Training workshop on effective use of social media for youth

Islamabad : A three-day training workshop was organised here in order to equip youth with skills about how to tap potential of social media platform to promote entrepreneurships.

The workshop titled “Volunteers’ social media training for effective awareness campaigns'” was organised by the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). Core objective of the training workshop was to equip and build the capacity of Pakistani youth with modern social media tools and techniques for digital advocacy on Global Sustainable Development Goals like Education, Social Cohesion, Gender Equality and Climate Change.

“This is the third training of this year, and 11 more similar training workshops are planned for youth in Sindh and Punjab,” said Muhammad Bilal, Project Delivery Officer VSO, during his address to the participants.

He further said that the VSO has been working in Pakistan since 1987, building healthy communities and supporting people to develop sustainable and resilient livelihoods. The organization has also launched a social media awareness campaign named ‘Awal Insaan’ to create awareness around social issues on quality education, social cohesion, and gender equality

while building stronger, positive image of the country and youth role in development.

As many as 25 participants attended this training workshop from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In the concluding discussion of the workshop participants were confident to

utilize training knowledge and learning in social development of their respective communities and bring constructive change through digital campaigns.

The training workshop was moderated by Skill Gains where Mariam Afzal Ali and Yasir Bajwa were the trainers of the workshop. The trainers emphasised on the importance of digital advocacy particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

About the significance of social media, the trainers said this platform is cost effective for various enterprises, social projects, and non-profit sector of Pakistan for creating awareness, generating livelihood, and ensuring education.

During the three-day training workshop, interactive sessions, in-person group activities, networking and mock exercises were also carried out to brainstorm modern trends of digital communications.