British, Chinese volunteers exchange communities

By Chu Meng

The UK-based Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) and the Volunteers of China Association of Social Workers’ Community last month launched a three-year volunteer exchange program to promote communication, understanding and long-term ties between volunteers in China and Britain.

One of their first projects was bringing to Beijing 15 VSO members to work with local communities for three weeks. The British volunteers were joined by 15 Chinese counterparts who had just finished their own three weeks of work in London.

“Britain has a well-developed community-service structure backed up by decades of experience. Community service on the resumé of a British university graduate is as important as an award from the Mathematics Olympiad is in China,” said Chen Kui, the program’s director. “Through the program, we want more Chinese people to learn what community service is about and for more young people to get involved.”

British volunteers are learning to keep order of passengers at a bus station on Chang'an Avenue. CFP Photo