Improving Undergraduate Volunteering in China

My topic is “Improving Undergraduate Volunteering” and my targeted audience of this multi-modal text is the whole society. I choose this topic because I find that the present undergraduate volunteering is still hard to achieve its social value. Although most of the volunteers have a good attitude, existed volunteer programs for undergraduates are more like formalism rather than process of dedication. Poor management by organizations and slothful volunteers mess up the activities. Moreover, the society now doesn’t show enough respect for undergraduate volunteers. Aggressive behaviors of some recipients prevent undergraduates from continuing to volunteering. There is an urgent need to change for the better! Therefore, I call on the whole society to improve the situation.

My design is a double-sided squared card used for propaganda. On the front of the card, I display a large red slogan in the middle – “We need your help!”, appealing to all of us to improve undergraduate volunteering together. At the bottom of the page are numerous hands lifting up hearts. I use this design because “giving a hand” has the same meaning of helping others. With a great deal of help, we are able to pass along the love through better voluntary programs.

I put concrete improvement measures on the back side of the card. In the middle of the page lies a big heart supported by four characters. Each of them represents a party involved in undergraduate volunteer programs. They represent (from left to right and then from top to bottom) undergraduate volunteers, colleges, organizations and recipients respectively. Recipients here refer to beneficiaries, that is, the society in broad terms. The undergraduate volunteer is dressed in a red jacket, which is a representation of volunteers (红马甲) in China. The man holding a book represents college official while another role in suits represents organizer. The girl with a big smile on her face is a recipient, implying that volunteers bring her happiness. “Thank you” written on her dress is her sincere gratitude to the volunteers. Beside each character, there are four short paragraphs about improvement measures. I use first person views for all characters since I hope that my audience will resonate with the roles. These measures are put forward based on my investigation on current situation of Chinese undergraduate volunteering. And it also expresses my inner voice from the perspective of an undergraduate volunteer.

I sincerely hope that undergraduate volunteering will get better and better in the future. And only with joint efforts of all parties can we realize the goal!