We organise a Chester youth debating competition (Youth Speaks – a Debate) for school aged students annually.

Youth Speaks: A Debate is organised and promoted by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (Rotary GB&I). It is a competition designed to support and encourage the development of effective communication skills. Details of the national competition can be found here – Rotary Youth Speaks: A Debate - Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland

The Rotary Club of Chester organise local heats for Intermediate and Senior age groups annually in January, and teams are chosen to compete at our DIstrict level final, held in Wrexham in February/March.

Entry arrangements

We start to organise the competition in August/September each year, for January contest the following year. Entry forms will be available at that time.

Aims and objectives

The competition aims to offer young people:

• experience in speaking on a public platform as a member of a team
• an incentive to formulate ideas on topical subjects and to put these forward while being in opposition to another speaker
• discipline in dealing with a topic in a limited time
• the opportunity of learning and practising high standards of expression, presentation and appearance
• impartial feedback and assessment of performance by experienced adjudicators

It is a team competition with each team comprising three young people who prepare and deliver a 15-minute debate on a topic of their choice in front of an audience. Teams should note that Rotary International is a non-religious and non-party political organisation and this should be respected by competitors. Subjects chosen for debate should not set out deliberately to cause offence to others. Teams may choose to change the topic for debate at any subsequent level of the competition.

Who can take part?

The competition is open to all schools and college communities and those who are home educated along with any other young peoples’ community organisations within the City of Chester

Each team will comprise of three students in full time education in one of two age groups:

• Intermediate 11 to 13 years
• Senior 14 to 17 years

With the age qualifying date of 31st August 2025, it should be noted that some intermediate entrants may be 14 and some senior entrants may be 18 at the time of some or all the stage competitions. (i.e. A competitor who may be 17 on 31st August but turns 18 on 1st September is allowed to enter.) Competitors must include their age on the application form.

Competitors, schools, colleges, and organisations may participate in a district that is outside of their geographical boundary but may compete in only one club or district competition.