Youth Speaks - A Debate

This competition is designed to encourage young people to develop their creative and presentation skills essential to the art of public speaking.


Rules & Guidance Notes are published annually on the Rotary GB&I website


If, as a school group etc  you are interested in participating in this competition next year, please contact your local Rotary club in the first instance. Clubs can be found via this website. Not every club participates, but they will direct you to a club that does.


Rotarians who need help or guidance to organise your club or area round, please contact the Mark Philpot - link below. It will be helpful to the organiser to have an early indication from clubs thinking of participating. Competition dates will be published here when known, but as a guide, club rounds need to run by mid January. The District round is generally around February or early March, followed by Region in March or April, and then RGBI in late April to early May. Dates vary slightly from one year to the next in an attempt to work around school holidays.


2023/24 Information:

 

It is intended that for the year 2023-24 Youth Speaks-A Debate will run again in the District. Many schools are keen to accept the opportunity to widen students’ skills by participating in the competition which promotes Public Speaking.

Simply, a team of three will act as Chairperson, a Proposer, and an Opposer of a meeting which debates a topic selected by the young people themselves. The ‘meeting’ lasts for 15 minutes and involves one question from the audience. Afterwards an adjudicator will provide feedback from a team of judges which is intended to enhance and develop the students’ expertise.

Clubs usually run a competition at local level, and the winner then competes against other teams in the District, (February)  from which a winner is selected to represent the District at Regional (March), and thereafter at a National Final to be held around April - the RGBI website will publish the exact date when known.

 

The District offers the competition at two age levels: Intermediate and Senior, which reflects school years 7-9, and 10-13.

 

Schools and Clubs have the whole of the Autumn Term to prepare and participate. Interested teachers who are unaware of their local Club may contact the District Youth Speaks Co-ordinator for practical advice. Clubs wishing to take part may gain guidance in the same way.


The planned date for the District competition in 2024 will be posted here when known. February is the likely month, and Wrexham the likely venue. Please contact Mark Philpot for confirmation.

The national final will be held on either Saturday 20th or Sunday, 21st April 2024, at a venue to be advised.

2022/23 results:

The District competitions (senior and intermediate) were well supported, and the winning teams both came from YsgolTreffynnon. There was no Regional round this year (our four neighbouring Districts had no entries) so our two teams went straight to the RGBI final on 23rd April. Both teams put up an impressive performance, but did not win.

The 2023-24 Rotary Youth Competition Guidelines document contains everything a Rotary club needs to know about offering these competitions to young people in their community. 

(Photo Credits 2017 & 2019)

Mark PhilpotContact Mark Philpot about this page:

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