Dubai’s Community Development Authority (CDA) has introduced a pioneering initiative called “Spreading the Culture of Volunteerism”, aiming to deepen awareness, participation, and capacity-building across all segments of society. Launched in conjunction with Community Year 2025, the project seeks to reinforce the role of individuals and institutions in championing social initiatives and fostering a culture of giving.
Key Objectives & Focus Areas:
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Educate the public about volunteerism: covering its meaning, regulatory framework, and participants’ rights and responsibilities.
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Inspire community involvement among youth, seniors, families, and various community groups.
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Provide a holistic platform for action—covering everything from field volunteering to leadership development in the volunteer sector.
Record-Breaking Volunteer Impact:
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In 2024, Dubai volunteers contributed over one million hours, marking significant growth in community-driven engagement.
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Currently, 59,000 volunteers are registered with the CDA.
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In the first quarter of this year alone, more than 18,000 volunteers devoted 500,000+ hours, representing an estimated AED 40 million in social value.
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Specialized volunteering is also expanding, with over 100 niche opportunities, where 500 volunteers logged 8,000 specialized hours.
Community-Based Partnerships:
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CDA organized an extensive brainstorming session bringing together volunteer groups, government entities, charities, and representatives of persons of determination and senior citizens.
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Major outcomes include forming the first volunteer team of persons of determination, empowering them to take an active civic role, and the inaugural senior-citizen volunteer team, involving members of the “Dhakhr” Club—emphasizing the value of elders’ wisdom and experience.
Flagship Volunteer Projects:
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“Mother and Her Daughters”: Supports humanitarian hospital visits led by mothers and daughters.
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“Spend a Day with Senior Citizens”: Encourages intergenerational interaction to strengthen community bonds.
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Environmental programs such as “Green Zones”—hands-on recycling and planting activities that unite students and seniors.
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Cultural initiatives include the Volunteer Leadership Hub, which trains certified volunteer leaders, as well as national-identity projects promoting Emirati customs and storytelling workshops.
A Sustainable Path Forward:
CDA stresses that this initiative marks a “qualitative leap” in embedding volunteer values and broadening civic participation. It will proceed through a well-planned strategy, backed by institutional and community partnerships, to guarantee sustainability and tangible impact.
