By Amy Boyle
In January, we had the pleasure of assisting Speakers Trust in a workshop at Lawnswood School in Leeds.
Over the course of the day, David Pickering, Managing Director at Mare Nostrum Group, and Amy Boyle, Marketing Assistant in the MNG STM team volunteered alongside Speakers Trust workshop leader Jeanette Percival to assist thirty Year 10 students in writing, preparing and delivering speeches on a variety of chosen topics.
Across the day, Jeanette used a number of activities to encourage active listening and engagement as well as speech confidence. Both David and Amy participated in the activities, working alongside students to foster an innovative environment, promoting creative thinking and originality. Throughout the session, they worked with individual students to build confidence by actively listening and offering feedback, as well as guiding structure and flow, aiding students to find their voices and believe in what they had to say.
The speeches delivered at the end of the day explored a range of topics including the wealth divide, the risks of AI, the power of knowledge, and the importance of culture. We were impressed by the confidence the students displayed and it was incredibly encouraging to see how many young people were eager for their voices to be heard. It was a truly inspiring day and we are excited for future workshops.
Speakers Trust is an incredible charity which aims to unlock the potential of some of the most disadvantaged children in the UK by improving their ability to express themselves in front of groups and consequently build their confidence.
Find out more about MNG’s work with Speakers Trust here.