Press Coverage
Jack Petchey`s "Speak Out" Challenge! is now in its third year.Latest Press ReleaseThe project has received excellent media coverage including: BBC 5 Live; BBC London; LBC; Talk Sport; Southern Counties Radio; Time FM; Times Educational Supplement (TES); Independent Newspaper; and the majority of London`s local newspapers.
The Guardian 25th July 2007 - "Society Section": Guardian Society
The project was featured on BBC 2`s The Culture Show on Saturday, 31st March.
BBC Radio 4`s The Learning Curve featured the training and its impact on students at Kelmscott School, in Waltham Forest, Monday, 18th June:
John Humphrys from The Today Programme interviewed both Sengova Kailonde, from Lewisham and Shaheen Mindhola from Ealing, both Grand Final speakers,
on the 5th July:
Recent local coverage of the event:
Facts and statistics about the 2008 Challenge!
- Up to 23,500 students from the 32 boroughs in London and the 14 districts in Essex are participating
- This will be the world`s biggest youth speaking event
- The project ties in with other curriculum subjects such as GCSE English, Drama, Business Studies and Citizenship
- The students have the opportuntiy to talk open and honestly on any subject they feel strongly about
- The project is being funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation up to £700,000
- Every student will receive up to six hours of training in the skills of public speaking and effective communication from professional trainers
- The project begins in October 2007, will build in excitement at up to 550 school finals, through 38 regional finals and climax at the Gala Grand Final, 10th July 2008, Mermaid Events and Conference Centre, London
- Training at London Special Educational Needs Schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) is being extended
- The training will be delivered by SpeakersBank, part of the Speakers Trust charity, and the UK`s No.1 public speaking training organisation in the education sector
Facts and statistics from the successful 2007 Challenge!
- Over 10,212 Year 10 state school students from each of the 32 boroughs in London participated
- Every student received up to six hours of training in the skills of public speaking and effective communication from professional trainers
- Ninety-six percent of the schools accepted the offer of the training
- One hundred percent of the teachers involved (over 500 teachers) have asked for the training to be repeated
- The project was fully funded, up to £350,000, by the Jack Petchey Foundation, one of the largest grant-making foundations in London
- The overall increase in confidence, as reported by the students, was 51%
- The top five subjects the students speak on are stereotyping; bullying; racism; poverty and music
- Over 450 subjects were spoken about
- 30 Borough Finals were held throughout the year
- The Gala Grand Final was attended by 600 people on the 5th July 2007
- The training is delivered by SpeakersBank, part of the Speakers Trust charity, and the UK`s No.1 public speaking training organisation in the education sector
- Successful pilot projects were held in Newham and Southwark involving Special Educational Needs Schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)
