A better society through voluntary work

For Wan Shiyu, a 20-year-old social work major at Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in Hubei province, voluntary work goes beyond her studies — it represents a commitment by young people to social development and mutual care through selfless devotion and compassion.

From Dec 1 to 3, Wan joined thousands of students from across the country at the seventh China Youth Volunteer Service Project Competition and Volunteer Service Exchange Meeting in Shantou, Guangdong province.

Wan's voluntary project, named "Xingxinxiangyin" (Star and Heart Intertwined), which provides rehabilitation services for children with autism, was selected as one of the top 10 projects out of 601 submissions.

Unlike many existing commercial rehabilitation services, which offer short-term professional assistance, Wan's project focuses on lifelong and all-around recovery, with activities tailored to the specific needs of children with autism.

The project covers four main areas: connecting professional organizations with families, organizing family activities, raising awareness about autism, and managing an online forum for mutual support among parents.

According to Yu Yanping, head of the department of sociology at WUT and the project's mentor, the most notable aspect of the project is the team's dedicated effort to engage with both parents and professional organizations.

"Parents are happy to see young people working to build a more tolerant and supportive society, which encourages them to be more proactive in seeking help for their children and getting involved," she said.

Yu led the team in designing a questionnaire to assess autistic children's independent abilities, which has proven effective. For example, Wan found from the assessment that some children were sensitive to environmental sounds. Therefore, when she and her team organize basketball activities, they pay special attention to the surroundings, ensuring that the sound environment is suitable for these children.

"If we overlook the noise, such as a sudden car horn, it can irritate the children," said Wan.

Zhu Yufeng, a 22-year-old graduate of the School of English for International Business at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, won a gold prize in the competition for his project, "Yaolan" (Cradle for Yao ethnic group), which focuses on poverty alleviation and rural revitalization in Ruyuan Yao autonomous county, Guangdong.

Zhu organizes students from various majors to combine their expertise in incorporating Yao embroidery with market trends, selling the products to local shops and students in the neighborhood.

The project has boosted the income of villagers and brought new vitality to Yao embroidery. According to Zhu, the annual sales of the Yao embroidery workshop have increased from around 5 million to over 14 million with the assistance of the Yaolan project.

"It has also fostered a deeper sense of identity and solidified friendships between the Han and Yao ethnic groups as we worked together to improve the lives of villagers in the county", Zhu said.

The team is currently developing a new WeChat mini program that integrates AI technology with intangible cultural heritage, enabling users to create personalized embroidery patterns by entering a few keywords.

In the Public Service Venture sector of the competition, Dong Zexin, a 24-year-old student majoring in information and communicating engineering at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications won a silver prize for leading his team "Xingyaoxiangcun" (Sparked Country through Youth Power and Technology).

The main goal of the project is to connect college students with voluntary activities in rural areas around Beijing, bridging volunteerism to campuses and supporting rural revitalization.

Dong shared that the competition broadened his perspective, offering a diverse range of voluntary work. For example, while multiple teams focused on the theme of rural revitalization, each approached the project from a unique angle.

"It reminds me of the charm of volunteer work. Whether it's young people, those in their middle age, or even the elderly, everyone can find a role in promoting social welfare and contributing to a better society," he said.