Promote the high-quality development of volunteer service

Author: Li Peizhi (Researcher of Tianjin Research Center for theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Director of Institute of Sociology, Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences)

On January 17, 2019, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the Chaoyangli community in Xinxing Street, Heping District, Tianjin, he came to a group of volunteers, praised volunteers as for being the forerunners and leaders who contributed to society, and pointed out that volunteer service is an important symbol of social civilization and progress, and the volunteer cause should go hand in hand with the "two hundred years" goal and the construction of a modern socialist country. The Fifth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China clearly put forward the requirements of "improving the volunteer service system", "extensively carrying out volunteer service care actions", "smoothing and standardizing the way for market entities, new social classes, social workers and volunteers to participate in social governance", and put the promotion of the development of volunteer service in an important position related to socialist modernization. Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, volunteer service with Chinese characteristics has created a new situation, the cohesion of the active participation of the whole people and the unity of purpose has been continuously enhanced, the ability to improve the well-being of the people and serve the overall situation has become more solid, the combat effectiveness of shouldering urgent and difficult responsibilities and playing a special role has become stronger, and the leading force of cultivating mainstream values and cultivating new styles of civilization has been continuously improved. Embarking on a new journey, we must continue to strengthen the construction of the system, improve the volunteer service system, and promote the high-quality development of the volunteer service cause.

Stick to the right direction. Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has cared for the cause of volunteer service, personally presided over the meeting to deliberate and adopt a number of important documents on volunteer service, and made important instructions and clear requirements for volunteer service many times during visits, discussions and exchanges, and instructions and replies, which pointed out the direction of progress and provided fundamental compliance for promoting the cause of volunteer service. We must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, transform General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and important expositions on volunteer service into action guidelines and practical guidelines for promoting the development of volunteer service, and ensure that the cause of volunteer service is always in the right direction. Earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important instructions on learning from Lei Feng's volunteer service, grasp the new requirements of the new era, establish a high-quality and pragmatic concept, vigorously carry forward the core socialist values, highlight the people's nature of volunteer service in carrying forward the spirit of Lei Feng, and write the story of Lei Feng in the new era with practical actions.

Improve institutional mechanisms. Accurately understand the connotation, characteristics, advantages and values of volunteer service in the new era, link and integrate it with socialist modernization, social civilization progress, and social governance innovation, innovate work ideas and measures, and enhance the sense of mission of doing a good job in volunteer service. Complete leadership systems and working mechanisms for volunteer service, coordinate and integrate resources, implement orderly management, create a coordination mechanism with joint participation and linkage of multiple departments, give full play to the role of volunteer service coordination mechanisms, and solidly promote the institutionalization of volunteer services. Strengthen top-level design, pay attention to scientific planning, timely summarize and promote advanced experience, and strengthen theoretical research and policy creation of volunteer service. Advance legislative work on volunteer service, promote a more sound legal and policy system for volunteer service, strengthen the protection of volunteers' rights and interests, build a solid foundation for the development of volunteer service through the construction of the rule of law in volunteer service, and strive to solve the difficulties and pain points that restrict the development of volunteer service. Further standardize the registration and recruitment of volunteers, improve volunteer service management and guarantee mechanisms, and establish and improve channels for government, enterprises, society, and other parties to raise funds. Improve reward incentive systems such as volunteer service points redemption and star rating recognition, and standardize the issuance of volunteer service records and certificates. Actively promote the standardization of volunteer service, and improve the operability of all aspects of volunteer service. Optimize the volunteer service evaluation system, actively carry out categorical assessments, and strive to improve the level of professional evaluation of volunteer services.

Build an effective platform. Actively build a diversified participation platform for volunteer service supported by party and government departments and social forces, and realize the balanced and coordinated development of volunteer service promoted by the government and the independent participation of society in volunteer service. Strengthen the construction of service position carriers, make maximum use of all kinds of public comprehensive service facilities, and build targeted volunteer service sites according to the actual needs of development. Increase the strength of support for the cultivation of volunteer service organizations, improve the organizational system, improve the incubation and cultivation mechanism, and expand the volunteer service team. Give full play to the bridging role of hub-type and supportive volunteer service organizations, and establish a more effective communication and learning platform. Deeply promote the projectization of volunteer service, improve the project operation system, innovate the form of project activities, and improve the effectiveness and sustainability of volunteer service. Strengthen brand awareness, cultivate volunteer service brands, give play to the demonstration and leading role of brand activities, and improve the credibility and popularity of volunteer services. Complete the volunteer service training system, improve the training knowledge system, enrich the training content, carry out hierarchical and classified business training, and increase the strength of the construction of the volunteer service talent team. Improve the level of informatization of volunteer service, increase scientific and technological support, make the release of volunteer service projects more efficient, and do a good job in volunteer service data statistics and management. Strengthen the construction of volunteer service publicity platforms, disseminate volunteer spirit through various media, transmit positive energy for upward goodness, actively carry out foreign exchanges, and tell the story of volunteerism in the new era.

Improve operational effectiveness. Give full play to the positive role of volunteer service in social governance, promote the integration of volunteer service into social governance innovation, smooth and standardize the way for volunteers to participate in social governance, stimulate social vitality, and promote the organic unity of social vitality and social order. Further transform government functions, improve government management methods, improve volunteer service's ability to participate in social governance, and realize the positive interaction between government governance and social regulation. For example, volunteer service effectively resolves community conflicts and provides more diversified community services. Actively promote volunteer service to participate in the construction of people's livelihood, respond to social concerns in a timely manner, solve social problems, help social construction, meet the needs of the people for a better life, and enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness and security. Continuously enrich the practice of volunteer service, promote the integration of volunteer service into more fields, departments and industries, give play to their respective functional advantages and professional expertise, and carry out various forms of volunteer service activities at the grass-roots level. Expand the practice of civilization in the new era, use civilization practice to promote the development of volunteer service to a new level, realize the integration and development of volunteer service and civilization practice in the new era, and promote the precision, normalization, convenience and branding of volunteer service in the new era of civilization practice.

Guangming Daily ( 2022-01-17 06 edition)

Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily