The UAE moves forward with two forces, economy and cooperation, and giving and solidarity. The launch of the Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem comes under the support of the Education, Human Resources, and Community Development Council, in line with its pivotal role in coordinating national efforts and advancing social capital development in the United Arab Emirates. The aim is to create transformative changes that increase the sector’s contribution and elevate the UAE’s global standing in giving and sustainable development.
The package of strategic initiatives also includes four initiatives aimed at embedding the culture of volunteering in the UAE. Key targets include elevating the UAE’s ranking to be among the world’s top three countries in the World Giving Index, and expanding the base of active volunteers to 600,000, contributing a total of 15 million volunteer hours. The initiatives also seek to double the contribution of nonprofit organizations to the national GDP, create 10,000 new jobs across the nonprofit sector, and increase the number of licensed nonprofit organizations by 30 percent.
In addition, the Plug-in for Leadership Programs aims to prepare a new generation of leaders with a deep understanding of nonprofit organizations as strategic partners in national development. The initiatives aim to enhance the values of collaboration, generosity, and contribution in the UAE, position the UAE as a global leader in organized community engagement, provide opportunities for all segments of society to participate in giving, build a sustainable system for future generations, and empower individuals, communities, companies, and institutions to create meaningful collective impact.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the “Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem” to reinforce the impact of volunteering and support nonprofit organizations in their various forms, enhancing their contributions to sustainable development. The strategy focuses on developing policies and legislation, expanding both specialized and general volunteering opportunities, and encouraging participation from all segments of society.
The initiatives also include the launch of Volunteers.ae 2.0, the digital hub for volunteering in the UAE. This initiative is implemented in partnership with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, in line with their official guidelines. The Ministry of Community Empowerment will work in close partnership with Emirates Foundation, as well as a number of local government entities, nonprofit organizations, and private sector partners to ensure the implementation of the strategy and the success of the initiatives.
The package of strategic initiatives also features four programs dedicated to empowering the nonprofit sector. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated, “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 six hundred thousand.” The initiative aims to increase the number of these organizations by thirty percent, through a single services portal, community project incubators, and a fund worth one hundred million dirhams.” He added, “Our aim is to make volunteering easier, strengthen community participation, and embed giving as part of our national identity.”
This support reflects the Council’s commitment to fostering values of giving and social responsibility, and to empowering the nonprofit sector as one of the key drivers of sustainable development. The ecosystem consists of eight strategic initiatives under the Ministry of Community Empowerment, implemented through two integrated tracks to promote a culture of volunteerism and empower nonprofit organizations. The launch coincides with the Year of Community and aligns with national directives to enhance social cohesion, expand volunteer work, and support nonprofit organizations as key enablers of sustainable community development.
The platform connects individual skills with available opportunities, offers an interactive and user-friendly experience, and provides specialized pathways designed to make volunteering easier, more effective, and more impactful. Another initiative is “7 Over 7”, a nationwide campaign of seven opportunities that seeks to promote skill-based volunteering across all seven Emirates, fostering greater community participation and collaboration.
In addition, the initiatives feature the launch of “Your Time Counts,” which is designed to embed the culture of volunteering within the federal government sector. At the forefront is the National Volunteering Strategy, which provides a unified framework to establish volunteering as a deeply rooted community value. It also includes the 100M AED Empowerment Fund, which allocates AED100 million to the nonprofit sector, promoting sustainable national investment with tangible impact. The initiatives further introduce the Nonprofit Sector Launchpad, which serves as an incubator to transform ideas into licensed and impactful nonprofit organizations. The initiative motivates government employees to contribute through volunteering and links their voluntary leave to the standards of the performance management system. It also introduces a unified digital platform and supports the third sector and public benefit organizations.
I thank the team behind this strategy, led by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, and the dedicated team supporting its delivery. The UAE is a country of progress and prosperity, but also of generosity and compassion. Among them is the One Stop Shop, a digital platform that streamlines services and procedures into a single integrated system. It builds with one hand, and gives with the other.
