The Ministry of Community Development launched the "Community Summer Platform", which includes a variety of initiatives and events, implemented by the ministry in several emirates in collaboration with its partners from the government and private sectors and NGOs targeting all family members, children, youth and senior citizens from 3rd July to 31st August, 2022.
The ministry targets 10,000 people in 200 activities over eight consecutive weeks, distributed in 30 locations all over the UAE such as centres, senior citizens' clubs and partner centres.
This year, the platform promotes a volunteering culture and community responsibility among members of the community. It also supports the needs and aspirations of individuals in order to achieve greater benefits during the summer period and use leisure time in better ways with their families and society at large.
About 15 non-benefit public associations are participating in several events and activities.
Nasser Al Zaabi, Advisor at the Ministry of Community Development, said that,
75 percent of the community summer platform focuses on supporting the programmes of the ministry’s customers’ happiness centres namely family building, family stability, volunteering, community service design, training, guidance, development, mental and physical health and micro-projects, while 25 percent of the initiatives will strengthen the centres' programmes in coordination with relevant federal and local authorities to culture, sports and media. All members of the community can register on the platform through the ministry’s website www.mocd.gov.ae and smart app MOCD CONNECT.
Al Zaabi pointed out that the programme promotes volunteering culture and community responsibility in the family environment through a volunteering initiative entitled "Your summer is safe" to enhance emergency response skills in the most anticipated incidents during the summer period, create a safe environment to maintain the safety of the members of the community, during which they are trained on a number of skills such as first aid, mental health support, field survey, evacuation, etc. The programme aims to train and qualify 200 government staff volunteers in various different ministries and authorities to get ready for the summer season and play an active role in their entities, and their social surroundings to maintain lives and the nation.
The "Nation Family" programme’s initiative in partnership with Ajman Government's "Summer Happiness Programme" targets the families of 40 UAE citizens and residents. After fulfilling the required standards such as family planning, family partnership, volunteering programmes, parents' self-development, healthcare, family relations, support for special abilities, and national identity, the winning family is given the privileges of the programme.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
