How can community residents' competence in self-governance be developed?
如何增强社区的自治能力？

Currently, community governance in China is facing three pressing challenges. First, its system needs to be improved and refined. Second, community services need to be expanded. Third, mode of community governance is in need of innovation. In this context many local communities have encouraged their residents to engage in activities associated with community building. The engagement has not only activated residents’ motivation to self-govern their communities, but also contributed to developing a new mode of community governance often called “Weizizhi” – meaning “micro-self-governance”. This case is derived from Xintai Compound of Shishanhengtangjiedao of Gaoxin District of Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province. It has developed an exemplary micro-self-governance mode by the name of “Ziguanwei” – meaning self-management committee. The Compound, through this committee, has effectively addressed its governance challenges related to issues such as conflicts between neighbors, public safety, and local traffic.
为了进一步完善社区管理体制，扩大社区服务内容，促进基层社区治理模式的创新发展，许多基层社区积极鼓励居民参与社区建设，激发居民自治的积极性，探索出了一条“微自治”的社区治理新模式。苏州市高新区狮山横塘街道馨泰社区通过招募居民志愿者，成立“自管委”，在调解邻里纠纷、社区安全、交通等方面实现了社区的“微自治”，成为社区微自治的样本。

There are three milestones in Xintai Compound’s micro-self-governance. First, a platform consisting of four parties (i.e., the Compound, owners’ committee, realty management, and mutual support group) was established for taking a collaborative approach to local governance challenges. The second milestone is that of setting up self-management committee, through which some residents initiated a voluntary self-management team. The team actively engaged in public benefit activities directly related to residents’ interests such as public safety, public etiquette, and public hygiene. Third, the self-management team designed and organized an activity aiming at innovation in the management of compound environment. A questionnaire was used to collect information from residents on their ideas and/or suggestions in this regard.
馨泰社区“微自治”的具体做法主要有以下几个方面。第一，组建“四方平台”，解决小区环境疑难杂症。四方平台是社区、业委会、物业及互助会共同参与的平台，旨在协同解决小区疑难杂症的联动机制。第二，建立自我管理委员会（“自管会”），建立社区环境的免疫系统。馨社区居民志愿者自发组成了“自管委”志愿队，致力于开展小区巡逻、文明宣传、垃圾分类普及等公益活动，全方位提升小区环境。第三，收集社区环境治理的金点子，创新环境治理模式。“自管委”策划了“小区环境治理金点子征集活动”，用问卷的形式征集居民需求，听取居民对环境治理的意见和建议，寻求环境治理的创新突破口。

To summarize, self-management committee (i.e., the micro-self-governance mode in Xintai Compound) has developed residents’ competence in self-governance by engaging them in the activities and practices associated with community governance. Such engagement has enabled many residents to enjoy a sense of achievement and satisfaction, which may in turn even lead to their greater participation in community governance.
馨泰社区通过积极推动社区“微自治”，帮助和指导居民成立社会组织，建立起以居民需求为导向、以项目化运行为载体、以专业化服务为方向、以多元化治理为方式的社区自治模式。这样的治理模式使社区由过去的服务提供者转变为居民参与的协调者，在充分发挥群众的治理能力的同时，让参与的居民有实实在在的获得感，提升居民的参与感和幸福感。