On the 29th April we ran a workshop at Irvine Royal High School, and 25 of their S1s and S2s had their first exposure to the workings of the YSS’s newest initiative: “Speak up Scotland” Though delivered through Microsoft teams, our Programmes Director Jordan was able to engage the students and begin spinning the wheels in their head within a debating context.
Pupils took part in several activities over the course of the workshop – delivering impassioned speeches on what they would do if they ruled the world. While it took a little time for some to open up, once a debate revolving around football was brought up, the class could not stop speaking. The focus of the session then moved to a discussion on finding the central “theme” of a debate – the core, emotional issue which you can use to get the judge on your side. The participants had strong opinions on the topic used as an example: whether parents should have access to the social media accounts of their children, and strong opinions were aired on both sides, with those in favour stressing the importance of safety and those against drawing attention to privacy as a theme.
The students at Irvine Royal High all appeared to enjoy the all-too short session. Whether it be in person or over the computer, this will not be the last workshop. Due to the pandemic’s nature, we have been forced online; despite not being impossible, it makes the task of managing 20+ kids even more difficult. I think that once in classrooms that this burgeoning programme will be even more effective and reap even greater benefits for the students and YSS alike.