Are you interested in volunteering in the UAE but unsure where to find opportunities? These platforms provide a range of programmes for individuals keen on volunteering, as well as training courses, opportunities to donate and various welfare initiatives.
Volunteering also has benefits, which includes getting a UAE Golden Visa – a residency permit that enables you to stay in the country for 10 years, upon meeting certain eligibility criteria.
Here are a list of the platforms where you can look for opportunities and apply to get involved.
Volunteers.ae
Volunteers.ae is a national volunteering platform. Upon registering on volunteers.ae, volunteers will be visible to organizations. Registration can be done by individuals, a team or a company/organization.
Volunteers can also use the website to search for opportunities, based on category, organization and location.
Each opportunity will have information including number of volunteers required and eligibility criteria.
Emirates Red Crescent
The UAE Red Crescent Authority is a member of International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross. Volunteers can register in the Emirates Red Crescent website – https://www.emiratesrc.ae/
Volunteers can access projects in a number of categories, including charity projects, humanitarian cases, sponsorships, donations and Sukuk Al Khair (An Emirates Red Crescent initiative in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank).
Volunteers can also access training courses, help sustain Emirati crafts, and volunteer in Ataya, which includes campaigns such as Tarahum for Gaza.
National Volunteer Program for Emergencies, Crises and Disasters
The National Volunteer Program for Emergencies, Crises and Disasters is launched by National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA).
This website aims to specifically form a group of volunteers who are trained in responding during times of crises, emergencies and disasters. Participation in the program and registration for courses can be accessed through the website – https://www.ncema.gov.ae/en/home.aspx
Dubai Volunteering Center
The Dubai Volunteering Center is a formal body of the Dubai government to manage volunteering in UAE, particularly Dubai.
Volunteers can use the website – https://www.cda.gov.ae/DubaiVolunteer/ to search for opportunities based on date, category, and search terms. The platform also provides information on a variety of social services such as benefits for people of determination and benfits for senior citizens. Individuals or companies can register to volunteer in events.
Sharjah Volunteering Center
Sharjah Volunteering Center is the largest network of volunteers in Sharjah. Interested volunteers can register through the website – https://sssd-volunteer.shj.ae/register
Sharjah Volunteering center organizes programs and workshops that train volunteers, as well as lists volunteering opportunities in Sharjah. Volunteers can search for opportunities based on cities, and institutions.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is a civil society organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
You can choose to participate in Dubai Cares campaigns, either through sponsoring or volunteering. Volunteers can access information such as country, partner, and date of volunteering for each program, through the website – https://www.dubaicares.ae/.
The Authority of Social Contribution (Ma’an)
The Authority of Social Contribution aims to foster a volunteering community in Abu Dhabi. Interested volunteers can visit the website – https://maan.gov.ae/en/
Through Ma’an, both volunteer groups and organizations can contribute through donations, volunteering and corporate social responsibility for companies. The platform enables volunteers to apply to programs based on their goals, as well as allows organizations to recruit volunteers.
Benefits
Volunteering at different events often comes with recognition in the form of volunteering hours. In addition, volunteers who are pioneers of humanitarian work can also apply for a Golden Visa.
According to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, (ICP)’s eligibility criteria, you will qualify if you are among one of these categories:
- Members of international and regional organizations, or distinguished workers in them, for a period of not less than (5) years.
- Members of public benefit associations and institutions, or distinguished workers in them, for a period of not less than (5) years.
- Recipients of appreciation awards from one of the local, regional, or international institutions specialized in humanitarian work.
- Distinguished volunteers in the field of humanitarian work, for a period of not less than (5) years or (500) volunteer hours.
- Financial supporters of humanitarian work with a value of no less than (2,000,000) million AED or its equivalent.