Erin Stoner: From a stutter to Champion public speaker

We caught up with Erin Stoner, Grand Final Champion 2018, representing her school in Southend & Rochford. Here is her recalling of the Speak Out experience and where she is now:

I was the 2018 Speak Out Challenge Champion, originally from the Southend and Rochford Region. My speech focused on growing up with a stutter, and the experiences that came with it as I went through speech therapy and tried to navigate being a kid with a lot to say, but struggling to say it!

Following the Speak Out Challenge, I took part in various interviews for the BBC and ITV, acted as a panellist for two other Speak Out Challenge events, and was invited to judge a local public speaking competition. I was introduced to the world of public speaking and debate and I fell in love with it. For years, I had planned to become a vet – faced with a new set of skills, and a new collection of people to meet, I realised that my true love and talents lay in public issues and communications. From there I set myself on a track fascinated by public debate and discourse, honing a love for politics.

I am now a finalist at Cambridge University, completing a BA in Human, Social and Political Sciences, with a place at Kings College London to complete a master’s in Terrorist studies this coming September. With my specialisation in terror studies and aims to become part of the think tanks that contribute research to counter-terror policy, articulation of thought and sensitivity to a variety of opinions are of massive importance – often with serious consequences. I often think back to the Speak Out challenge and the processes of becoming a convincing, heartfelt speaker when tackling such issues, knowing the skills I learned mean masses.

I have been commended for my public speaking abilities at university, invited repeatedly to speak at external events on behalf of the university. I believe my time in the Speak Out Challenge equipped me with the public speaking skills I have become known for, and an articulation in which has done me well in attending conferences and networking events.

The importance of this programme cannot be understated. I had never spoken about my stutter to anybody but my family beforehand, and being able to finally – if ironically – speak about how difficult speaking was for me for a long time, changed my perspective – both in terms of my career prospects, but also how I saw myself. I rarely find myself scared to speak publicly anymore, and when I do I remind myself of being stood on that stage aged 15 in front of a thousand people. If 15 year old Erin could do that, 21 year old Erin can certainly do it too!