ARMA Train the Trainer Programme: strengthening ARMA’s community of trainers

ARMA recently delivered its Train the Trainer programme, bringing together volunteer trainers and Special Interest Group (SIG) champions to enhance their approach to both online and in-person delivery. The programme was designed to support those leading ARMA learning activities to improve interactivity and accessibility in their sessions, while also providing a valuable forum to share experiences and best practice across the community.

Across three modules, participants explored how to design and deliver engaging, inclusive and effective training. A central theme throughout was understanding the purpose of training – considering the “why, who and how” of learning design – and applying this to real ARMA training contexts.

Programme overview

Module 1 – Understanding your impact as a trainer
The first module focused on the foundations of effective training, encouraging participants to think critically about the difference they want their sessions to make. This included identifying learning needs, defining clear outcomes, and considering the participant perspective throughout the training journey.

Module 2 – Building inclusive and engaging learning environments
The second module focused on how to create conditions where learners feel able to fully engage. A key theme was psychological safety.

Module 3 – Designing effective and interactive training
The final module focused on translating learning design into practical delivery. Participants explored how to structure sessions effectively by “chunking” content into manageable sections and ensuring a logical flow that supports learning outcomes.

Reflections and key takeaways

This article highlights the experiences and reflections of a number of trainers who took part in the programme, demonstrating how the learning is already being applied in practice.

Dr. Jaydene Witchell, Research Funding and Operations Manager, University of the Built Environment:

“The ARMA Train the Trainer programme was fantastic! I greatly valued the protected time to reflect on how I develop and deliver training, both for ARMA, but also more generally in my day-to-day work. Perhaps similar to many others in the ARMA community, I consider myself an ‘accidental trainer’ – being a facilitator and a trainer has been on the periphery of my role for many years, and I’ve had no formal teaching to underpin how I approach this. Despite this, I’ve discovered that I actually really enjoy it, so I have tried to create more opportunities to integrate it into my portfolio. But I’ve found that my preparation to-date has mostly focused on the content of training, because I lacked the tools and know-how to be able to question how and why we structure training sessions so as to make them most effective.

The Train the Trainer programme introduced me to learning models and theories that have helped to validate what I have experienced in practice – things that we have done intuitively and have worked (or not) although we weren’t aware of the underlying reasons. I now have a new understanding of the science behind the learning, so I can scale and refine my own practices. A key insight that has already started to transform the way I approach developing and structuring new training sessions have been that the adult learning theory (andragogy) is about giving control to the learners to decide how they manage their own learning – and as the trainer, it’s ultimately my job to enable this. I would wholeheartedly recommend this programme to others interested in developing their own trainer/facilitator skillset.”

Dr. Louise Stanley, Assistant Director of Research Support Services (Research Culture, Engagement and Impact), University of St Andrews:

“I found participating in ARMA’s Train the Trainer programme a highly rewarding experience. It provided a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow ARMA trainers from across the sector, facilitating attendees the opportunity to build a strong network of like‑minded colleagues who are all committed to enhancing the quality and impact of research management training. For me, these connections are an important part of continuing professional development and foster a shared culture of learning and improvement.

The facilitators were really good and the programme offered an excellent blend of theory and practice, particularly in relation to adult learning. It helped consolidate existing knowledge while strengthening confidence in both training design and delivery. Insights into how quickly information can be lost without reinforcement were especially thought‑provoking, prompting me to reflect on how best to structure sessions for engagement and retention. The dedicated, protected time for personal learning and development was also greatly valued, allowing space to step back and reflect on practice.

Many thanks to ARMA for providing such a well‑designed and impactful programme. It is an opportunity I would strongly encourage other ARMA members to take up if they have the chance.”

Kai Yin Low, Research Development Manager (Arts and Humanities), University of Essex:

“The programme provided a great opportunity and space to connect with fellow trainers from a diverse range of professional roles and backgrounds. The facilitators are best in class. The programme is well designed and thoughtfully paced over three workshop sessions. A highlight for me was the combination of learning theory and models with plenty of time to reflect, discuss and consider how such theories apply to our own experience, practice, and contexts.  My cohort built a strong rapport in this short time, we had a lot of fun learning together and I look forward to staying connected through the new Community of Practice. Thank you to ARMA for investing in our professional development as trainers.”

Looking ahead

This programme placed strong emphasis on learning through experience, with participants regularly sharing examples, reflecting on their practice, and applying new ideas to their own sessions. From redesigning session structures to introducing new interactive elements, participants are embedding these approaches across ARMA’s training offer.

As ARMA continues to develop its professional development provision, the Train the Trainer programme represents an important step in strengthening the quality, consistency and impact of learning across the association — ensuring that ARMA training remains engaging, inclusive and relevant to the needs of the community.

Thank you to Caragh, Sarah and Scott from The Collective for their support in delivering the Train the trainer programme.

You can find ARMA’s full training offer on our Events page. If you have any questions about any of our training courses, or if you are interested in delivering training for ARMA, please email events@arma.ac.uk