http://www.bbc.co.uk/speaker/
The new ‘reality television’ series aimed at finding the best young speaker in Britain.
If you haven’t already heard about The Speaker, which BBC Television plans to broadcast weekly in prime time on BBC2 in February and March, you soon will! This exciting new programme, inspired by The Speakers Trust, will highlight the importance of strong speaking skills in the modern age.
Toastmasters International has been closely involved as a consultant to the programme since the concept began to evolve back in early 2008.
Sean Kennedy, the programme director for Jack Petchey’s “Speak out” Challenge, the world’s biggest youth speaking event, is with The Speakers Trust, a charity founded and led by past leaders of speakers clubs to: develop resources and promote the benefits of public speaking for all; provide training for the less fortunate who cannot yet speak up for themselves; support the growth and expansion of the networks of British and Irish clubs. David Thompson, who was our District 71 Governor from 2004-5, is a trustee of The Speakers Trust, (along with trustees from the Association of Speakers Clubs and other networks of speakers clubs).
http://www.speakerstrust.org.uk/
They are in excellent and distinguished company. Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham, the former head of the Confederation of British Industry and the new President of The Speakers Trust, spearheads the Trust’s campaigns to encourage commercial, social and governmental organisations to support it with grants, publicity and other resources.
The Speaker, produced by the team behind the very successful Dragons’ Den programme, is a series of regional contests culminating in a national final on TV to find the best teenage speakers in the United Kingdom. They were coached and filmed in the late summer and autumn for the programme which was inspired and advised by Sean Kennedy, who, in addition to his Toastmasters International credentials, is now a Director of SpeakersBank (the training arm of The Speakers Trust) which runs The “Speak Out” Challenge courses for charities and schools.
The 2008 Speak Out Challenge provided the underlying basis for the television programme. To give some idea of the scale of Speak Out, now entering its fourth year, it is estimated that over 19,000 students from the 32 boroughs in London and the 14 districts in Essex will participate in the 2009 Challenge. There will be 500 workshop finals, 350+ Assembly Finals, 37 Regional Finals, all culminating in one Grand Final. The organisers estimate that more than 100,000 people will attend the various finals of what is thought to be the world’s biggest youth speaking event of its kind.
The project ties in with other curriculum subjects such as GCSE English, SEAL, Enterprise, Business Studies and Citizenship. The students have the opportuntiy to talk openly and honestly on any subject they feel strongly about. The project will be funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation up to £550,000. Every student will receive up to six hours of training in the skills of public speaking and effective communication from professional trainers, making them prime candidates to be future members of Toastmasters International.
Although Toastmasters International has been involved only indirectly, it will almost certainly benefit directly, and significantly, if the programme catches on with the viewing public. If television can make archaeology, genealogy and box-opening compelling viewing, what might it do for speaking?
