This course will cover the elements which make up a compelling speech, focusing on structure and the ability to tailor to the best abilities of the speaker and understanding the needs of the audience.
For full details and dates, please click here:
learning
Supervisory Management Course
StandardThis one day course has been designed to provide an initial opportunity to build management capability and will be of particular benefit to those with limited or no experience of line management.
For full details and dates, please click here:
Taking Control of Your Time & Speed Reading
StandardThis workshop will give Members’ staff the opportunity to think about their roles and identify the tasks that really get results. In addition, delegates will learn a variety of tips and techniques on how to control more of their time, enabling them to focus on their key tasks.
For full details and dates, please click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?f=616
Media Handling and Social Media
StandardThis session will cover the opportunities and challenges that using social media in the Public Sector presents and introduce delegates to using social media platforms for themselves, their teams and their organisation.
For full details and dates, please click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?f=480
Conversations with Vulnerable People
StandardThis one day course is designed to equip staff with the skills and confidence to handle challenging conversations with customers or employees in a sensitive and professional way.
A person’s emotional state can affect their reactions. Understanding how this happens can help you resolve conflict more successfully.
The Samaritans trains their volunteers in active-listening techniques using a model known as the ‘listening wheel’. This course will cover these techniques to help you build rapport with a person in order to alleviate their distress and de-escalate any anger and aggression, which can be used to great effect in the workplace.
For full details and dates, please click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?f=518
Mental Health Awareness
StandardAttendees will discuss the causes signs and symptoms of mental health, how to respond to and deal with a situation and how they can support and unburden themselves after the event.
For full details and dates, click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=260
Building Emotional Resilience
StandardHaving a good level of emotional resilience can positively affect teams, colleagues, other individuals and one’s own wellbeing, increasing productivity and performance in the workplace. Individuals will have a better chance of delivering results at work if they are able to deal with stressful life events.
The course will focus on managing emotional health and empowering delegates to support others. It will help delegates to identify and respond to increasing demands in a way that helps them to get through challenging situations and continue to learn and grow.
For full details and dates, please click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=575
Writing a Brief
StandardThis course will cover the essentials of good writing which are needed for drafting briefings such as content, structure, layout & use of language that meets the reader’s needs, and the process of drafting, editing and clearing a briefing.
For full details and dates, click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=553
Glossary of Parliamentary Terms
StandardWhat is a division? Where is the Lobby? What is the difference between a PPS, a PPC, an APPG and a POPTART? And, the greatest mystery of them all, just what exactly are the Lords doing when they are “at pleasure”?
One of the most overwhelming difficulties of starting a job in parliament can be coming to terms with the language, which quite often might as well be Swahili for a newcomer.
In an attempt to help the public connect with parliament, the Modernisation Committee made some changes to the language and procedures used around the place. For example, the procedure whereby Members wishing to raise a point of order used to have to wear a special hat, like a pirate, was abolished in 1998 to the dismay of the more fashionably (and piratically ) minded MPs of the time.
Similarly, ‘I spy strangers’ (formerly used to request that the House sit in private), ‘strangers’ being members of the public, was abolished in and replaced with the rather less romantic request that the ‘House sit in private’.
While there may be a certain smugness which emanates from being able to understand such obscurities, many feel that the use of such language further turns off an already disengaged public. Others argue it creates a sense of occasion and tradition and helps maintain dignified discussion.
The BBC also has a very good jargon-buster, called the A-Z of Parliament.
Parliament’s Education Service works with schools to support young people’s understanding of Parliament and democracy; they are here: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/
ES March 2013
Training
Training
The main resource for training for Members’ Staff is The Members’ Services Team.
Courses take place online, on the Parliamentary Estate and regionally, and if a course of interest is not available at a convenient location or date, they will endeavour to accommodate specific requirements, subject to sufficient demand (12 delegates and above).
Courses are free of charge to all Members’ staff who are paid through IPSA’s staffing allowance and travel costs to training events can be met from the expenses scheme administered by IPSA.
