UAE's New Volunteering And Community Engagement Ecosystem Aims To Boost Nonprofit Sector

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has introduced the "Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem." This initiative aims to boost the impact of volunteering and support nonprofit organisations in their various forms. It seeks to enhance their contributions to sustainable development across the UAE.

The initiative is supported by the Education, Human Resources, and Community Development Council. This backing highlights the Council's dedication to fostering values of giving and social responsibility. The ecosystem comprises eight strategic initiatives under the Ministry of Community Empowerment. These initiatives are implemented through two integrated tracks to promote volunteerism and empower nonprofit organisations.

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The package includes four initiatives aimed at embedding a culture of volunteering in the UAE. The National Volunteering Strategy is central to this effort. It provides a unified framework to establish volunteering as a deeply rooted community value. The strategy focuses on developing policies, expanding volunteering opportunities, and encouraging participation from all societal segments.

Among these initiatives is Volunteers.ae 2.0, a digital hub for volunteering in the UAE. This platform connects individual skills with available opportunities. It offers an interactive experience and provides specialized pathways designed to make volunteering easier and more impactful.

The strategic initiatives also feature programs dedicated to empowering the nonprofit sector. One such program is the One Stop Shop, a digital platform that streamlines services into a single system. Additionally, there is a 100M AED Empowerment Fund that allocates AED100 million to promote sustainable national investment with tangible impact.

Another initiative is "7 Over 7," which promotes skill-based volunteering across all seven Emirates. This campaign fosters greater community participation and collaboration by offering seven opportunities nationwide.

Community Engagement Goals

The launch coincides with the Year of Community and aligns with national directives to enhance social cohesion. It aims to expand volunteer work and support nonprofit organisations as key enablers of sustainable community development. The goal is transformative changes that increase the sector’s contribution and elevate the UAE’s global standing in giving.

"Your Time Counts" is another initiative designed to embed volunteering within the federal government sector. It motivates government employees to contribute through volunteering, linking voluntary leave to performance management standards.

Future Aspirations

The strategic initiatives aim for significant advances in volunteering over five years. Key targets include elevating the UAE’s ranking among the top three countries in the World Giving Index. They also aim to expand active volunteers to 600,000, contributing 15 million volunteer hours.

The initiatives seek to double nonprofit organisations' contribution to GDP, create 10,000 new jobs in this sector, and increase licensed nonprofit organisations by 30 percent.

Sheikh Mohammed stated: "From Qasr Al Watan, we launched the UAE Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem... Our aim is to make volunteering easier... I thank the team behind this strategy."

The Ministry of Community Empowerment will partner closely with Emirates Foundation and other entities for successful implementation. These efforts aim to position the UAE as a global leader in organised community engagement while building a sustainable system for future generations.

With inputs from WAM