The Speak Out Challenge Journey
Expert-Led Workshops
One full day workshop led by a Speakers Trust trainer offers students structured, interactive exercises for individuals and groups to develop communication skills and expand comfort zones. Our aim is to support students to their exceed expectations.
We share our expert knowledge, insights on overcoming nerves, learn how to listen and work together to give positive and constructive feedback to each other.
We share our top tips for speaking in public before each student is given time to use all these skills to build their own speech from scratch. By this point every student has had several opportunities to speak in-front of their class. At the end of the school day, every student will have spoken out on a topic of their choice focusing on delivering a message with a positive impact regardless of the subject.
Assembly Finals
An Assembly Final gives students the chance to share their speech with their school. Students perform their speeches to fellow students and teachers, giving teachers time to hear the variety of topics and styles before selecting which students will represent their school with their uplifting message.
Each year over 2,500 students speak out to an audience of over 75,000 students and teachers at their Assembly Finals.
Regional Finals
A Regional Final is an opportunity for everyone in the community and from across the borough to come together to celebrate and build a platform for young voices to share their uplifting speeches.
Depending on how many schools in the borough participate in Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, a traditional Regional Final could showcase up to 24 original speeches by young people that highlight their unique perceptive and passion for a subject of their choice.
We welcome and encourage many attendees. Teachers, parents, friends and supporters make an incredible contribution to the atmosphere of the evening for all the speakers. It also gives the opportunity to recognise not just the speakers but all the hard work from parties who make Speak Out Challenge happen.
Each young person deserves to have their voice heard by as many people as possible; to further amplify those voices we invite a panel of judges to each Final. Judges typically include business professionals, local press, community leaders and influencers. The finals are also regularly attended by local Mayors, dignitaries and MPs. All of these people form an audience for the speakers. As well as this, the host school provides refreshments and homegrown entertainment for the evening. Join us!
Semi-Final
Once all the Regional Finals have taken place, we will hold the Semi-Final selection day in mid May where a panel of judges watch the winner videos of all Regional Champions. At the end of the day 15 speakers will have been shortlisted for the Grand Final using the same judging criteria as those used throughout the competition: content (focusing on a positive message), delivery, structure and positive impact.
To get down to 15 speakers, we have an experienced group of judges. On the panel are representatives from Speakers Trust who deliver the training workshops and the Jack Petchey Foundation who fund the programme plus a youth judge who has taken part in Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge in a previous year.
Grand Final
This year, the Grand Final will be held in July 2025 (exact date TBC) at the Cambridge Theatre in the heart of London’s West End.
15 Regional/Digital Champions, selected at the Semi Final, will take to the stage to share their speeches in front of an audience of 1000 people.
Watch this space for more news soon!
