Abstract: Chinas policies on public participation in volunteer service have evolved through four stages of development——allowing exploration in nongovernmental circles, organization commissioned by departments, encouraging diversification and promoting social integration. These policies include laws and rules, documents of the Party and government, leaders speeches, charters and resolutions, public regulations, etc. with the characteristics of multilevels and multitypes. They function effectively to create community culture of volunteer service, advocate public participation, encourage the growth of community service organizations, form a supportive network of resources, and to protect the rights and interests of volunteers. In the future, the states policies concerning volunteer service should focus on creating an environment in which policies could be shared nationally, forming a sound system, and establishing a mechanism for coordinative development.

Key words: volunteer service, public participation, policy, support, development