ABU DHABI, 1st November, 2026 (WAM) — The Ministry of Community Empowerment, in collaboration with Emirates Foundation, convened the “Tamkeen 360°” meeting at Nabdh Al Falah Community Hub in Abu Dhabi bringing together around 200 leaders, officials, representatives of government entities, the private sector and non-profit organizations, as well as volunteers and community members. The meeting served as a platform for strategic dialogue and collective engagement, aimed at advancing volunteer participation, creating impactful opportunities that draw on the skills and expertise of community members, and fostering a sustainable culture of giving with lasting social impact.
The meeting was attended by Shamma bint Sohail bin Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Empowerment, alongside senior officials, strategic partners, volunteers and community representatives from across the UAE.
A key highlight was the announcement of 14 specialized volunteering opportunities, developed in collaboration with 11 partner entities. The opportunities aim to engage more than 700 volunteers, generate over 15,000 volunteer hours and deliver 500 volunteer days. Covering education, healthcare, culture, innovation, the empowerment of People of Determination, career guidance and family stability, these opportunities are designed to harness professional capabilities and specialized expertise in addressing community needs and priorities.
The meeting is part of the “Tamkeen 360°” initiative launched by the Ministry to foster strategic dialogue with community members and partners on its priorities and strategic directions. It provides an inclusive platform for different segments of society to discuss challenges and opportunities, contribute to the development of solutions and shape initiatives, ensuring that diverse perspectives and experiences inform efforts to achieve sustainable community impact.
Abeer Jassim Al Hosani, Assistant Undersecretary for the Community Participation Sector at the Ministry, affirms that volunteering is deeply rooted in the values of UAE society, noting that maximizing its impact requires concerted efforts by institutions and individuals, alongside the development of opportunities that respond to community needs and enable all segments of society to contribute their skills and expertise.
Abeer Jassim said: “Volunteering in the UAE is an expression of the enduring values of giving and solidarity that have shaped our society. Today, we are working alongside our partners to expand the scope of volunteering, encourage wider participation, and move beyond providing opportunities towards maximizing their impact on people’s lives and the community as a whole.”
Abeer Jassim added: “Tamkeen 360° brings diverse voices together around one table, creating space to hear directly from volunteers about their experiences, from organisations about their needs, and from community members about their aspirations. By bringing these perspectives together, we can transform shared insights into practical proposals that advance the volunteering ecosystem and strengthen its sustainability. Through this dialogue, we aim to unlock new avenues for participation, harness the capabilities and expertise within our community, and turn ideas into meaningful opportunities and initiatives that deliver tangible, lasting impact.”
For his part, Ahmed Talib Al Shamsi, Secretary General of Emirates Foundation, emphasized the importance of developing volunteering opportunities that respond to community priorities and strengthening collaboration among entities to make the most of the skills and expertise available within society.
He said: “Enhancing the impact of volunteering requires moving beyond identifying community needs to designing clear, actionable volunteering opportunities that enable individuals to apply their skills and expertise in making valuable contributions. By aligning these opportunities with community priorities and volunteers’ interests, we can drive greater engagement and encourage sustained participation.”
He added: “At Emirates Foundation, we continue to work with the Ministry of Community Empowerment and our partners to further develop the role of the Volunteers.ae platform in connecting entities with volunteers and expanding specialized volunteering opportunities. This will maximize the use of community talent and support our partners in providing volunteering opportunities that deliver tangible and sustainable impact.”
The meeting agenda included the announcement of a package of specialized volunteering opportunities developed in collaboration with partners. These include judging robotics competitions and scientific and innovation awards; training blood donation ambassadors and specialists in blood components; providing professional and operational support to People of Determination; school refurbishment; career and financial guidance; as well as opportunities focused on documenting the UAE’s collective memory, promoting coexistence and community engagement, and supporting family stability.
The opportunities also cover specialized volunteering in fatwa research, delivering religious rulings in multiple languages, and documenting success stories and community impact. This reflects the diversity of fields in which volunteers can contribute and expands opportunities to benefit from the professional expertise and specialised skills available within the community.
Partners will identify their needs, design and implement the opportunities, and oversee their outcomes in coordination with the Ministry of Community Empowerment and Emirates Foundation. The opportunities will be made available through the Volunteers.ae platform, helping connect volunteers with opportunities that match their skills and expertise, while documenting their contributions and measuring their impact.
The meeting also featured a series of collaborative discussions held through roundtable sessions, bringing together representatives from government entities, the private sector and non-profit organizations, alongside volunteers and community members. These interactive discussions provided an opportunity to explore priorities and challenges from multiple perspectives and foster a shared understanding of community needs and the requirements for advancing volunteering.
The discussions focused on four key themes: volunteering participation, volunteering opportunities, specialized volunteering, and activation and sustainability. Participants explored ways to broaden the volunteer base, overcome barriers that limit participation and its continuity, develop more diverse and flexible opportunities, and strengthen the deployment of specialized skills and expertise in addressing community priorities.
Participants also discussed the requirements for activating volunteering opportunities, enhancing the integration of roles between entities and volunteers, and establishing mechanisms to document contributions and measure their impact. They put forward a range of practical ideas and recommendations to help develop initiatives and promote sustained participation.
The meeting featured a contribution by Ghaith Al Emarati, presenter of the program Qalby Etmaan, who shared insights from his nearly decade-long experience in humanitarian and volunteer work. He reflected on experiences and encounters that embodied the values of giving and solidarity, as well as a deep sense of belonging to a community of volunteers united by a humanitarian mission and a shared purpose.
He also highlighted the program’s experience in engaging local communities and the Kuluna Ghaith initiative, sharing examples that demonstrated volunteers’ dedication and determination to continue their mission despite challenges, as well as the impact of volunteering on individuals and communities. He emphasized the importance of security and stability in supporting humanitarian work, and the role of encouragement, recognition and sustained partnerships in embedding a culture of volunteering and ensuring its lasting impact.
The Ministry of Community Empowerment, in collaboration with Emirates Foundation and partners, will review the outcomes of the discussions and the proposals put forward, and identify opportunities to develop and implement them in the coming phase. This will strengthen the integration of efforts and ensure that volunteering initiatives are aligned with community needs and priorities.
The meeting is part of the Ministry of Community Empowerment’s efforts to promote community participation, support the objectives of the National Volunteering Strategy, and expand partnerships that transform skills and expertise into opportunities to give back, while reinforcing the role of community members as active partners in development and impact creation.
Source: Emirates News Agency