About

Debate Mate and the Debate Mate Cup

Debate Mate (DM) a venture, which uses debating to develop the verbal intelligence of young people in the areas where it is most needed. The majority of our work is in schools in areas of high child poverty. The programme develops skills identified by the CBI as missing in mainstream education: communication, teamwork and leadership. Our programme is delivered by young people who have been recruited from university debating societies, all of whom currently debate in national and international competitions, and are fully trained by Debate Mate. Every pupil who participates in the programme will be eligible to enter the Debate Mate Cup, which will be held in spring 2011.

Why debate?

Debating brings the following benefits:

• Critical thinking. Developing the ability and confidence to listen to, and challenge others’ views.
• The ability to structure and prioritise thoughts and arguments.
• Improved academic achievement through enhanced language skills, research skills and knowledge of topics debated.
• The tools necessary for the working world: crucially, improved communication and inter-personal skills.
• Improved confidence and self esteem.
• Debating is routinely available in the private sector: Debate Mate is taking these essential skills to areas where they are most needed, but least available.

It is a statutory requirement of the National Curriculum and serves as an invaluable learning tool in the classroom. However, it is not routinely available in state sector education. We are the only organisation who run debate clubs and train teachers to use debating in the classroom at no cost to the school or participants.

What does the Debate Mate programme offer schools?

• A free, fully trained mentor who will deliver 16 one-hour weekly sessions, teaching young people how to debate, and how they themselves can pass the skills on to other young people and run their own debate clubs.
• An interactive website with comprehensive resources for both students and teachers. Students will also be able to use the website to keep in contact with their mentor. The resources available to teachers mean that they are able to spread the use of debate throughout their school and curriculum.
• The opportunity to enter the Debate Mate Cup, a debating competition for the schools that have taken part in the Debate Mate programme, and the opportunity to enter the various national schools debating competitions.
• Full support throughout the programme from the Debate Mate staff.
• Onward skills training in major growth industries.

Coming up

1. 03 November 2010
   Debate Mate 2010/2011 London Launch at the RI.
   more »
   
   
2. 08 November 2010
   2010/2011 Debate Mate programme begins .
   more »