Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities. It seeks to empower individuals and groups of people by providing these groups with the skills they need to effect change in their own communities.

In China, community development has risen out of a need to bridge the gap between rapid economic expansion and its negative effects on migrant communities. The government, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), charities, and even some for-profit companies are working to meet the current and projected needs of migrant communities. A positive partnership between organizations seeking to help migrants and the government has started to emerge in recent years. Another positive step has been greater Chinese citizen involvement in NGO’s and charities helping provide services for migrants.