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Welcome to the panel, Susan Acland-Hood

14 Jul 2022

On Monday 18th July, Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! Grand Finalists will take to the stage of the Cambridge Theatre and share their speeches for the last time in this competition.

Every year we have the privilege of listening to the passionate voices of thousands of young people. Every speech is unique and inspiring in its own way, making it an incredibly tough decision to determine who the next Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge! Grand Champion will be. Fortunately, we will be joined by our esteemed panel of judges who are taking on this difficult job. The panel consists of politicians, athletes, presenters, and influencers all known for using their voices to create change. They will judge the competition based on Content, Delivery & Structure and thereby determine who will be crowned the 2022 “Speak Out” Challenge! Champion!

In no particular order, let’s meet the judges! 

Susan Acland-Hood is the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education. She is looking forward to hearing tonight’s speeches “because my Department is all about realising potential; and because young people are the future.”

We asked Susan, in your experience, what does it mean to find your voice?

To speak from the heart and harness words to meaning in a way that makes you hard to ignore or overlook. 

What does communication mean to you? 

A spark flying across a gap. 

Thinking about our young speakers, how can they provoke the change they want to see in the world?

Be the change – find a thing every day that’s in your power to do, that will make the world just a little better, and do it. You don’t have to wait for or provoke others – just do it.