launching the “Your Time Counts” initiative to promote a culture of institutional volunteering across federal government entities

The Ministry of Community Empowerment, in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources and Emirates Foundation, has launched the “Your Time Counts” initiative, reflecting the UAE’s commitment to fostering a culture of institutional social responsibility and enhancing the role of government entities in serving the community in a direct and sustainable manner, in line with the nation’s vision of building a cohesive and connected society.

The initiative aims to empower federal government employees to dedicate their time and expertise to impactful community initiatives that support the country’s development journey while reinforcing the values of giving, belonging, and social responsibility.

The initiative aims to embed volunteering as an integral component of the government work ecosystem by facilitating employees’ access to volunteer opportunities and enabling flexible work arrangements that allow a part of working hours to be dedicated to community engagement, thereby strengthening engagement and reinforcing social cohesion.

It also introduces practical mechanisms to support a culture of volunteering within government entities by linking volunteer leave to the employee performance management system, in accordance with the Volunteerism Guidelines in the workplace issued by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources. This approach aims to institutionalize participation and further strengthen the UAE’s global standing in giving and volunteering indicators.

H.E. Aisha Yousef, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Empowerment, said: “Your Time Counts initiative reflects the UAE’s vision that building society is a shared responsibility, with government entities playing a proactive role that goes beyond service delivery to actively contribute to community development. Through this initiative, we aim to empower federal government employees to leverage their expertise and capabilities in impactful community initiatives that reinforce solidarity and social cohesion, while supporting the nation’s sustainable development journey”.

 For his part, His Excellency Faisal Saeed Binbuti AL Mheiri, Director General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, stated:
“The “Your Time Counts” initiative reflects the Authority’s continued efforts to cultivate an inspiring, motivating, and future-ready government workplace, a key pillar of its strategic vision. The initiative builds on the Volunteerism Guidelines launched by the Authority at the federal government level, strengthening a culture of institutional volunteering and promoting greater integration between professional performance and community engagement.

Through the development of enabling regulatory frameworks and supportive policies, the Authority aims to embed volunteering within the performance management system, achieving a balanced model that advances both professional excellence and community contribution. This approach enhances quality of work life while supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals”.

Meanwhile, H.E. Ahmed Taleb Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Foundation, said: “Volunteering is a fundamental pillar in building a cohesive and sustainable society. This initiative expands volunteer participation and empowers government talents to create sustainable impact while promoting a culture of giving, in line with the Foundation’s mission to empower communities and enhance social impact”.

Federal government employees can join the “Your Time Counts” initiative by registering through the Volunteers.ae using their employee ID number, enabling access to volunteer opportunities and the structured documentation of volunteer hours in a transparent manner.

Volunteer efforts will also be recognized through bonus points within the federal government performance management system. Volunteer participation will be calculated through allocated bonus points that increase with additional volunteer hours and positively contribute to annual performance evaluation results, starting from five volunteer hours or more. This approach reinforces a culture of giving and embeds volunteering as a core component of the government workplace environment.