Bayside Secondary School Pilot

With support from Western Chances, Free Debate has started a pilot debating programme at Bayside Secondary School. Western Chances is a not-for-profit organisation who provide assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Western suburbs of Melbourne and we look forward to working more closely with Western Chances in the future.

The first phase of the programme was completed in July and involved a month-long series of workshops with a group of teachers who will hopefullybecome the core of the school’s debating programme. The seminars included exhibition debates and the creation of lots of training materials (which will be available from this site soon).

The second phase will begin soon and will involves a series of coaching sessions with students from both the junior and senior school.

Please contact us if you have an interest in helping out.

AMES Footscray Revisited

Free Debate conducted a second series of debating seminars for the Adult Migrant Education Service (AMES) evening classes in Footscray. Nicole Lynch, Cassie McGannon and Rob Koh led the 90 minute sessions covering speaking skills and argument formulation.

The AMES students debated a range of topics including drugs, gambling and the role of government.

Free Debate also conducted a one-off class for the AMES Footscray day class. Lucia Pietropaoli and Liz Sheargold were warmly received by the AMES advanced class, and gave a 2-hour seminar on public speakingtechniques, argument and rebuttal.

2006 Pre-Australs ESL Invitational

Free Debate is helping to organise a warm-up tournament for ESL teams on Saturday and Sunday 1-2 July 2006, just ahead of the Australiasian Intervarsity Debating Championships ("Australs"). Australs is being hosted by Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand and Free Debate member Kylie Lane will be the tournament's Chief Adjudicator.

The Pre-Australs ESL Invitational is a dedicated ESL competition especially for inexperienced speakers. Free Debate is organising a large pool of experienced adjudicators to help coach teams. You can get more information on the competition by e-mailing preaustrals2006@gmail.com or visiting this link.

Welcome New Members

Free Debate held a function to welcome over 15 new members. Our new members will help us provide more and a greater range of Services.

Tim Sonnreich Honoured

The Monash Association of Debaters (MAD) honoured Free Debate member Tim Sonnreich with Life Membership at their 2005 AGM reflecting his long and distinguished service to the Association.

You can find out more about Tim's debating career with MAD here.

AMES Footscray

Free Debate conducted four debating seminars for the Adult Multicultural Education Service (AMES) in Footscray. Kim Little, Kylie Lane and Rob Koh led the 90 minute sessions covering basic speaking skills, constructing arguments, choosing relevant examples and rebuttal. The AMES students debated a range of topics and particularly enjoyed rebutting each other.

SAIL Pilot Programme

Free Debate conducted three seminars for the Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning (SAIL). SAIL is a not-for-profit organisation that provides tutors to refugees of all ages, to help them with everything from basic language skills to academic tutoring for school-aged children. Kim Little and Tim Sonnreich ran a three-day adult’s introductory course on public speaking and communication skills Migrant Education Service in Footscray.

Free Debate was very grateful for the opportunity to work with SAIL, which is an outstanding community group whose aims complement our own, and we look forward to developing the relationship further.