wuhan Baibuting practical training base, and the Qingdao training base, thus initially forming a multi-level, categorized, interactive and interconnected training system on voluntary service.

Sixth, organize foreign exchange in terms of voluntary service. Since its establishment, the Federation has taken part in talks and exchange with international voluntary service organization such as United Nations Volunteers as well as related departments and volunteer associations of Hong Kong SAR. In December 2013, the Federation delivered a thematic speech on the China International Volunteering Expo and proposed that the cause of Chinese voluntary service went forward together with the world, Chinese voluntary service spirit went forward together with the culture, and the development of Chinese voluntary service went forward together with the times. During the Sochi Winter Olympic games, a 13-member Chinese voluntary service team participated in the opening ceremony of the games and was received and praised respectively by Russian President Putin and IOC President Thomas Bach. During the 2014 APEC conferences, 2,280 volunteers served on spot and was reputed as a brilliant symbol of the 2014 APEC. In October 2015, the Federation supported Beijing Volunteer Service Federation in hosting the International Volunteer Service Conference and exchanged the job of voluntary service with 27 countries or international voluntary service organizations from five continents. In May 2016, the Federation was invited to organize and support the nearly 200 outstanding volunteers for Rio Olympic games and Paralympic games. In July, the Federation took part in the Civil Society 20 China 2016 (C20). In August, in cooperation with China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, the Federation organized international volunteer programs.

Currently, voluntary service in China has entered into a new development stage. The Fifth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed the development concepts of “innovation, coordination, green, open, sharing” for the 13th five-year plan period, and stipulated in the outline of 13th five-year plan the objective that by 2020 “the ratio of registered volunteers to residents shall reach 13 per cent”. In May 2016, the Guidelines on Supporting and Fostering Voluntary Service Organizations was approved by the 24th meeting of the Central Reform Leading Group and jointly issued by eight ministries and departments including the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee, the Central Civilization Office and Ministry of Civil Affairs, which laid a foundation in terms of policy for the sustainable and in-depth development of voluntary service. As a national professional organization, the Federation was playing a leading and coordinating role in promoting the development of voluntary service organizations. The Federation will focus on the following aspects in its future work.

First, orienting at meeting the needs of people, the Federation will further promote the brand and program-oriented development of voluntary service. Working around the central tasks of the Party and the government as well as the needs of people, continuously push forward voluntary service in fields such as poverty alleviation, elderly and orphan aiding, mobilize the extensive participation of social forces such as celebrities, enterprises and the public, taking advantage of professional skills of volunteers in terms of culture, education, health care, science, technology, law and psychology, and foster a group of demonstration sites for brand activities such as “neighborhood”. Sticking to the principles of community-based, needs-oriented, model-induced and culture-led, the Federation strove to push the moving down of government and social service resources, integrate and boost the force of community voluntary service, promote and improve assistance mechanisms such as “integrated service” and “twinning assistance”, explore and promote the interactive working model featuring “social worker+ volunteer”, thus seeking the widest coverage and highest degree of satisfaction in terms of voluntary service.

Second, taking standardized operation of activities as the fundamental element, and further promote the institutionalized and normalized development of voluntary service. The Federation will establish and improve operation management institutions of voluntary service, including improve voluntary service recording system, volunteer rating and feedback system, and launch the volunteer insurance system. It will also assist Ministry of Civil Affairs in monitoring and assessing voluntary service policy implementation, and establish dynamic monitoring system on data such as ratio of voluntary service participation, and coverage rate of voluntary service recordings. It will explore the implementing of the new development model of “Internet+ voluntary service”, strengthen the connection between supply and demand, and gradually construct a national voluntary service information management system features interconnection and fully functional. By strengthening macro, strategic and perspective research on voluntary service, the Federation will strive to grasp the inherent law of voluntary service and construct a voluntary service theory system with Chinese characteristics.

Third, focusing on strengthening organizational development, the Federation will further promote the organizational and normalized development of voluntary service. The Federation will establish a working mechanism in which the Central Guiding Committee of Cultural and Ideological Progress and Civilization Office of CPC Central Committee taking the lead and related departments taking part in, promote the establishment of voluntary service organizations in different sectors and regions, and promote the healthy development of voluntary organizations via different means such as policy support, government purchase service, and integrating resources. In some regions rich in resources, specialized incubator bases for voluntary service organizations will be erected so as to guide diversified voluntary organizations at all levels in improving their ability in terms of strategic planning, project operation and publicity. The Federation will promote the building of “city of voluntary service”, bring into full play the advantage and role of voluntary service organizations and associations at all levels, strengthen the coordination of voluntary service and form resultant force.

Fourth, taking the improvement of service capability as the key and further promote the scientific and systematic development of training on voluntary service.The Federation will formulate Chinese Voluntary Service Training Development Plan during the 13th Five-Year Plan Period (2016-2020), and based on the three-level architecture, namely the national level, the provincial level and the local level, the Federation will innovate the training mechanism for volunteers and construct a multi-level, poly-centric and comprehensive working pattern of voluntary service training. By comprehensively employing diversified forms and methods, the Federation will organize centralized training, program-based training, universalized training and grid-based training, explore voluntary service training key projects such as “training talents selection and promotion”, deliver voluntary service training to schools, enterprises, communities and the internet, and offer training for project consultants, project planners, and project supervisors, so as to strengthen the mainstream team of volunteers as well as improve the organizational level and service capabilities of voluntary service organizations. Looking into the long-term development, the Federation will continue to promote jobs such as compiling teaching program and designing training courses, strengthen and expand the “expert pool” for voluntary service training, and further improve the systematic, targeted and effective development of voluntary service training.