In the new era, we must vigorously promote it
Social workers and volunteers work together
"Opinions on Improving the Volunteer Service System in the New Era" learning experience two
Tan Jianguang
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council recently issued the "Opinions on Improving the Volunteer Service System in the New Era", proposing to improve the volunteer service mobilization system with comprehensive participation, improve the organizational system of the dynamic volunteer service team, and improve the solid and powerful volunteer service support and guarantee system. Specifically, it is proposed to "encourage grassroots mass autonomous organizations to build platforms for cooperation between volunteers, social organizations, and social workers, and promote the integration of volunteer service into grassroots social governance." At the same time, in combination with the reform plan of the Party and state institutions, the Central Ministry of Social Work undertakes the function of coordinating volunteer service work and the construction of social work talent teams, etc., which further closely links the development of social work with the development of volunteer service, and puts forward new requirements for linkage service and innovation. We believe that it is necessary to deeply understand the new requirements of the "Opinions" of the Central Committee, conscientiously understand the new tasks of the Central Department of Social Work, and have a new role positioning and new value recognition for social workers and volunteers in the new stage. Prior to this, the term "social worker" was usually understood as a professional worker who graduated from a social work major or was admitted to the social work profession. After the establishment of the Central Social Work Department and local social work departments, "social workers" include at least three types of talents: First, those who formulate and implement social work policies, including cadres of social work departments at all levels and personnel of relevant institutions. The second is the personnel of social work organizations to implement and promote implementation, including personnel of the "two committees" in communities and rural areas. The third is professional social workers, including personnel of social work professional institutions, as well as social workers who carry out professional coordination in various departments and organizations. Similarly, the types of volunteers are also diverse, one is volunteer service workers, the second is the head and backbone of volunteer service organizations, the third is the volunteer of various professionals, and the fourth is the public volunteer. To this end, when we promote the linkage of social workers and volunteers, we should also adapt to the new characteristics of multiple types and groups, and provide targeted and effective work measures.
01
Give full play to the comprehensive and coordinating role of social workers
After the reform and opening up, since the development of social work, there have been expressions of "big social work" and "small social work", which are not necessarily academic formal expressions, nor are they necessarily official documents, but they have been circulating among the cadres and the masses. "Big social work" refers to many people involved in grassroots workers and mass workers, while "small social workers" are social work graduates, social workers, and other professional social workers. At present, social work departments have been set up at all levels, and the work of letters and visits, the building of political power at the grassroots level, the party building at the grassroots level, the party building of "two enterprises and three new", the party building of industry organizations, the overall coordination of volunteer service, and the construction of a team of social work talents are all of the nature of comprehensive social work. Therefore, "big social work" or comprehensive social workers are those who will be engaged in mass work and the overall coordination, management and service in the social field, and party building guidance in the future, and will play a very important role and play a very positive role in coordinating and promoting volunteer service. For example, the implementation of the "Opinions on Improving the Volunteer Service System in the New Era" issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council this time requires comprehensive social workers to continuously publicize and promote their work at different levels and different types, and constantly create conditions for implementation and effectiveness. To this end, it is first necessary to give full play to the overall coordination function of social workers, especially the functions of grassroots social workers, to create conditions and improve the environment for volunteers and volunteer service organizations, and to provide an environment that is more conducive to dedication and service to the community. In this way, under the overall planning of the Ministry of Social Work and the coordination of social workers, we can gradually create a social environment conducive to the development and growth of volunteer service and give full play to the positive role of volunteers through strong party building guidance in accordance with the requirements of the Opinions.
