Dragons Den, Court Room Table Topics and a Grand Finale

King’s College Aspire and D91 Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program

By Andrew P. Bennett DTM, Youth Leadership Encourager

March 14^th was our 8^th and final session of Youth Leadership Program at King’s College Aspire group and it proved to be a time of celebration as each young person delivered a speech of their choice and received with pride their certificate.

Alongside me were fellow program coordinators, Toastmasters Joanne Roxburgh and Julie Parker from sponsoring City Limits Toastmasters and Olivia Hylton, Pennant King’s College Widening Participation Officer.

Dragons Den

First, our attention turned to the Dragons Den Session. This was a highlight of our program when, following a demonstration sales pitch from Toastmaster Rashmi Dube, our young people invented their own pitches and business propositions. It wasn’t the easiest task! How much would you invest in a product that stopped people from telling lies for example? What do you think?

These were then presented to our guest ‘Dragons’ Toastmasters Jill Segal, Anja Sims and Kirti Daryanani who took to their role with enthusiasm, asking questions and deciding how much investment they would offer. Our young people had great fun practicing both prepared and impromptu speaking through this task and their propositions were very imaginative.

Toastmaster Anja Sims summed up her experience of that event

The young people really impressed me, and I am sure that City Limits Toastmasters are having a lasting, positive impact on these youngsters’ lives by sponsoring a Youth Leadership Program.

Court Room Table Topics

Court Room Table Topics was another entertaining session where the young people could take turns to be the Prosecutor and charge one of their fellow program participants as Defendant to answer in Table Topics style. Then the group would decide afterwards whether they were Innocent or Guilty. Charges included stealing the last Rolo and driving in reverse down the middle of London’s Oxford Street.

There were moments of incredible poignancy as well as humour as we listened to our Youth Leadership graduates final session speeches. They took so much pleasure in speaking! And they are not afraid to defend their ideas with passion.

 

I feel I have overcome some insecurities through working on my public speaking.

I found myself expressing ideas I didn’t know I had when we started.

Through my speeches I could raise awareness of issues that are important to me.

Last Updated on 30th April 2022 by Olga Galaiko