The development history of community work in western countries can be roughly divided into four periods:

(1) charity organization period (1870 ~ 19 17). Take the urban neighborhood as the object, coordinate various charities and relief agencies, and solve community problems through cooperation.

② the period of community foundation, community committee and federation (19 17 ~ 1935). After World War I, the basic responsibilities of social welfare began to shift from voluntary organizations to government departments. Public welfare refers to the method of "community organization process". However, the transfer of its basic responsibility is only the beginning, and voluntary organizations and individuals working with government professionals still bear the main responsibility. Volunteers are still responsible for the overall work of community organizations in small towns, and the forms and methods of community organizations have not been unified.

(3) mass organizations and social welfare period (1935 ~ 1955). This period is characterized by the positive and dominant position of government departments at all levels in public welfare undertakings. The theory and method of community organization are becoming more and more mature, becoming one of the three basic methods of social work, and gradually developing into a branch of social work, and the content and concept are gradually unified.

④ Professional development period and community development period (after 1955). Its main feature is to develop community work and focus on community development to solve social problems. Shortly after the end of World War II, the United Nations established a "community organization and community development group" to advocate and promote community development, improve community living conditions, solve community problems and enhance community welfare. After 1955, while further applying social work knowledge to solve social problems and promote social change, many community service projects such as social welfare service, cooperative service, employment service, production service, education service, medical and health service, housing service and entertainment service have been greatly developed and gradually become an important part of community work.