Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid launches ‘Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem’, targeting 600,000 volunteers and a Dh100 million empowerment fund to boost the nonprofit sector.
(Dubai, UAE) – In a major national initiative, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has unveiled a comprehensive new ecosystem designed to dramatically expand the culture of volunteering and community giving across the Emirates.
The ambitious ‘Volunteering and Community Engagement Ecosystem’ was announced from Qasr Al Watan with a clear goal: to place the UAE among the top three nations in the World Giving Index. The multi-faceted strategy aims to grow the country’s active volunteer base to 600,000 people and significantly increase the economic contribution of its nonprofit sector.
“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,” stated Sheikh Mohammed. “We launched this national initiative to make volunteering easier, strengthen community participation, and embed giving as part of our national identity.”
The initiative is built around eight strategic programs, rolled out through two integrated tracks:
1. Promoting a Culture of Volunteering:
- A National Volunteering Strategy: A unified framework to root volunteering as a core community value.
- Volunteers.ae 2.0: A new, user-friendly digital platform to connect individuals with volunteering opportunities that match their skills.
- ‘7 Over 7’ Campaign: A nationwide drive to promote skill-based volunteering across all seven emirates.
- ‘Your Time Counts’: A federal government program linking employee voluntary leave to the performance management system, encouraging public sector participation.
2. Empowering the Nonprofit Sector:
- A Unified Digital Portal: A ‘One Stop Shop’ to streamline services and procedures for nonprofit organizations.
- The Dh100 Million Empowerment Fund: A major fund to promote sustainable investment in the national nonprofit sector.
- Nonprofit Sector Launchpad: An incubator to help transform ideas into licensed, impactful organizations.
- Plug-in for Leadership Programmes: A scheme to prepare a new generation of leaders for the nonprofit sector.
The initiative, launched under the auspices of the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council, aligns with the UAE’s ‘Year of Community’. Key targets for the next five years include:
- Elevating the UAE into the top 3 of the World Giving Index.
- Expanding the volunteer base to 600,000 individuals, contributing 15 million volunteer hours.
- Doubling the nonprofit sector’s contribution to the national GDP.
- Creating 10,000 new jobs in the sector and increasing the number of licensed organizations by 30%.
Sheikh Mohammed concluded by highlighting the dual forces driving the nation: “The UAE moves forward with two forces, economy and cooperation, and giving and solidarity.” The new ecosystem represents a significant step in formalizing and amplifying the latter, aiming to create a lasting legacy of organized community engagement.
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