TtF Islamabad, Pakistan

In this pre-election stage of the electoral cycle in Pakistan, and anticipating the general elections in 2018, UNDP Pakistan organized BRIDGE Train-the-Facilitator workshop in Islamabad. UNDP jointly with ECP conducted the TtF workshop for ECP officers, who will later on carry out a series of customized BRIDE module workshops before the next general elections in 2018, closely aligned to the jobs of ECP officials as well as the capacity development of facilitators and accreditation. The Project delivered a BRIDGE Train-the-Facilitator (TtF) Workshop in Islamabad, from 11^th to 22^nd April 2016.

The BRIDGE facilitation team was consisted of two international and three national BRIDGE facilitators: Skye Christensen – Expert BRIDGE Facilitator, Ljupka Guguchevska – Accrediting BRIDGE Facilitator, Aziz Bahadar, Asif Ali Yasin and Irfan Kausar – BRIDGE Workshop Facilitators.

Out of the total number of 24 participants, 21 came from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) staff. A true curiosity is the fact that the Additional Secretary (Training, Research and Evaluation) of ECP was also a participant of this TtF. Apart from the ECP, the participants from the international organizations who provide electoral assistance in Pakistan, also added value to this particular course.

The participants altogether brought diversified knowledge and skills. This resource team could meaningfully contribute to achieve the goals of ECP and UNDP’s project. Participants from diversified background worked together, supported each other and paid extra efforts to make the workshop successful. BRIDGE TtF has united them and brought them under one umbrella. They created a positive atmosphere in the workshop, with proven dedication, excellent focus and active participation. They were very passionate; hard working and attentive. All the participants actively engaged in all the activities and their activities were outstanding.

From the overall evaluation, several key points that resulted from the training are:

• BRIDGE is able to create a distinct positive learning environment, thus enable the participant to maximize the learning experience;
• Professionalism and skills of the Facilitation Team played an important role to create the enabling learning environment;
• Preparation is key when it comes to delivering training;
• The participants commented that the BRIDGE participatory and interactive methodology, respect to others opinion, and willingness to share and learn from each other as some of the key success of the conduct of the training;
• For most participants attending the TtF did not only allow them to learn about facilitation skills, rather the training did enable them to learn on how to perform their expected duties in a more organized manner, and therefore the outcome of the TtF can be used in a much broader office matters;
• For non ECP participants, attending the TtF provided them the chance to learn about the challenges that ECP as the Pakistani EMB has to face on administering the election; and
• All participants, as expressed during the final individual interview, are now planning to continue doing trainings on electoral management, and will work collaboratively with fellow TtF alumni who are now Semi Accredited (TtF Complete) BRIDGE Facilitator.