Abstract: The mechanism of the “Linkage of Five Elements in the community” has been integrated into the development of social work stations, playing a crucial role in innovating grassroots social governance. This study investigates optimization pathways for collaborative governance within this framework through a case study approach grounded in collaborative governance theory, drawing on empirical data from social work station practices in Zhejiang Province, China. Research has found that the development of resources related to the “Linkage of Five Elements in the community” follows a structred pattern. The collaborative governance of the mechanism of “Five Elements Linkage” unfolds in three sequential phases: “forming governance concepts”, “constructing governance mechanisms”, and “improving governance effectiveness”. These phases are characterized by platform-based integration, localized adaptation, and professionalization, with vertical-horizontal synergies facilitating multi-agent coordination. However, challenges persist, including tensions between service objectives and implementation processes, inadequate resource mobilization and inter-agent collaboration, limited capacity for sustainable synergy, and insufficient professionalization. To address these issues, the study proposes optimization strategies that emphasize motivational alignment, endogenous capacity-building, and institutional restructuring. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of leveraging the Party-government leadership to empower stakeholders, foster consensus-driven goals, and catalyze collective action. Ultimately, this framework aims to enhance service quality and activate community endogenous vitality, offering both theoretical and practical insights for refining collaborative governance models in grassroots social innovation contexts.

Key words: Five-Society Linkage, social work stations, collaborative governance, mechanism optimization