Dubai Ruler Unveils Major UAE Volunteering Program
The UAE’s volunteering initiatives are gaining remarkable momentum. The nation moves forward through economic growth and cooperation, while fostering giving and solidarity. This ambitious program wants to raise the number of volunteering organizations by 30 percent with a complete approach that has a single services portal, community project incubators, and a substantial fund of 100 million dirhams.
The UAE’s strategic vision for volunteering sets remarkable targets. The country wants to become one of the world’s top three countries in the World Giving Index. The active volunteer base will expand to 600,000 people who will contribute 15 million volunteer hours. The program will create opportunities for residents to take part in volunteering activities nationwide.
These initiatives will have a strong economic effect. They will double nonprofit organizations’ contribution to the national GDP and create 10,000 new jobs in the nonprofit sector. The number of licensed nonprofit organizations will grow by 30 percent. This complete approach shows how volunteerism helps develop and advance society.
Sheik Mohammed launches UAE Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem
At the majestic Qasr Al Watan, His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum showed the UAE Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem, which changed the nation’s social responsibility landscape significantly. This national initiative aims to boost volunteer participation across the Emirates.
The Education, Human Resources, and Community Development Council guides this ecosystem and coordinates national efforts to develop social capital across the UAE. The Council’s work demonstrates its commitment to promoting values of giving and social responsibility.
Sheik Mohammed envisions the UAE among the world’s top three countries in the World Giving Index and plans to create 10,000 new jobs in the nonprofit sector. This initiative will then double the nonprofit organizations’ GDP contribution.
The complete ecosystem introduces eight strategic initiatives in two categories:
- Four initiatives to promote volunteering culture:
- National Volunteering Strategy
- Volunteers.ae 2.0 Platform
- ‘7 Over 7’ Emirates Campaign
- ‘Your Time Counts’ Federal Government Employee Volunteering Initiative
The ecosystem also has four more initiatives that strengthen the sector through an AED 100 million Empowerment Fund, ‘One-Stop-Shop’ Platform, Nonprofit Sector Launchpad, and a Plug-in for Leadership Programs.
Government unveils 4 initiatives to promote volunteerism
Image Source: www.volunteers.ae
The UAE government has launched four key initiatives to promote volunteering culture across the nation.
A unified framework called the National Volunteering Strategy makes volunteerism a core social value. This strategy creates supportive policies and opens up more volunteering opportunities to boost participation across society.
Volunteers.ae 2.0 has emerged as the digital hub that powers UAE’s volunteering ecosystem. The platform matches people’s skills with the right opportunities through its improved design. The platform has attracted 649,848 volunteers—340,410 women and 309,215 men—and targets one million participants by 2031.
The ‘7 Over 7’ Emirates Campaign will run from October to December 2025. This campaign offers seven specialized volunteering opportunities in each emirate. The Year of Community 2025 initiative launched this campaign to create meaningful opportunities that build stronger social bonds.
The ‘Your Time Counts’ program targets federal government employees specifically. This initiative blends volunteering into professional development by connecting voluntary leave with performance standards. The program helps establish volunteerism as a standard practice in the public sector.
These combined efforts will help position UAE among the world’s top nations for volunteering participation and impact.
UAE empowers nonprofit sector with 4 strategic programs
The UAE has launched four specialized programs that make the nonprofit sector a vital partner in national development. These programs support structured initiatives and resources to create lasting change.
The One Stop Shop serves as a digital platform that blends services and procedures into a single system. Nonprofit organizations can streamline their operations and extend their community reach through this platform.
A Dh100M Empowerment Fund dedicates Dh100 million to strengthen the nonprofit sector. This investment promotes sustainable national development that benefits communities across the Emirates.
The Nonprofit Sector Launchpad helps turn innovative social ideas into licensed, operational organizations. This program helps create more effective nonprofit entities in the UAE.
The Plug-in for Leadership Programs develops a new generation of leaders with specialized knowledge about nonprofit operations. This program recognizes nonprofits as key strategic partners that advance national development goals.
The Ministry of Community Empowerment uses these four programs to boost quality of life and achieve green development. These initiatives give people the ability to make positive changes, deepen social bonds, and help vulnerable groups.
The UAE Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem proves the nation’s steadfast dedication to social responsibility and community development. This complete program builds a strong foundation to help volunteerism thrive in all seven emirates. The strategic vision targets 600,000 active volunteers who will contribute 15 million hours, showing the bold scale of this national initiative.
The economic impact is equally important as the program wants to double nonprofit contributions to GDP and create 10,000 new jobs. This two-pronged approach enhances social cohesion and economic growth, reflecting UAE leadership’s integrated understanding of national development.
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s eight strategic initiatives provide the framework to implement sustainable changes. Four initiatives cultivate a culture of volunteerism, while the other four strengthen the nonprofit sector through targeted support. This balanced strategy will give a solid foundation for both immediate action and long-term sustainability.
The upgraded Volunteers.ae 2.0 platform is a vital technological tool that connects willing participants with opportunities matching their skills and interests. The platform has registered nearly 650,000 volunteers, showing good progress toward the 2031 target of one million participants.
The Dh100 million Empowerment Fund and specialized programs like the Nonprofit Sector Launchpad showcase the government’s financial commitment to this ecosystem. These resources help turn innovative social ideas into organizations that address community needs.
UAE’s complete volunteering program positions the nation as both a global economic leader and a pioneer in community service and social responsibility. This ecosystem strengthens social bonds while pushing national development goals forward. It truly embodies the Emirates’ spirit of cooperation, giving, and solidarity.
