Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi is taking steps to make volunteering a regular part of community life by bringing neighbours together in a new initiative.
The Neighbourhood Volunteer Teams initiative, launched in July, “brings volunteering much closer to where people live”, said Nouf Al Hashmi, Acting Community Engagement Division Manager at Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD).
Explaining the initiative in an interview with Aletihad, Al Hashmi said the programme organises volunteers within their own communities. And since they know their areas and understand the people around them, she said, they are “better positioned to identify what their neighbourhood may need.”
“People living in the same area often share similar experiences and needs, but they may not always have the platform or opportunity to come together and contribute,” she said.
“The Neighbourhood Volunteer Teams help bridge that gap by creating a structured way for residents to participate in their own communities, whether by responding to local needs, supporting community initiatives or simply bringing neighbours together.”
Mohamed Bin Zayed City, Al Rahba, Al Falah, Al Riyadh, and Al Shawamekh are the first five areas that will be covered by the initiative.
These locations were chosen based on social connections, community involvement, quality-of-life metrics, and broader government interests, Al Hashmi said.
DCD earlier noted that the number of volunteers in each area will vary depending on community needs and participation. Team members and leaders were carefully selected based on set criteria, including interviews conducted in collaboration with Emirates Foundation, to make sure they are well prepared for their roles.
“Team leaders are given the space to propose initiatives based on what they are seeing and hearing within their own neighbourhoods,” Al Hashmi said. “At the same time, this happens within a clear volunteering framework that ensures initiatives are appropriate, safe and aligned with the needs and priorities of the community.”
These teams also serve as a direct link to relevant entities, improving coordination while raising awareness of programmes and services, she added.
Beyond encouraging participation, the initiative has laid down mechanisms to sustain volunteers’ enthusiasm, and this starts by “making sure they feel that their time and effort are genuinely making a difference,” Al Hashmi said.
The department intends to give volunteers more control over the creation of events in local communities while continuing to offer advice, connections where needed, and capacity building, she said.
In addition to motivating people to take on more responsibility within their communities, future opportunities will concentrate on developing volunteers’ skills.
“We want to continue building on that by identifying further opportunities to upskill team members, particularly those taking on leadership roles or demonstrating strong commitment and potential,” Al Hashmi said. “We also want to recognise outstanding contributions in meaningful ways, while ensuring that volunteers are given opportunities to grow, take on greater responsibility and play a bigger role in shaping initiatives within their own communities.”
Ultimately, DCD Abu Dhabi hopes the initiative creates “a natural ripple effect”, where residents take notice of what’s happening in their communities and are encouraged to come together, form their own teams, and work toward making a difference.
