Although without a universally-accepted definition, community, in general, refers to a unit of social life connected by spiritual, cultural and emotional bonds on geographical basis, one that attracts other people to join. In a city, community generally refers to an administrative unit and can be extended to a living or working space such as an apartment or office building. In the countryside, community refers to a natural or incorporated village.
As social structure evolves, urban and rural communities have become basic units in the development and transition of the Chinese society. It is a major carrier of tensions between people and society, a main breeding ground for social innovation, and an important platform for social organizations, governments at all levels and businesses to conduct cross-sector cooperation.
YouChange hopes its community project will generate different new community development models that, after advocacy, will be widely accepted and practiced by governments and other segments of society. These models should involve multiple participants, be systematic, long-term and controllable. They should make communities more public and dynamic, and help build happy communities featuring inclusive culture, environment friendliness, resource conservation and community participation.