Below is the English translation of the official document “Opinions of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Improving the Volunteer Service System for the New Era” （《中共中央办公厅 国务院办公厅关于健全新时代志愿服务体系的意见》, 2024 年 4 月 12 日）
Released on April 12, 2024, this document represents the first comprehensive central-level policy framework in China dedicated to systematically advancing the volunteer service system for the new era. It marks a pivotal milestone in China’s volunteer service development by elevating the cause to a national strategic priority, integrating it into overall economic and social development planning. The document addresses long-standing institutional gaps — strengthening volunteer rights protection, refining incentive mechanisms centered on spiritual rewards, accelerating the legislative process for a dedicated Volunteer Service Law, and expanding service coverage to key areas such as rural revitalization, ecological protection, and public legal aid. By establishing a coordinated governance mechanism involving government departments, social organizations, and the public, it lays the foundation for a standardized, sustainable, and inclusive volunteer service ecosystem, cementing volunteerism as a cornerstone of social progress and cultural strength in contemporary China.
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Opinions of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Improving the Volunteer Service System for the New Era
(April 12, 2024)
Volunteer service is a crucial hallmark of social civilization and progress, and a vivid practice through which the Party guides and mobilizes the people to contribute wisdom and strength, create a better life, and achieve development goals in the new era. To promote the high-quality development of the volunteer service cause, with the approval of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the following opinions are put forward on improving the volunteer service system for the new era.
I. Guiding Ideology, Basic Principles, and Main Goals
1. Guiding Ideology: Adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, focus on meeting the people’s growing needs for a better life, take improving the institutional mechanism as the key, take standardized development as the foundation, take capacity enhancement as the support, and take innovative development as the driving force, so as to build a volunteer service system that is in line with national conditions, integrated with society, and adapted to the new era, and make positive contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
2. Basic Principles:
– Adhere to the Party’s leadership and give play to the leading role of Party organizations at all levels in volunteer service.
– Adhere to people-centeredness and take meeting the diverse needs of the people as the starting point and goal.
– Adhere to standardized development and balance guidance and management to ensure the healthy and orderly development of volunteer service.
– Adhere to integration and coordination and promote the linkage between government, market, and society to form a joint force for development.
– Adhere to innovation-driven development and continuously enrich the forms and connotations of volunteer service.
3. Main Goals: By 2035, basically form a systematic, scientific, standardized, and efficient volunteer service system and working mechanism; build a high-quality and well-managed volunteer team; expand service fields and significantly improve service capabilities; establish an extensive and rational service network with strong institutional guarantees; deepen international cooperation and exchanges in volunteer service; achieve a substantial increase in social participation and activity rates; enhance the whole society’s sense of responsibility and dedication; and make volunteer service an important symbol of a culturally powerful socialist country.
II. Improve the Volunteer Service Mobilization System for Comprehensive Participation
1. Strengthen Party and Government Leadership: All Party and government organs, public institutions, mass organizations, state-owned enterprises, and schools shall improve institutional arrangements to support and organize Party members, cadres, league members, and young people to participate in volunteer service, and guide and promote volunteer service work in their respective fields, systems, and units.
2. Broaden Social Mobilization Channels: Encourage mixed-ownership enterprises, non-public enterprises, new economic organizations, new social organizations, and new employment groups to support and participate in volunteer service and fulfill social responsibilities. Give play to the advantages of industry associations and chambers of commerce to guide and promote resource integration in their respective industries and fields.
3. Promote the Integration of Volunteer Service with Grassroots Governance: Integrate volunteer service into community governance, rural revitalization, and public service systems, and encourage volunteers to participate in neighborhood mutual assistance, dispute mediation, legal popularization, and public welfare publicity to enhance the effectiveness of social governance.
III. Improve the Precise and Efficient Volunteer Service Supply System
1. Enrich Supply Content: Take studying and promoting Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the primary political task, and extensively carry out theoretical and policy publicity volunteer service. Cooperate with national development strategies to promote volunteer service in rural revitalization, border area development, ecological civilization construction, and healthy China initiative. Focus on people’s livelihood to organize volunteer service in poverty alleviation, disability assistance, elderly and child care, disaster relief, health care, education support, and cultural benefits for the people.
2. Promote Supply-Demand Matching: Establish a demand-oriented service mechanism, improve the information release and docking platform for volunteer service, and enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of service supply.
