Rotary Youth Speaks

This competition is one of two public speaking competitions designed to encourage young people to develop their creative and presentation skills essential to the art of public speaking.

For this public speaking competition, Rotary Youth Speaks, a team of 3 young people take on the roles of Chairperson, Speaker and the third person giving a Vote of Thanks.  Participants are free to choose the topic they want to talk about. A pre-selected member of the audience will also ask them a question after the speaker has presented. Afterwards an adjudicator will provide feedback from a team of judges which is intended to enhance and develop the students’ expertise.

Get a team together to show your debating skills and master the art of public speaking

Challenge your public speaking abilities and perform, persuade, and entertain the audience with your display of knowledge of a topic.

In teams of three, you will present structured arguments and rebuttals before taking a question from the audience.

Participants can select a topic that is important to them, allowing them to delve deep into research, formulate ideas, and expand their knowledge.

Taking part helps build self-confidence and develop public speaking skills, including how to keep an audience engaged.

Age Categories

The competition is open to teams of 3 young people in either of these two age groups:

Intermediate        11 – 13 years

Senior                   14 – 17 years

(ages as of 31st August 2026).

Competition Information

The Rotary Youth Speaks competition may be run over three different stages: club level, district and cluster. 

If, as a school group etc  you are interested in participating in this competition next year, please contact your local Rotary club in the first instance. Clubs can be found via this website: https://www.rotarygbi.org/club-finder/. Not every club participates, but they will direct you to a club that does.

Resources for Rotarians

Rotarians can find full information here, including entry forms.

**Please note: If you do not print off the form and you would like to use the interactive version, please save a copy to your computer before you start inputting. If you do not save the form to your computer, you will lose all inputted information.

Resources for the Public

The public can find full information here, including this year’s Information Pack.

2025/26 Information

It is intended that for the year 2025/26 Youth Speaks will run in the District. Many schools are keen to accept the opportunity to widen students’ skills by participating in the competition which promotes Public Speaking.

Clubs usually run a competition at local level, and the winner then competes against other teams in the District, (February)  from which a winner is selected to represent the District at Regional (March).

Schools and Clubs have the whole of the Autumn Term to prepare and participate. Interested teachers who are unaware of their local Club may contact the District Youth Speaks Co-ordinator for practical advice. Clubs wishing to take part may gain guidance in the same way.

Rotarians who need help or guidance to organise your club or area round, please contact the Mark Philpot - link below. It will be helpful to the organiser to have an early indication from clubs thinking of participating. Competition dates will be published here when known, but as a guide, club rounds need to run by mid January. The District round is generally around February or early March, followed by Region in March or April, and then RGBI in late April to early May. Dates vary slightly from one year to the next in an attempt to work around school holidays.

The planned date for the District competition in 2026 will be posted here when known. February is the likely month, and Wrexham the likely venue. Please contact Mark Philpot for confirmation. 

The date for the Cluster Final will be confirmed here once known.

Contact Mark PhilPot for further information of this competition.