The human side of Dubai: CDA records 29% increase in volunteers in H1 2021

DUBAI: The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai has announced a 29 percent increase in the number of volunteers registered in the Dubai Volunteering Programme during the first half of 2021, totalling 33,300 volunteers, compared to the same period last year.

The number of volunteer organisations that are part of the programme also increased by 88.6 percent in H1 of this year, which helped diversify available volunteer opportunities.

The authority’s statistics revealed that the total volunteering hours registered by the programme in the first half of 2021 was 172,974, saving AED13,491,972.

Huraiz bin Huraiz, CEO of Planning and Social Development at the Authority, said many volunteering organisations have joined the programme, which paved the way for the launch of numerous volunteer initiatives and opportunities, underscoring the overall awareness of the importance of volunteering.

More young people have been keen to volunteer since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes to the daily patterns of life, as many individuals aimed to pass their time by acquiring new skills and serving the community, he added.

The authority stressed the number of events registered in the programme in the first half of 2021 totalled 454, with a major share being allocated to Nabd Al Emarat.

The Dubai Corporation For Ambulance Services was among the most active entities during this period, through its launch of many development training courses for first aid and rapid response volunteers.-WAM