Volunteers make a difference

Residents' assistance service gets spirited support from those with newfound affluence and leisure

Zhangjiagang is the only county-level city to be honored with the title of "national civilized city" for four consecutive years.

Part of the reason for this is its volunteer spirit, which is something that distinguishes Zhangjiagang from other places in China, said Wang Fei, deputy-director of the city's volunteer service guidance center.

Zhang Ling (woman in the center) has done more than 1,300 hours of volunteer work. The photo was taken from the birthday party she held for a migrant worker's child.

One of the favorite jobs for Zhangjiagang's volunteers is to work for the city's public libraries.

"We attach more importance to volunteer work in daily life. During big events such as exhibitions, sports games or on special days for seniors or the needy, volunteers can look more like performers."

Compared with other cities in the Yangtze River Delta, Zhangjiagang's economic rise came about in the late 1990s. A desire to help one another and the perseverance shown by local people in their pursuit of economic success are the roots of Zhangjiagang's volunteer spirit, local residents said.

"With economic growth, there are people who have both money and time. They form the core of our volunteers," said Yang Fang, director of the Zhangjiagang government's information office.

Zhang Ling, a 50-year-old businesswoman, has done more than 1,300 hours of volunteer work since 2013, and is currently Zhangjiagang's star volunteer. "I have plenty of spare time before I have to look after my grandchildren. Why not do something to help the community?" she said.

"The government has set up a platform to connect volunteers and the people in need of help," Yang said. "The model is much more efficient and sustainable than government-organized volunteer activities."

The government runs a website for the registration of volunteers and their organizations. The website is like an information market connecting suppliers and customers, said Wang. "The volunteer groups should also report the results of their activities to us, and every volunteer's performance and service hours are recorded."

Zhangjiagang has 704 registered volunteer groups, with about 32,000 registered volunteers. About 28,000 volunteers are active. New volunteers are being registered.

The government has formulated a set of rules to promote the volunteer spirit in the city. Depending on the amount of service in a year, volunteers are given simple souvenirs, free physical examinations in public hospitals, discounts for parks and theater tickets and free parking in public parking lots, among other things.

"I like being a volunteer librarian, because I can read, talk to book lovers and help people as well," said Zhang Qiangjun, a 34-year-old worker from Leshan, Sichuan province. He works in a 24-hour government-operated library when he has free time. "I have to apply for the job a week in advance. Many people compete to work here as volunteers."

Gong Shenglin, manager of the Zhangjiagang Poly Theater, said he has been using volunteers to help "cultivate" the audience over the past four years.

Local audiences did not know how to interact with the performers at first, and they ate snacks, wore slippers, took photos and made video recordings during the performances.

"The volunteers from the Ivy League Experimental School of Zhangjiagang know the etiquette of the theater. Thanks to their work, local audiences now have a better environment to enjoy the shows," said Gong.

He has also invited famous artists and foreign performers to visit local schools so the children of migrant workers can meet them. "They volunteer to do so. I give them a channel to know the life of ordinary Chinese in a small city like Zhangjiagang."

(China Daily European Weekly 10/22/2015 page7)