3. Improve Service Quality and Efficiency: Strengthen the professional training of volunteers, establish a service quality evaluation system, and cultivate high-quality volunteer service brands such as college student volunteer service in western China, spring rain project, and cultural and artistic services for the public.
IV. Improve the Dynamic Volunteer Service Team Organization System
1. Strengthen Team Building: Adhere to the combination of guiding development and standardized management, guide volunteer service organizations to improve internal governance, carry out activities in accordance with laws, regulations, and articles of association, and enhance social credibility. Improve the recruitment and registration system for volunteers, formulate codes of conduct and service standards, and clarify rights and obligations.
2. Improve Training and Development Mechanisms: Establish a multi-level training system covering professional skills, safety education, and ethical norms to improve volunteers’ comprehensive quality and service capabilities.
3. Strengthen Incentives and Rewards: Improve the reward mechanism centered on spiritual incentives, improve the star-level certification system, and enhance volunteers’ sense of achievement and honor. Encourage the adoption of service points and time banking systems to improve the long-term incentive mechanism.
V. Improve the Extensive Volunteer Service Venue System
1. Optimize Venue Layout: Build a three-level service network covering urban and rural areas, including volunteer service centers at the municipal, district/county, and street/township levels, to provide one-stop services such as registration, training, and activity organization.
2. Strengthen Venue Construction and Management: Improve the supporting facilities and service functions of volunteer service venues, and promote the sharing and utilization of public resources such as cultural centers, sports venues, and community service stations.
VI. Improve the Distinctive Volunteer Culture System
1. Strengthen Cultural Guidance: Promote the spirit of volunteer service of “dedication, friendship, mutual assistance, and progress”, and integrate volunteer culture into the construction of socialist core values.
2. Cultivate Volunteer Service Brands: Support the development of influential volunteer service brands, strengthen publicity and promotion, and create a social atmosphere that respects and supports volunteer service.
3. Strengthen Theoretical Research and Talent Training: Encourage universities and research institutions to carry out theoretical research on volunteer service, and cultivate professional talents in volunteer service management and practice.
VII. Improve the Solid Volunteer Service Support and Guarantee System
1. Improve Development Policies: All regions and relevant departments shall formulate and improve policies to promote the development of volunteer service according to economic and social development. Coordinate the use of existing fund channels including financial investment, and support the operation and management of volunteer service through government procurement of services in accordance with the law. Where conditions permit, local governments may set up volunteer service development funds in accordance with the law. Broaden social donation channels, encourage enterprises and individuals to make public welfare donations, and enjoy current tax preferences in accordance with regulations.
2. Strengthen Rights and Interests Protection: Adhere to the principle of “who uses, who recruits, who guarantees” to provide volunteers with material equipment, safety guarantees, and corresponding insurance. Improve insurance products and services for volunteers and strengthen basic insurance coverage. Truthfully and accurately record volunteer service information and issue certificates. Respect volunteers’ labor and autonomy, and protect their legitimate rights and interests and the right to supervise volunteer service organizations and activities.
3. Promote Information Construction: Build a national unified volunteer service information platform to realize the sharing of service records, certification, and incentive information.
VIII. Build a New Pattern of International Cooperation and Exchanges in Volunteer Service
1. Strengthen International Exchanges and Cooperation: Promote exchanges and cooperation with international organizations and foreign countries in volunteer service, learn from advanced experience, and promote the internationalization of Chinese volunteer service concepts and practices.
2. Participate in Global Governance through Volunteer Service: Encourage volunteer service organizations to participate in international public welfare causes and contribute to global poverty reduction, disaster relief, and ecological protection.
IX. Strengthen Organizational Leadership
1. Improve the Coordination Mechanism: Establish and improve the coordination mechanism for volunteer service work, with the Central Social Work Department taking the lead, and relevant departments participating, to strengthen overall coordination and supervision and inspection.
2. Strengthen Supervision and Management: Improve the supervision system for volunteer service organizations and activities, standardize service behaviors, and prevent risks such as false volunteer service and infringement of rights and interests.
3. Promote the Legislation of Volunteer Service: Accelerate the legislative process of the Volunteer Service Law, improve supporting regulations and standards, and provide a strong legal guarantee for the development of volunteer service.
All regions and departments shall earnestly implement these opinions in light of actual conditions, and important matters shall be promptly reported to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
（AI-assisted translation; for reference only）
