Guernsey's youth called to debate

Tuesday 23 January 2018

Young people in Guernsey are preparing to debate a hot topic of their choice in the annual Rotary Club of Guernsey Youth Speaks competition, which will be held at St James.

The event, sponsored by Mourant Ozannes, is open to all island secondary school students who can enter the intermediate category for 14 – 16 year olds, or the senior category for 16 to 18 year olds.

Each team will consist of a chairman, speaker and proposer of a vote of thanks. They have a fixed amount of time in which to present their case and then face questioning from a member of the panel of judges, with a fixed time in which to respond. 

The winners will go forward to the regional finals, held in the UK and can make it all the way to the Rotary Club of Great Britain and Ireland Youth Speaks national final, as a team from The Guernsey Grammar School succeeded in doing in 2014.

The panel of three judges will be headed up by Mourant Ozannes Guernsey Managing Partner Jessica Roland. The law firm has sponsored the competition for 13 successive years and as well as providing a number of trophies for the local competition and covering the costs of competing in the UK. 

Ms Roland, said: "This is an excellent opportunity for students to demonstrate and improve their debating skills. The ability to present cogent arguments about complex subjects is a very valuable skill in today's competitive workplace and this event helps to prepare Guernsey's youth for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of them."

Nathan Silk, from the Rotary Club of Guernsey, said: “We are extremely grateful to Mourant Ozannes for their ongoing support for this event, and especially for the way in which the whole firm really engages with the initiative and the competitors, giving up a considerable amount of time and offering their expertise to help make it a genuinely valuable experience for all”.