Government & Regulations

The UAE has unveiled a new national initiative designed to expand the country’s volunteer base to 600,000 people and elevate its standing among the world’s most generous nations.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, launched the ‘Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem’ on Wednesday, October 29, during an announcement from Qasr Al Watan. The initiative seeks to strengthen volunteer work, empower nonprofit organisations, and reinforce the UAE’s position as a global leader in community development and social giving.

“From Qasr Al Watan, we launched the UAE Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem, a national initiative that includes a comprehensive strategy to grow the country’s volunteer base to 600,000,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “It also introduces a unified digital platform and supports the third sector and public benefit organisations.”

The Ruler added that the initiative will increase the number of nonprofit organisations by 30 per cent through a single services portal, community project incubators, and a Dh100 million fund.
He further emphasized that the goal is to make volunteering “easier, strengthen community participation, and embed giving as part of our national identity.”

“The UAE is a country of progress and prosperity, but also of generosity and compassion. It builds with one hand, and gives with the other,” he said, praising the team led by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed for spearheading the project.

Eight Strategic Initiatives to Foster a Culture of Giving

The ecosystem, supported by the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council, comprises eight strategic initiatives under the Ministry of Community Empowerment, divided into two tracks:

1. Promoting volunteerism across the UAE, and

2. Empowering the nonprofit sector as a key driver of sustainable development.

The initiative aligns with the ‘Year of Community’ and national directives to enhance social cohesion and support nonprofit work as a foundation of sustainable community growth.

At the forefront of these initiatives is the National Volunteering Strategy, providing a unified framework to establish volunteering as a core community value. The strategy focuses on developing policies, expanding specialized and general volunteering opportunities, and encouraging participation from all sectors of society.

New Digital Platforms and Programmes

Among the newly launched initiatives is ‘Volunteers.ae 2.0’, an upgraded digital hub connecting individuals’ skills with volunteering opportunities across the nation. The platform offers an interactive user experience with specialised pathways, making volunteering more effective and accessible.

Another highlight is the ‘7 Over 7’ campaign, which promotes skill-based volunteering through seven major opportunities across the UAE’s seven emirates.

Additionally, the ‘Your Time Counts’ initiative integrates volunteering into the federal government framework by motivating employees to participate in community service. Implemented in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, it links voluntary leave to performance management standards.

The Ministry of Community Empowerment will collaborate closely with the Emirates Foundation, local government bodies, nonprofit organisations, and private sector partners to ensure the successful implementation of these programmes.

Empowering the Nonprofit Sector

The package also introduces four key programmes dedicated to strengthening the nonprofit ecosystem:

• One Stop Shop: A digital platform consolidating all services and procedures for nonprofit entities.

• Empowerment Fund: A Dh100 million fund aimed at supporting nonprofit organisations and driving sustainable social investment.

• Nonprofit Sector Launchpad: An incubator that transforms ideas into licensed, impactful community organisations.

• Plug-in for Leadership Programmes: Designed to cultivate a new generation of leaders well-versed in nonprofit management and national development strategies.

Global Ambitions and Impact

The ‘Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem’ reflects the UAE’s broader vision to build a sustainable and inclusive model of community engagement. Over the next five years, the initiative aims to:

• Position the UAE among the top three countries in the World Giving Index,

• Expand the active volunteer base to 600,000 people,

• Achieve 15 million volunteer hours,

• Double the nonprofit sector’s contribution to national GDP,

• Create 10,000 new jobs, and

• Increase licensed nonprofit organisations by 30 per cent.

By embedding volunteering and community engagement within its social and economic framework, the UAE aims to enhance the values of generosity, collaboration, and social responsibility, setting a global example of organized giving and sustainable community development.

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