Somerset Member of Youth Parliament Emma Brown has been participating on behalf of her school at the annual Youth Speaks public speaking competition. Organised by the Rotary club, this year’s competition had a larger number of entries, so ran the competition over two Fridays. Here’s Emma’s article on her experiences and opinions of the competition.
Recently, I participated in a debate competition with two other pupils from my school; our motion was focusing on whether social media had hindered society’s ability to debate. We won our local heat against Ansford Academy who hosted us and progressed into the regional final where we debated the same topic, but unfortunately didn’t progress. It was an amazing experience for me to hear many other young people speak about issues that they believe are important and many wanted to know about Youth Parliament which I had brought up in my speech as chair!
I think that we can all agree that Debate is an important skill for young people, helping them think critically and communicate confidently. It teaches them to understand different viewpoints, solve problems, and express their ideas clearly. By debating, young people learn to disagree respectfully, develop empathy, and stay open-minded.
It also helps them stand up for their beliefs, spot misinformation, and take part in important issues. These skills prepare them to contribute to their communities and become leaders who can make a positive difference. I believe throughout somerset we need to encourage young people to engage in these important conversations whether it’s online or in person.
These were similar points I had to make when I was chairperson, as I had to explain the relevance of debate and introduce both of the speakers.
In the future, maybe you could try some debating? Or ask your school to enter a team into a debate conversation!!!
Emma
Not just elected members
Did you know that Somerset Youth Parliament isn’t just it’s elected members? Any young person in Somerset aged 10-25 years can become a member of the Somerset Youth Parliament Advisory Group.
For more information about becoming a member of the Somerset Youth Parliament Advisory Group and to join, visit our Join Us page.
