On September 14th, Ministry of Civil Affairs released a detailed interpretation of the Basic Specification of Volunteer Service Information System(志愿服务信息系统基本规范). It marks the first national standard for the information system of volunteerism. According to the interpretation, every volunteer in the country will have a unified number(统一编号）in the future.
The Specification had been in the process of drafting for a year before its final release. It was drafted by volunteering organizations, universities, and other institutions. It provides standards for volunteering time, training, certification and it also has important reference for further improvement of the Volunteer Service Information System. The unified numbers (18 digits) for volunteers are set for the following reasons: (1) To provide connectivity for different information systems, making it easier to transfer volunteering records; (2) To protect volunteers’ privacy ( In the past, ID card number was used to register volunteers, which runs the risk of leaking personal information); (3)To create stronger sense of belonging and promote participation in volunteer service.
