A debating skills training day, to improve the life skills of young people, was held at Cambridge University Union on Friday 15th September. The day was initiated and organised by Lucy Frazer MP and all six state secondary schools from around the constituency took part.
As a former barrister. Lucy knows the benefits of being able to debate well and the difference good debating and public speaking skills can make to someone’s outcome in the workplace and in life in general. The training was conducted by ‘Debate Mate,’ a charity committed to improving social mobility through debating. Debate Mate helps to improve the prospects of thousands of children in the UK by teaching them how to find their voice and use it effectively.
Schools in the constituency were each invited to send up to four, year 11 students to participate in the training day. 25 students took part and the day was a huge success with Debate Mate experts leading the sessions.
This is the second year running that Lucy has organised a training day of this sort for schools in the area and both years it has been made possible by the generous support of Marshall of Cambridge.
The training is organised prior to the fourth annual ‘South East Cambridgeshire Inter-School Parliamentary Debating Competition’ which Lucy established when she first became a parliamentary candidate in 2014. The initial in house heats will begin in participating schools in the next few weeks with the winners being put forward to a final, held at the House of Commons, Westminster at the end of the year.
Lucy said, “I am so thrilled by the success of the debating training day and the interest in, and appeal of the inter schools debating competition. I know, first hand, just how valuable being able to debate well and make your opinions known can be. Having the confidence to speak out and to speak up for yourself can totally change your life’s prospects and I think the opportunity to tackle social mobility by arming pupils with these skills is so vital. Such skills improve confidence, raise aspirations and vastly increase the likelihood of being able to fulfil ones true potential. This day would not be possible without the support of the fantastic schools in my constituency and I am so grateful to teachers and heads for supporting their students by taking part in the event”
Richard Spencer, Principal of Ely College who sent pupils to the training day said, “We are very grateful to Debate Mate and to Lucy Frazer for their support for running this event. Public speaking and the ability to confidently debate the issues of the day is such a valuable skill to acquire. Our students at Ely College gain so much from these opportunities and I look forward to the subsequent competition”.
Christopher Walkinshaw, Communications Director of Marshall of Cambridge said: ”We are delighted to support this excellent initiative from Lucy Frazer aimed at encouraging students from South East Cambridgeshire Schools to develop the debating and communication skills which will help them in their future careers. We hope the students have enjoyed their training day and we wish them every success in the competition;”