The Community Development Authority Graduates 54 Participants From ‘Wesal’ Initiative, Advancing The Sustainability Of Positive Parenting
The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai has announced the graduation of the third cohort of its Professional Parenting Qualification Programme, delivered under the ‘Wesal Positive Parenting Initiative. A total of 16 participants graduated from the latest cohort, bringing the programme’s total number of graduates to 54 across three cohorts. The achievement reflects CDA’s continued efforts to strengthen parenting capabilities and promote family prevention through a model that enables programme graduates to share their knowledge and experience with subsequent cohorts.
Implemented in collaboration with the Knowledge Fund Establishment and Dubai Schools’ Al Barsha and Nad Al Sheba campuses, the programme forms part of CDA’s strategic direction to empower families and strengthen their stability and cohesion. It also supports the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33, under the theme ‘The Family is the Foundation of the Nation’, by investing in parenting skills, promoting positive parenting practices and reinforcing the family’s role in raising aware and responsible generations.
From Acquiring Knowledge to Sharing Experience
The Professional Parenting Qualification Programme adopts an approach centred on knowledge sustainability and experience-sharing. Beyond equipping participants with parenting knowledge and skills, it enables them to benefit from the experience of previous graduates and actively contribute to sharing knowledge with new participants, ensuring continuity in learning and extending the programme’s impact.
This approach has been demonstrated through the participation of graduates from previous cohorts in sharing their knowledge and experience with participants in the second and third cohorts. This reflects the evolution of participants’ roles from recipients of knowledge to contributors to its dissemination, reinforcing the concept of community participation in supporting family empowerment programmes.
The programme has graduated 20 participants in its first cohort, 18 in its second cohort and 16 in its third cohort, bringing the total to 54 graduates.
Empowering Parents and Strengthening Family Stability
Dr Ahmed Al Hashemi, CEO of the Regulation and Community Services Sector at Dubai’s Community Development Authority, affirmed that the ‘Wesal’ initiative reflects CDA’s commitment to investing in parenting capabilities and strengthening family prevention, in support of family stability and community cohesion.
He said: “We believe that equipping parents with knowledge and parenting skills is an investment in the future of generations. The sustainability of family programmes’ impact is achieved by engaging participants in sharing knowledge and exchanging experiences, supporting the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 in building more stable and cohesive families.”
Family Prevention Begins with Awareness
The programme focuses on developing family communication skills, understanding children’s psychological, emotional and educational needs, and adopting positive approaches to behavioural challenges. It also promotes constructive dialogue, guidance and mutual understanding within the family, helping parents build relationships based on trust, respect and emotional support.
Furthermore, the programme reinforces the concept of family prevention by equipping parents to identify parenting challenges at an early stage and address them with greater awareness, while strengthening their ability to provide a safe and supportive family environment for their children’s growth and development.
Dr Naama Khalfan Al Shamsi, Director of the Family Development Department at CDA, highlighted the programme’s focus on translating parenting knowledge into positive practices that strengthen family communication and enhance parents’ understanding of their children’s needs.
She said: “We are proud to see graduates from previous cohorts sharing their knowledge and experience with new participants. This strengthens continuity in learning, broadens the programme’s reach and contributes to embedding a culture of positive parenting within families and the wider community.”
Social and Educational Collaboration in Support of Families
The collaboration with the Knowledge Fund Establishment and Dubai Schools’ Al Barsha and Nad Al Sheba campuses highlights the importance of integration between the social and education sectors in supporting families and strengthening partnerships between parents and schools. This contributes to aligning efforts to raise generations equipped with confidence, a sense of responsibility and the ability to make a positive contribution to society.
The graduation ceremony for the third cohort also recognised three trainers who contributed to delivering the programme: Maryam Al Abdool, Rayan Al Kaabi and Amina Lootah, in appreciation of their efforts in sharing parenting knowledge and expertise and supporting the initiative’s objectives.
The CDA continues to develop family empowerment programmes centred on capacity-building, prevention and community participation. These efforts contribute to embedding a culture of positive parenting, strengthening family stability and cohesion, and supporting the family as the cornerstone of a more connected and sustainable society.
