China's volunteer force getting stronger

WUHAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- China's national association of social workers has registered 10 million volunteers, and the force is getting stronger, as schools and employers embrace a volunteering spirit, said an association director here on Thursday.

"More than half of volunteers serving for the Olympic Games and the Paralympics in Beijing last year were chosen from the association's registered numbers," said Yuan Yuan, deputy director of the volunteer work division of the association said at a work meeting held in this capital of central China's Hubei Province.

She said there are about 430,000 community volunteer groups nationwide. More than 30 million people volunteered in such social work as disaster relief and post-earthquake reconstruction last year.

"It is important for the association to build up a network of service stations to provide guidance to improve the quality of the volunteer work," said Yuan.

The volunteer experience is becoming more valued in large Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

The Beijing Municipal committee of education issued a circular in February calling for all schools to keep students' volunteer experience on record, which can be referred to in the school enrolment evaluation and employment.

The move is expected to greatly increase the number of volunteers in community work in the city, which has 1.78 million students on campuses.

Expo opens volunteer rolls May 1

BEIJING,April 22-- People who want to help out at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo can sign up to become volunteers starting May 1.

Foreigners, seniors and even the physically challenged can apply to take part in the World Fair, the Expo organizer said on Tuesday.

Around 70,000 volunteers will be recruited to work inside the Expo site and another 100,000 to staff more than 1,000 service centers around the city during the event, which is expected to attract 70 million visitors, Ma Chunlei, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China's Shanghai Committee and deputy leader of the Expo volunteer recruitment team, told a press conference.

Each volunteer must agree to work at least a total of 14 days at the Expo, which starts on May 1, 2010, and will last 184 days.

Volunteers who work inside the site must be at least 18 years old, and those outside should be older than 16. There is no upper limit on age.

Volunteers must be in good health and agree to take part in training prior to their service.

Local young people are expected to make up the bulk of the volunteer team, Ma said.

Foreigners can also apply for positions, and those who can speak Chinese will be given priority.

The organizer will also recruit some physically challenged volunteers who have language skills or other abilities, according to Ma.

For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, blind people were recruited to give massages to the athletes, and other physically challenged people served as interpreters.

Volunteers who work inside the Expo site will be used as information consultants, assistant receptionists, aids for physically challenged people, event coordinators, assistant guides, interpreters, media coordinators and management assistants for volunteers.

Those who work in the outside service areas will help with information consultation, translation, emergency rescue and promoting good manners.

The organizer will provide volunteers with insurance, uniforms, equipment and meals. It will not pay for accommodation for those coming in from abroad or other provinces.

Recruitment and training will be finished in March. The organizer will provide special training for foreign volunteers, putting modules on the Internet for study abroad, Ma said.

Prospective volunteers can apply online at www.expo2010.cn, www.expovol.com, www.expo2010volunteer.cn, www.wmsh.gov.cn, and www.21campus.cn or dial 962010, the Expo hotline, starting on May 1. English service is available.

Applicants can also go to 19 sites located around the city's 18 districts and Chongming Island as well as 53 universities. Deadline for applications is December 31.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)