“Power to the People” – Kalisher Barristers coach Public Speaking Finalists
Eight Sixth Form students at five schools of the Creative Education Trust (CET) reached the Final of the annual Public Speaking Competition organised by the Trust. The theme they were given was “Power to the People” on which the students each delivered a ten-minute speech before taking questions from the judges’ panel and the audience of Sixth Formers.
The Final of the competition took place on 7th December 2023 in the prestigious Great Hall of St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry (below, with the finalists of both the Public Speaking Competition and the CET Essay Prize).
Barristers and trainee barristers from the Kalisher Trust provided one-to-one coaching to the students in advance, to help them with content, structure and, not least, delivery – and it showed in the extremely accomplished presentations of the finalists and the assured way they handled questions from the audience.
As one finalist explained: This was a great opportunity to develop my public speaking skills – my session [with the Kalisher Trust barrister] was very useful.
The five judges (below, with the winner of the competition, Jasmine Miller of Ash Green School, 3rdfrom left) included John Dunston, Director of Education at the Kalisher Trust (far left) and Cllr. Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council (3rd from right).
Kate Ward, Head of Programmes at the Creative Education Trust commented: “We greatly value the opportunity that you have given our students, not only to prepare them for the public speaking competitions, but to converse with barristers and those on their journey to the bar.”
This was just one example of the way in which barristers at the Kalisher Trust work with young people at schools, not least with students from under-represented and/or disadvantaged backgrounds, to develop skills of advocacy through coaching, taking part in mock trials, and giving them an insight into life and careers at the criminal bar.
For further information, contact:
John Dunston, Director of Education ([email protected])
Max Hardy, Barrister ([email protected])
Emma Fielding ([email protected])
