Debating Society – applications open for society leadership roles

If you have a passion for Debating, and would like to gain valuable leadership experience, then we would like to hear from you!

The Gray’s Inn Debating Society is a student-run organisation helping students develop their debating and public speaking skills with the help of peer coaches and barristers. It is open to all student members of Gray’s Inn. The Society teaches debating to beginners and organises debates for experienced debaters. Sessions are held in person at the Inn, typically on Mondays. The Society is separate to AGIS.

We are looking for 2 people to run the society throughout the academic year, creating, and organising engaging debates for the students and members of Gray’s Inn.

The leaders’ role is split, and it is up to the leaders to decide how to divide the work.

If you are interested in applying, please apply below to the team. If you are successful, the Debating team will contact you for an interview.

Applications open: Thursday 11 June

Applications close: Thursday 18 June

• Main responsibilities

  Main responsibilities

  • Acting as a student coach for beginners’ debating lessons, guiding them through the basics before progressing to formal debates.  The lessons should follow a structured pathway in Michaelmas term.  If there is sufficient demand, more teaching sessions for beginners should be organised later in the year – the Society should always welcome new members who have not debated before.
  • Running formal debates for more advanced debaters.  Groups can be split by ability into advanced and beginner streams.
  • Providing feedback – a debate should always be judged by a student coach or barrister who can provide constructive feedback to the speakers
  • Keeping on top of communications and the email account
  • Liaising with the Education Department to book rooms, organise events and find barristers to help
  • Advertising the Society, e.g. by liaising with AGIS
  • Finding barrister volunteers who can chair debates, coach sessions, and provide networking opportunities
  • Organising debating competitions within the Inn or with other Inns
  • Supporting pupillage applications with tailored sessions on debate-style pupillage interview questions
  • Communicating and cooperating with the other leaders of the Society

  Sessions are run on a fortnightly basis; therefore, we are looking for people who are confident in balancing this commitment effectively. Once applications closed, we will be hosting interviews on the weekend of Saturday 20^th June and Sunday 21^st June.

• Assessment criteria

  Assessment criteria

  Your application will be assessed on the following criteria:

  • Debating experience
  • The ability to teach
  • Cooperation with other students
  • Organisation
  • Experience in leadership roles/running student societies
  • Past involvement in Debating Society
  • New ideas to take the Society forward.