UAE, Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (DCD) has today revealed that it received 199 innovative ideas submitted as part of ‘Wyakom 4.0’ an annual initiative which invites UAE citizens and residents to develop creative solutions that address social challenges and enhance quality of life, in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

In alignment with priorities set out for the UAE’s Year of Community (2025), Wyakom now in its fourth edition has firmly established its position as a leading platform for encouraging community engagement in socially driven innovation. The winning ideas then being scaled into implementable social projects by DCD and partner entities.

Wyakom 4.0 witnessed broad engagement from participants across different age groups and demographics, with just shy of 200 submissions received - across three main categories: Growth, Prosperity, and Leadership.

This year’s submissions demonstrated a wide diversity of participants, all seeking to present innovative ideas that ultimately lead to an improvement in quality of life for families, a strengthening of social cohesion, and activating youth to deliver sustainable solutions aligned with the emirate’s social vision. The record number of submissions received clearly reflecting the continued expansion of the initiative’s reach as an inclusive platform open to all community members.

Following the close of the submissions phase, the selection of 10 shortlisted projects was made, based on the evaluation framework adopted by the ‘Wyakom’ platform. Criteria includes elements such as technical and financial feasibility, proposed timeframes for implementing the pilot project, relevance of the solution to the identified social challenge, alignment with the social sector, anticipated scale of its social impact, as well as reflecting international innovation and sustainability standards.

According to DCD spokespersons, this final shortlist reflects a wide range of proposed solutions addressing distinct social issues or challenges identified by the community. The next phase of the award will see a judging committee convene to review, analyse, and evaluate these ideas, leading to the selection of the top three initiatives as winners.

This year’s shortlist of 10 ideas includes recommendations on how to empower young talent and showcase their capabilities in safe, as well as ideas on how to structure environments that enable them to express their potential across multiple fields.

Over the last four years, Wyakom has proven that such an initiative clearly helps build self-confidence and links learning to creativity and community participation. The projects also included youth-led programmes designed to support adolescents' psychological and social well-being through models that strengthen life skills and positive communication and provide safe spaces for self-expression and the development of healthy relationships.

In addition, the shortlist featured a heritage-based challenge for school students, designed to reinforce knowledge of national identity and cultural landmarks and to encourage physical activity and teamwork within an interactive educational framework.

At the family level, a number of projects included initiatives to develop family life skills through joint, hands-on activities that promote cooperation, planning, and shared responsibility within the Abu Dhabi households. The Top 10 list also included a comprehensive student quality of life model that connects students with their families and teachers within a preventive framework that supports wellbeing, a secure health platform designed to raise awareness among adolescent girls and provide reliable information that respects privacy and community values, as well as an innovative initiative that enables youth of determination to lead intergenerational educational sessions using LEGO – enhancing social inclusion and communication across different segments of society.

Dr Yousif Al Zaabi, Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at DCD, stated: “The projects shortlisted in the fourth edition of the initiative, ‘Wyakom’ initiative confirm that community members possess the ability to put forward innovative ideas that the role of the initiative as a bridge connecting promising ideas with opportunities that enable them to evolve into impactful initiatives that contribute to improving the quality of life and strengthening community values in Abu Dhabi.”

Following the completion of the final selection phase, participants presented their ideas to a specialised judging committee in accordance with the evaluation mechanism adopted by DCD.

The final round was also marked by the launch of the initiative’s updated website, featuring a refreshed design and a more seamless and effective user experience. The platform also now enables participants to submit ideas with ease and communicate directly with the initiative’s organisers and judging panel – fostering a rich, interactive experience that encourages more community members to contribute.

Through the ‘Wyakom 4.0’ initiative, DCD reaffirms its commitment to providing innovative platforms that empower community members to participate in designing sustainable social solutions, while supporting projects that embody the values of cooperation, innovation, and social responsibility, and contribute to building a more cohesive and sustainable society.

As part of the initiative, DCD organised a series of interactive workshops for participants, including an introduction to social innovation and its methodologies, as well as understanding of application mechanisms. Participants were introduced to how social innovation can be applied within the ‘Wyakom’ initiative and how the workshops highlight discussions on the importance of innovation in society, the use of specific artificial intelligence techniques, and their role in meeting needs and addressing challenges more effectively, as well as enhancing adaptability and keeping pace with rapid change to increase efficiency in adopting impactful solutions.

Notes to Editor

The Department of Community Development (DCD) was established in 2018 to regulate the social sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. As such, the Department’s mandate is to advance community development by fostering an environment of empowered individuals and cohesive families.

The DCD plays a pivotal role in formulating policies, strategies, and standards that enhance the efficiency and impact of social services. It adopts a scientific, evidence-based approach grounded in research, surveys, and comprehensive analysis of social data. Through collaboration with partner institutions across the public and private sectors, it maintains active engagement with community members, ensuring its programmes and initiatives are responsive to the real needs of all segments of society.