Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) in partnership with Mustekham Parlimaan (an EU Funded project) organized phase two of National Train the Trainer workshop from October 23 -27 at its campus in Islamabad.  The workshop was attended by twenty one officers from the National Assembly, Senate and PIPS. The objective of the workshop was to equip the participants with tools, models and competencies needed to make learning sessions absorbing and effective. 

The programme commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. Deputy Director PDP, Mariam Ahsan, moderated the event.  She welcomed the participants and briefly gave programme overview of the week-long workshop. Expressing the significance of this event, she explained that it was designed keeping in mind paucity of experienced trainers in the parliamentary sector. Consequently, to fill this gap, a workshop was designed for mid-career parliamentary officers to be trained for facilitating independent sessions or assist seasoned faculty members during parliamentary orientations and other parliamentary trainings. Ms. Mariam then briefly introduced the trainers facilitating the workshop and expressed collective gratitude towards MuP and DG PDP, Samer Awais for actively pursuing in materializing this initiative. She invited representative from MuP, Legislative Advisor MuP, Nadia Batool, for her remarks, who highlighted the importance of this training as an imperative characteristic each parliamentary trainer must acquire. She identified that Parliamentary subject experts were not always thorough trainers, often lacking potent skills required from a professional trainer. She wished the participants luck and hoped that this training will equip them with the right set of training skills.

In his welcome remarks, Executive Director PIPS, Muhammad Anwar, greeted the participants of the workshop and discussed the usefulness of this workshop in relation to their future careers as parliamentary trainers. He elaborated on the workshop contents particularly the various techniques taught for subject delivery during this programme and how it will harness their training expertise. He hoped that the participants will utilize this valuable learning opportunity and completely benefit from the added knowledge in furthering their training skill set.  

The workshop was facilitated by seasoned trainers, Shireen Naqvi and  Usman Gulzari. Day one comprised of an orientation session over the programme structure followed by personal presentations of each participant.  Trainers explained techniques of conducting Learning Needs Assessment (LNA) and participants were asked to present their LNA plan. Primarily, topics discussed over the week-long training included core design principles of conducting a training, developing content through applying different models, tools and techniques for creating the best presentation and character building of a trainer.  Role-playing exercises, group activities and individual presentations were conducted on each day of the training.

On the final day of the workshop, participants were evaluated on their learning through a comprehensive exam followed by final presentations. Panel of judges to assess final presentations comprised well accomplished seasoned trainer, Kamran Rizvi, President Toastmasters Club Islamabad, Qamar Sheraz as external guest judges and DG PDP, Samer Awais from PIPS.

In the closing ceremony, workshop trainers, Shireen Naqvi and Usman Gulzari expressed gratitude towards Team Mustehkam Parlimaan and PIPS for conducting the event ardently. They appreciated participants’ active participation and vibrant energy through-out the programme. Participants from both Senate Secretariat and National Assembly Secretariats were invited on stage to share feedback over their experience. Senate Secretariat was represented by Director Research, Iffat Mustafa and National Assembly Secretariat by Director Media, Shahzad Saeed and Deputy Director Research, Bismah Rahman Zafar. Participants shared positive reviews of the training and commented that the workshop in all proved to be a different exposure to their understanding of a trainer. Representative from MuP, Nadia Batool congratulated the trainers and team PDP for successfully conducting the event. DG PDP, Samer Awais, thanked team MuP for their unwavering support and commended her own team for smoothly steering the week-long workshop. In his closing remarks, Worthy Executive Director, Muhammad Anwar congratulated both teams MuP and PDP for successfully conducting the workshop and expected that participants have acquired the cardinal skill set needed to become a successful trainer.  The event concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony amongst the participants of the workshop by seasoned senior trainer, Kamran Rizvi and Worthy Executive Director, Muhammad Anwar.