emirates7 - The Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (DCD) said it received 199 innovative ideas under the fourth edition of its annual ‘Wyakom 4.0’ initiative, which invites UAE citizens and residents to propose creative solutions to social challenges and improve quality of life in the emirate.
Now in its fourth year, Wyakom has become a key platform for community-driven social innovation, with selected ideas developed into implementable projects by DCD in collaboration with partner entities.
This year’s submissions reflected broad participation and focused on strengthening family wellbeing, enhancing social cohesion, empowering youth, and delivering sustainable solutions aligned with Abu Dhabi’s social development vision.
Following the submission phase, 10 projects were shortlisted based on criteria including technical and financial feasibility, implementation timelines, relevance to identified social challenges, alignment with social-sector priorities, scalability of social impact, and adherence to international innovation and sustainability standards.
The shortlisted projects address a range of community-identified challenges. The next phase will see a judging committee review the proposals and three winning initiatives.
The shortlist includes ideas aimed at empowering young people and providing safe, enabling environments for them to develop and express their potential across multiple fields. Several proposals focus on youth-led programmes to support adolescents’ psychological and social wellbeing, strengthen life skills, and promote positive communication.
Other shortlisted ideas include a heritage-based educational challenge for school students to reinforce national identity while encouraging physical activity and teamwork, family-focused initiatives to develop life skills through collaborative activities, and a student wellbeing model linking schools, families and teachers within a preventive framework.
The Top 10 list also features a secure digital health platform designed to raise awareness among adolescent girls while respecting privacy and community values, as well as an initiative enabling youth of determination to lead intergenerational educational sessions using LEGO, promoting inclusion and social interaction.
Dr Yousif Al Zaabi, Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at DCD, said the shortlisted projects demonstrate the community’s ability to generate impactful ideas and highlighted Wyakom’s role in transforming those ideas into initiatives that enhance quality of life and strengthen community values in Abu Dhabi.
Participants presented their proposals to a specialised judging committee in line with DCD’s evaluation framework. The final round also marked the launch of Wyakom’s redesigned website, offering an improved user experience and enabling easier idea submission and direct engagement with organisers and judges.
As part of the initiative, DCD also organised interactive workshops introducing participants to social innovation concepts, methodologies and application processes.
Now in its fourth year, Wyakom has become a key platform for community-driven social innovation, with selected ideas developed into implementable projects by DCD in collaboration with partner entities.
This year’s submissions reflected broad participation and focused on strengthening family wellbeing, enhancing social cohesion, empowering youth, and delivering sustainable solutions aligned with Abu Dhabi’s social development vision.
Following the submission phase, 10 projects were shortlisted based on criteria including technical and financial feasibility, implementation timelines, relevance to identified social challenges, alignment with social-sector priorities, scalability of social impact, and adherence to international innovation and sustainability standards.
The shortlisted projects address a range of community-identified challenges. The next phase will see a judging committee review the proposals and three winning initiatives.
The shortlist includes ideas aimed at empowering young people and providing safe, enabling environments for them to develop and express their potential across multiple fields. Several proposals focus on youth-led programmes to support adolescents’ psychological and social wellbeing, strengthen life skills, and promote positive communication.
Other shortlisted ideas include a heritage-based educational challenge for school students to reinforce national identity while encouraging physical activity and teamwork, family-focused initiatives to develop life skills through collaborative activities, and a student wellbeing model linking schools, families and teachers within a preventive framework.
The Top 10 list also features a secure digital health platform designed to raise awareness among adolescent girls while respecting privacy and community values, as well as an initiative enabling youth of determination to lead intergenerational educational sessions using LEGO, promoting inclusion and social interaction.
Dr Yousif Al Zaabi, Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at DCD, said the shortlisted projects demonstrate the community’s ability to generate impactful ideas and highlighted Wyakom’s role in transforming those ideas into initiatives that enhance quality of life and strengthen community values in Abu Dhabi.
Participants presented their proposals to a specialised judging committee in line with DCD’s evaluation framework. The final round also marked the launch of Wyakom’s redesigned website, offering an improved user experience and enabling easier idea submission and direct engagement with organisers and judges.
As part of the initiative, DCD also organised interactive workshops introducing participants to social innovation concepts, methodologies and application processes.