Deadline for applications now extended to 6pm on 10 March 2024!
The New Zealand Schools' Debating Council will be sending a team to the World Schools' Debating Championships in Belgrade, Serbia between 16 July 2024 and 26 July 2024. The New Zealand Schools' Debating Council is excited to open formal applications to:
- coach the team; and
- attend the World Schools' Debating Championships as a judge on behalf of New Zealand.
Requirements for coaches
The general requirements of coaching the NZ team is as follows for 2024 are:
- Attendance at the National Finals from Friday 24 May 2024 to Monday 27 May 2024;
- Training the NZ team for at minimum two weekends prior to departing to Worlds;
- Attendance at the World Schools’ Debating Championships in Belgrade, Serbia between 14 July 2024 and 26 July 2024 (noting that the tournament itself runs from 16-26 July 2024);
- Attendance at a preparatory "camp" in Auckland for several days before departure to Belgrade.
Council is opening applications for the NZ team coaches for up to 2 coaches. Please note that Council may to decide to appoint only a single coach.* Council will be subsidising the coach(es), although the exact subsidy has yet to be determined at this point (the minimum contribution from each coach will be at least $2,000.*** This will contribute to the cost of flights the tournament, the registration fee for each coach (which covers accommodation, transportation, attendance at Worlds social events and most meals), training expenses involved with the New Zealand Schools' Team.
Requirements for judges
New Zealand will be sending one judge to the World Schools' Debating Championships. The successful applicant must be able to attend the World Schools’ Debating Championships in Belgrade, Serbia between 14 July 2024 and 27 July 2024.
Council will be subsidising the successful applicant's attendance at the tournament, although the exact subsidy has yet to be determined at this point (the minimum contribution from the successful applicant will be at least $2,000).*** This will contribute to the cost of flights and the registration fee for the tournament (which covers accommodation, transportation, attendance at Worlds social events and most meals).
Public Feedback
Based on feedback from the 2019 AGM and subsequent community consultation, members of the community will be able to leave feedback on the candidates applying for NZ Team coaching and judging spots.
Feedback will be submitted to the Council via email/google form. It will only be viewed by members involved in selecting - they will be announced at the end of the application period. The nature of feedback will involve relevant experiences with the applicants as coaches/debaters/judges and any other relevant concerns. The feedback will only be viewed by the Council members named at the end of the application period. If you have any other questions or would like more information on this feedback process, feel free to contact Council to discuss.
Application Timeline (for both coaches and judges)
- Applications Close - Sunday 25 February 2024 at 6pm
- Applicant Feedback Opens - Monday 26 February
- Applicant Feedback Closes - Thursday 29 February at 6pm
If you are interested in coaching, please email president@debating.org.nz by 6pm on Sunday 25 February with:
- Your debating CV (eg. coaching, debating and adjudicating experience, familiarity with the schools style);
- Whether you are applying as an individual, if you are applying as individual whether you would be happy to co-coach if asked to and if you have a preference as to who you coach with;
- If you are applying as combination, please explain why and whether you would coach individually if asked. Please indicate if both coaches would agree to make a greater contribution to the cost of attending the tournament than would otherwise be required if Council appointed only a single coach;*
- The level of subsidy that you would require to attend the tournament;** and
- Anything else you would like us to know in order to inform our decision (including if you are applying to coach a Regional team in 2024).
If you are applying only to judge please email president@debating.org.nz by 6pm on Sunday 25 February 2024 with:
- provide a copy of your debating CV (eg. coaching, debating and adjudicating experience, familiarity with the schools style);
- the level of subsidy that you would require to attend the tournament;** and
- anything else you would like us to know in order to inform our decision.
Applications will be considered by all non-conflicted members of the Council. The Council reserves the right to propose alternations to combinations of candidates.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris (President of the New Zealand Schools' Debating Council) at president@debating.org.nz.
* Please note that this post was amended on 2 February 2024 to make clearer that Council reserves the right to appoint only a single coach, and to request that coaching applicants applying as a combination provide some additional information as a part of their application.
** Please note that this post was amended on 2 February 2024 to request that applicants to coach and judge provide an indication of the level of subsidy that they would require.
*** Please note that this post was amended on 2 February 2024 to provide a more realistic indication of the level of contribution required by coaches and judges.