Election panel to train 1,400 volunteers

National Election Committee (NEC) received 2,549 applications for volunteers who will assist in organising the 2015 Federal National Council Elections.

However, the committee will train 1400 volunteers through 150 sessions which will conducted by 20 specialised trainers across eight centres in the UAE.

Morning and evening sessions will be held for the trainings at the centres in Madinat Zayed, Al Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai, Al Ain, Sharjah, Al Ruwais, and Abu Dhabi from August 23 to September 17.

Tariq Hilal Lootah, under-secretary of the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs and head of the Elections Management Committee, said NEC actively trains volunteers to participate in managing the electoral process.

Lootah said the quest for volunteers gained overwhelming interest from citizens, non-profit organisations and national institutions. He termed it an important step that highlights the public's contribution to the successful implementation of the 2015 electoral process and a reflection of their awareness of the Federal National Council Elections.

The second press conference on the electoral programme updates was held on Wednesday. It was addressed by Lootah and attended by several representatives who included Dr Hashim Bin Sarhan Al Zaabi, executive dean at Higher Colleges of Technology – Dubai, Staff Col Mohammed Al Mulla of the National and Reserve Service Authority, Ahlam Saeed Allamki, head of Research and Development at the General Women's Union, Mariam Al Nuaimi, Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET).

The media briefing was also graced by Ali Sultan Hadad, adviser and board member of the We Are Emirates Association, Sahar Ahmad Al Obaid, director of the Emirates Volunteers Association and deputy head of the Arab Union for Voluntary Work, Adviser Alaa Bin Marwan, deputy director general of Asa'ad Shaab Volunteer Team and Saif Al Dhaheri, director of Safety and Prevention Department at the National Emergency Disasters Management Authority.

Lootah said, "The qualification and training programme is the first-of-its-kind organised for the Electoral Centre team that has been launched in cooperation between NEC and Higher Colleges of Technology. This indicates a step towards achieving 2015 vision as the year of innovation.

"The programme attracted a large number of qualified participants who have expressed their readiness to assist in the electoral process reflecting the culture of political development in the society. And, most of these volunteers are females," he added.

Lootah extended his appreciation for the important role that Higher Colleges of Technology play in enhancing the skill sets and knowledge of the volunteers who are participating in managing the electoral process, adding value to its implementation and overall performance.

The representatives of the national institutions who attended the press conference introduced their roles in the election. Al Zaabi, the executive dean at Higher Colleges of Technology – Dubai, explained the details of the two-day training programme, saying, "The first day is going to focus on the cultural knowledge of the elections, its procedures, and volunteers will be trained on customer services skills. On the second day, they will be trained on the administrative and legal procedures that have to be applied."

Sahar Ahmad Al Obaid, director of the Emirates Volunteers Association and deputy head of the Arab Union for Voluntary Work indicated that the role of voluntary work as culture is known in UAE.

He said, "There are more than 1000 volunteers who are ready to help in all the emirates. The UAE is considered one of the three most active countries in the world of volunteering."