02
Give full play to the role of social workers in organizing and facilitating
The vast number of social workers, especially those at the grassroots level, including township and town workers and personnel of village and neighborhood committees, are the most direct force in promoting the development of volunteer service in practice. To this end, in accordance with the requirements of the "Opinions," it is necessary to fully mobilize their enthusiasm, conscientiously understand the aspirations of the volunteers, and also conscientiously understand the needs of the masses for volunteer service, organize and arrange for the development of targeted and effective volunteer services, and earnestly solve the difficult problems of the masses and meet the interests and needs of the masses. In the past, in some places, when volunteers and volunteer service organizations went deep into towns and villages to carry out services, they did not understand the needs of the masses in a detailed and precise way, and the services provided were not accurate and effective, and they also encountered various difficulties and faced various difficulties. A very important reason is that volunteers do not connect well with grassroots social workers, lack of initiative to consult the opinions and suggestions of grassroots social workers, lack of understanding of the needs and folk customs of grassroots social workers, lack of respect for the grassroots social workers to lay a good foundation for mass services, often "self-righteous" and "obstinate", and often run into a wall. Nowadays, most members of volunteer service organizations, whether professional volunteers, social volunteers, or university student volunteers, are more likely to contact grassroots social workers to seek advice and help when they go into rural communities to carry out services. In this way, the services provided by volunteers and volunteer service organizations to the residents and villagers will be more relevant and effective. Therefore, it is also very important to give full play to the role of grassroots social workers in the development of volunteer service, and provide support and assistance to volunteers and volunteer service organizations.
03
Give full play to the professional support role of social workers
Since the late 90s of the 20th century, China has successively carried out the training and education of professional social workers. In addition, in 2005 in Shanghai and in 2007 in Shenzhen, the participation of professional social workers in social services and social governance was promoted on a pilot basis, and then successively spread to the whole country. At present, there are nearly one million professional licensed social workers in mainland China, and there are more than 1.6 million professional social work talents, including all kinds of social work graduates. They not only do a good job in case services, group services, group services, welfare agency services, social work site services, etc., but also participate in coordinating and promoting the development of volunteer service organizations, and professionally coordinate and support the development of volunteer services. After the relevant departments of the party and the state proposed the construction of the "social worker + volunteer" linkage mechanism, various regions actively explored and created experience. In 2013, Guangdong Province registered and established the first provincial-level cooperative association in the country, the Guangdong Provincial Association for the Promotion of Social Workers and Volunteer Cooperation. Subsequently, the "Beijing Association for the Promotion of Social Work and Volunteer Service" was registered in Beijing, the "Zhejiang Association for Social Work and Volunteer Service" was registered in Zhejiang Province, and many places established social work and volunteer service centers and social work and volunteer service centers. These are the forces that promote the cooperation between professional social workers and volunteers, which are conducive to improving the ability to care for and help the masses, solve social problems, and achieve better service results. In the process of implementing the "Opinions", more professional social workers should be encouraged to take the initiative to pay attention to volunteer service, provide professional support and professional help to volunteers and volunteer service organizations, promote the standardized development of volunteer service organizations, and promote the accuracy and effectiveness of volunteer services.
04
Give full play to the dedication and friendship spirit of volunteers
Volunteers are people who are passionate and dedicated their time, knowledge, skills, and physical strength, and contribute to the progress of society and the happiness of others without asking for compensation. At present, there are more than 236 million registered volunteers in the country, and more and more people are participating in volunteer services. In the process of implementing the Opinions, social workers should further stimulate volunteers' enthusiasm for love, further support and motivate volunteers, and guide them to provide services in communities, rural areas, schools, enterprises and other fields. In fact, there are different types of services and services provided by volunteers, but the most valuable thing is to have a spirit of dedication and friendship. Through the promotion of volunteer service, the figure of volunteers flashes in all regions and corners, which will pass on the dedication and friendship to the masses and bring trust and warmth to the society. Therefore, social workers should attach great importance to the significance of volunteers' dedication and friendship, help volunteers to play a full role in service, give full play to their influence, become the disseminator of social civilization, become the link between the party and the masses, and become the creator of people's happiness and beauty.
05
Give full play to the sincere enthusiasm of volunteers for mutual assistance
Many of the services carried out by volunteers in rural communities are in the form of neighborhood mutual assistance and friendly care, helping urban and rural people solve problems and promote the improvement of people's lives bit by bit. Therefore, volunteers may be very ordinary, but also very great, the good deeds they do around the masses seem very trivial and very small, but they can solve the practical difficulties of the masses, promote the better life of the masses, and bring the party's care and help to thousands of households, so that the masses can truly feel the care and warmth of the party. To this end, the "Opinions" require that the party's leadership over volunteer service work, and do a good job in party building to lead volunteer service, it is precisely through the care and support of local party organizations and social workers for volunteers that volunteer service organizations are encouraged to help the masses and improve their lives with sincerity and enthusiasm, so as to effectively play the positive role of volunteer service and make more achievements and contributions in creating a better life for the people.
