WHY TAKE PART IN DEBATING?
Debating is the art of researching, constructing and presenting an argument.
As well as looking fantastic on your ‘personal statement’ in your UCAS form for university and on a C.V. it’s a life skill that will help you in every aspect of life. Here are some personal examples of where debating has helped me in the past:
- Answering questions at interview – particularly when I was asked to speak for three minutes on why I was the best applicant for a particular job
- Making a case to my parents on why I needed a computer for my school work
- Having more confidence when giving presentations – something most of my friends and I have found is a part of a lot of jobs (from retail sales to law!)
- Breaking complex information down into short and clearly structured arguments (we hate to mention essays and homework – but this is something that helped at school, uni, and in my work life)
We also think debating is good fun. You get to meet new people, the chance to go and see other schools in competitions, if you do well in debating you might even make the Scottish Schools team and attend a ‘Worlds’ debate – these have been held from Paris to Peru. For everyone in the competition there is the chance to see your face in the local, and if you make the final, national papers. Everyone who takes part also gets a small gift from our sponsors.
Like all competitions, there will only be one winning team at the end, but it is the taking part that counts. Last year saw 152 teams compete, that means 151 teams not winning – but everyone left the competition with new skills, more confidence, new friends, and the feeling they had learnt from the challenge and from the experience!
