Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to The Debate Group. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
The Debate, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
It never really started as a business idea, so much as a drive to rectify the wrongs in a realm of passion. Our top priority was improving an activity that had brought us immense benefits, such that it would continue to do so for future students, and the idea of The Debate Group as a business came as the logical next step. That’s why it was structured as a nonprofit: none of us wanted to reap monetary gains from the idea, instead to develop a credibility and reputation that would attract the partnerships we needed for success.
This fundamental philosophy influenced our entire business plan. Everything was developed in service of our mission, as opposed to the most financially feasible, which is why our services are free for all aspiring debate students. Thus, the true challenge was enticing volunteers, as they would be the backbone of our operation. Contacting and convincing esteemed members of the community to work with us required a large time and resource investment into advertising and communication, which is where we have gained the most experience.
The Debate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
The Debate Group specializes in addressing the accessibility issue in Public Forum Debate by offering free and highly qualified mentors to help younger students improve their debating skills.
High school upperclassmen are paired with underclassmen or middle school debaters based on their needs and available resources. These mentors provide guidance, listen to practice debates, assist with preparation, engage in practice rounds, and offer occasional support.
The organization’s approach of offering mentorship rather than full-time coaching sets it apart from others in the field. This approach allows for a more flexible and accessible form of support. The Debate Group’s expansion plans, including hosting tournaments, lectures, argument breakdowns, and branching into other debate formats like Lincoln Douglas, showcase its commitment to broadening its impact.
The organization is most proud of its accomplishments since its inception in 2020. It has successfully aided hundreds of students across the nation in gaining access to coaching and achieving success. With a team comprising 45+ nationally distinguished debaters from prestigious institutions, the organization brings a wealth of expertise to its mentoring approach.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The road has had its challenges. One of the primary struggles faced was coordinating the availability of mentors and their commitment to the 1-3 hour per week time commitment. High school upperclassmen are often swamped with their own academic and extracurricular commitments, so it was difficult coordinating the mentoring schedule as well as recruiting mentors to help instruct students.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The overwhelming support we received from the debate community was a key factor propelling our organization forward. After a successful advertising campaign, forty nationally ranked debaters backed our initiative to tear down the elitist nature of debate by volunteering their free time to mentor students. The Debate Group’s premise is simple: connect volunteer mentors with students looking for guidance. Without their unwavering dedication, the debate group would cease to exist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedebategroup.org/
- Instagram: thedebategroup