06
Give full play to the value of the meticulous service of volunteers
Volunteers come from a variety of sources, including entrepreneurs, managers, skilled workers, ordinary workers, experts, scholars, professionals, community aunts, ordinary farmers, entrepreneurs, managers, network practitioners, freelancers, etc. Each type of volunteer group can give full play to their interests and hobbies, give full play to their personal strengths, and provide valuable services for social development and people's lives. The "Opinions" proposed to "absorb more professional talents, develop professional organizations, and improve the degree of specialization of volunteer service." To this end, in the process of implementing the "Opinions", Party organizations at all levels and all types of social workers should fully understand the wishes and ideas of volunteer groups, give full play to the hobbies and specialties of volunteers, and guide them to provide effective care and services for the different needs of the people. In particular, it is necessary to avoid "directive" and "task-style" to make volunteers do things they are not willing to do, and let volunteers do things that they are not good at. In this way, not only will the work be done with half the effort, but it will also dampen the enthusiasm of the volunteers. Social workers should pay attention to several points: First, respect the wishes and ideas of volunteers. Volunteers participate in volunteer service with a variety of motivations, such as those who want to make use of their strengths, those who want to learn skills, those who want to increase their knowledge, and those who want to expand their relationships. To this end, while helping the community, volunteers can also respect and meet their wishes, so that volunteers can maintain enthusiasm and continue to serve. Social workers should understand the strengths of volunteers, and do a good job of docking according to the needs of the masses, especially so that professional volunteers can effectively care for and help special objects, promote the solution of difficult problems, and promote the improvement of the situation of the objects. In this way, the masses really benefit, and the volunteers also feel the value of service. The third is to gradually build a supply and demand docking mechanism, so that volunteers can better display their talents and feel the value of service more. Through the construction of network platforms and information systems, we collect the service needs of the masses and the professional expertise of volunteers, so as to accurately match and reasonably arrange services. In this way, under the coordination of social workers, an accurate and efficient volunteer service supply mechanism can be truly established, which can produce good social effects.
07
Establish a mechanism for social workers and volunteers to work together and co-create
A better life in the new era needs to be created by the people, and a friendly and helpful social atmosphere in the new era also needs to be created by social workers and volunteers. To this end, when implementing the "Opinions", it is also necessary to build a mechanism for social workers and volunteers to work together and co-create in a timely manner. First, when formulating policies and measures to implement the "Opinions" of the Central Committee, social work departments at all levels pay attention to increasing the detailed rules for promoting the joint service of social workers and volunteers, provide policy support, and encourage the exploration of various ways of cooperative services. The second is to take the lead of the China Volunteer Service Federation and the China Federation of Social Workers, and set up a "Professional Committee for Social Workers and Volunteers Linkage Service" to formulate and promote the rules and guidelines of linkage services, and provide guidance for various regions and organizations. The third is to refer to the experience of Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang and other provinces and cities in setting up social workers and volunteers to promote joint services, and encourage all provinces and cities to explore the establishment of social organizations to promote linkage services, and promote more diversified and effective linkage services. The fourth is to investigate and summarize the experience of various regions and organizations in promoting the linkage of social workers and volunteers in recent years, especially the cases of cooperating with the work of the party and the government, adapting to the changes in the needs of the masses, and creating new service methods and methods, so as to provide reference for all parts of the country.
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Improving the Volunteer Service System in the New Era", which has a great role in promoting the development and prosperity of volunteer service, and also has a great role in promoting the joint service of social workers and volunteers. To this end, it is necessary to seize the opportunity, explore and innovate, push the linkage service between social workers and volunteers to a new stage, and make new contributions to social development and improvement of people's livelihood.
About the Author
Tan Jianguang (1960-), professor. Former Vice President of China Youth Volunteers Association, Director of China Volunteer Service Federation, Director of China Federation of Social Workers, Former Vice President of Guangdong Volunteer Federation, Honorary President of Guangdong Association for the Promotion of Social Work and Volunteer Cooperation.
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Source: Sociology
2024 No. 295 | Total Issue 471453