UAE establishes national volunteering ecosystem to expand civic participation and create jobs

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced a comprehensive national programme aimed at deepening community solidarity and expanding volunteering across the UAE. The Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem was revealed at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi and includes a target of creating 10,000 jobs nationwide.

Introduced by the Ministry of Community Empowerment, the initiative sets measurable goals: increasing the volunteer pool to 600,000 people and raising the number of non-profit organisations by 30 per cent. A dedicated Dh100 million ($27.2 million) fund will support the rollout and boost third-sector capacity.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed that the drive builds on the nation’s long tradition of generosity. “We want to remove obstacles to volunteering, strengthen civic participation and ensure that giving becomes an ingrained national habit,” he said. “The UAE advances through development and through compassion — both are central to our identity.”

The programme, under the leadership of Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, also aims to elevate the UAE into the top three positions on the World Giving Index, where it currently sits ninth. Officials say the plan will double the social contribution delivered by non-profit entities.

Strengthening a culture of philanthropy

Central to the Ecosystem is the National Volunteering Strategy, which will roll out new regulations, operational frameworks and digital solutions to broaden participation and improve impact measurement. A principal component is Volunteers.ae 2.0 — an upgraded online platform designed to match volunteers’ skills with specific opportunities, streamlining how residents engage with causes.

Complementary measures include the 7 Over 7 campaign to stimulate skill-based volunteering across all seven emirates, and the Your Time Counts initiative, which will encourage federal employees to volunteer by linking participation to performance evaluations.

Taken together, officials say these steps aim to embed volunteering into everyday life in the UAE — ensuring that cooperation and philanthropy continue to support the country’s social and economic development.