Information Bulletin
Speak Up! Young People in Shetland
Lerwick Town Hall, Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th May 2008
Photo Opportunity at 15.30 on Wednesday 28 at 15.30 when the annual Althing Trophy will be presented to the winning team.
School pupils from Baltasound, Brae, Mid Yell, Sandwick, Scalloway and Whalsay Schools have been taking part in Speak Up! Scotland, a public speaking programme for young people. This dynamic programme encourages students to increase their confidence and effectiveness in communication and to practice a variety of techniques to help them ‘find their voice’.
The winning team will be presented with the Althing Trophy, an annual trophy introduced this year by the Shetland Althing Committee. “The Althing has long promoted public speaking in Shetland with an annual programme of debates,” said Althing committee member Gordon Dargie, “and our idea in introducing the Althing Trophy this year was to encourage young people in schools. So we were very pleased to learn that the Speak Up! Scotland programme was also to be introduced in Shetland this year. This is exactly the sort of initiative the Althing wants to support. We want young people to be confident in their ability to speak up.”
Following a day’s training, pupils will take part in a debating competition, the Althing Challenge, with the winning team to be presented with the annual Althing Trophy. Judges will be Gordon Dargie, Althing Committee; Emma Grieve, English teacher, Stromness Academy; Ann Mctaggart, English teacher, Kirkwall Grammar; Audrey Smith, Shetland Youth and Maggie Spence, Quality Improvement Officer, Schools Service.
Pupils taking part in the training will learn how to speak with confidence and clarity; think on their feet; improve presentation skills and enjoy public speaking. It will also help them present themselves at interview and be better prepared for the workforce and work related placements. The training fits in very well with the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence and should help to improve performance in Standard grade.
The programme is being run by SpeakersBank, which is part of the Speakers Trust charity. They aim to take the school speaking programme to all 14-15 year olds throughout the UK. SpeakersBank is being launched in Orkney and Shetland who are the first Scottish authorities to take up the school training.
Mrs Helen Budge, Head of Schools said that she was delighted that Shetland is able to participate in the SpeakersBank and welcomes the introduction of the Althing Trophy. She added that she would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Shetland Althing Committee for donating the trophy and looks forward to this being an annual event in Shetland.
For further information please contact Noelle Henderson, Creative Links Officer, Shetland Islands Council 01595 744013 or mobile 07919 665758
For more information on Speakersbank in Scotland please contact Jane Cameron 0141 945 3948 or jane.Cameron@speakersbank.co.uk (Jane will be delivering training in Shetland) or contact Kate Coutts, Head Teacher, Uyeasound School, 01957 755217.
Ends