The full course catalogue is available via Act – the Parliamentary learning management system. Some courses are advertised as being for House staff, but MPs’ staff can still sign up for some of them, such as some of the courses from Parliamentary Digital. If in doubt, please do contact L&D for advice.
If you see a course you’d like to do, but there isn’t a session advertised yet, please do put yourself on the waiting list so that the MST knows that people are interested. This will also ensure that you get a notification of when a session is available.
email: [email protected]
House of Commons Library
The House of Commons Library arranges inductions, training and events for MPs and MPs’ staff. Visit the Library’s website to find out more.
To receive information on all upcoming Commons Library training courses and events, sign up for email updates for MPs’ staff and bookmark the Library’s ACT page.
Latest Training Courses
Webinar: Introduction to PolicyMogul for Parliamentary Users
Time: 12:00Date: Wednesday 27 November 2024 This online webinar is your chance to learn about the value that PolicyMogul provides for MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. As well as an overview of the platform’s features, we will highlight some best practices related to getting the most out of the platform. Session includes Q&A. PolicyMogul is…
‘How to be a Select Committee Member’ – Training Events
There are two “How to be a Select Committee Member” events taking place this week. If your Member has recently been elected to a Select Committee, they are strongly encouraged to attend. Wednesday 23 October 2024, 10am – 10.50am (Macmillan Room, Portcullis House). Tuesday 29 October 2024, 10 – 10.50am (Macmillan Room, Portcullis House). The…
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Select Committee training session
Are you going to be supporting a Member serving on a select committee? Or, do you simply want to understand more about how select committees work? The Select Committee Team is offering training for Members’ staff on ‘how to support your Member with select committee work’. This is a virtual event, which will be held…
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Tagged Select Committees, training
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Whistleblowing Training for MPs and MPs’ Staff
This training session will be delivered by Protect, a UK independent whistleblowing charity and legal advice centre. Members of Parliament are designated in the law as people to whom whistleblowers can disclose information about wrongdoing, risks and malpractice. This training aims to help MPs and their staff who may receive concerns understand their role in…
October Benefits Newscast
The Benefits Training Company produces a monthly newscast which features three of their benefits experts discussing the latest benefits news stories including changes to legislation, DWP announcements, relevant case law and guidance. There are links to the sources of the items discussed, and some that aren’t discussed if they think they might help. In this…
Caseworker.MP Training
Two new dates for Caseworker Software Training have become available to sign-up to on ACT (3 and 10 October). Please note, these sessions are for staff of newly elected Members only at this time. Sessions for staff of returned Members will be organised in due course. Sign-up via the link: Course: Caseworker Software Training for MPs’…
Q&A on prisons issues – Caseworker Discussion Forum
Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: Thursday 12 September 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The September 2024 forum will be a Q&A on prisons issues. It will be led by Jacqui Beard from the Library’s Home Affairs Section. To book, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/signup.php?s=16700
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Tagged briefings, casework, Commons Library, Home Affairs, learning, library, prisons, training
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Caseworker Forum Q&A Sessions
If you’re an MP’s staff member with responsibility for casework, you may be interested in joining the online Caseworker Form, organised by the Members’ and Members’ Staff Services Team. To join, please email [email protected] from your parliamentary email account, giving the details of who you work for, and they will add you. Each month, there…
Planning your next steps? Hoping to work in public affairs? – Use August wisely!
After life as a Parliamentary Researcher, what’s next on the career ladder? For many, the natural next step is into the world of public affairs, perhaps for an agency or an in-house team. When it comes to job interviews, potential employers will be looking for someone who not only knows parliamentary procedure, but how to…
Members’ Office Managers Induction – Welcome to Parliament
All new office managers are strongly advised to book in on an induction session. Time: 13:00 – 16:00Date: Thursday 8 August 2024Location: Online via Teams Time: 13:00 – 16:00Date: Tuesday 20 August 2024Location: Parliament, in person Time: 13:00 – 16:00Date: Thursday 5 September 2024Location: Online via Teams Time: 13:00 – 16:00Date: Tuesday 17 September 2024Location:…