Today's Edition
SADEQ ALKHOORI (ABU DHABI)
Volunteering often happens outside the structure of a work day, alongside family commitments and other daily responsibilities. The UAE's new "Your Time Counts" initiative is built on a different idea: that community service can be given a clearer place within one's work life.
Launched by the Ministry of Community Empowerment in cooperation with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, and the Emirates Foundation, the initiative gives federal employees a more organised way to access volunteering opportunities and record their participation through the Volunteers.ae platform.
It also brings volunteering closer to the formal systems of public-sector work. Under the initiative, volunteer participation can be reflected through performance bonus points, giving community contribution a more visible place within federal workplace culture.
Federal employees can join the initiative through the Volunteers.ae platform using their employee ID number. This allows them to access opportunities and document their volunteer hours.
The initiative also links volunteering to the performance management system for federal employees. Bonus points will be awarded based on volunteer participation, increasing with additional hours, and reflected in annual performance results starting from five volunteer hours or more.
Officials said the initiative reflects the UAE's wider direction towards strengthening institutional social responsibility and reinforcing the role of government entities in serving the community.
Aisha Yousef, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Empowerment, said the initiative reflects the UAE's belief that building society is a shared responsibility, and that government work extends beyond service delivery to becoming an active partner in community support.
Faisal Saeed Binbuti Al Mheiri, Director General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, said the initiative builds on the authority's efforts to create an inspiring and future-oriented government work environment, while supporting the integration of volunteering into performance management in a way that balances professional excellence with community contribution.
Ahmed Taleb Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Foundation, said volunteering remains a key pillar in building a cohesive and sustainable society, adding that the initiative would help widen participation and strengthen a culture of giving.
"I think it is a very positive initiative that reflects the UAE's strong culture of giving and community service," UAE national Mohamed Al Ali told Aletihad. "It also shows that volunteering is valued and recognised within the workplace."
He said linking volunteering to performance recognition could encourage more people to take part, especially those who may already be interested but need an extra push. He added that clearer opportunities, support, and flexibility could make volunteering easier to balance with work responsibilities.
"I think it's a beautiful initiative, and an important reminder of our collective social responsibility," Emirati professional Asma Al Abbar told Aletihad.
She said organised group or workplace volunteering can gain traction quickly through word of mouth, though she added that participation will still depend on the types of opportunities available.
Taken together, the reactions suggest that the initiative is being seen as more than an administrative step. It places volunteering in clearer alignment with public-sector work and gives community participation a more visible place in everyday institutional life.
