We are a group of experienced debaters trained in various formats, joined for the common purpose of promoting accessibility in learning debate. We host online camps, free of charge, so that everyone has an opportunity to develop their debate skills beyond the club rooms and tournaments.
Debate is an invaluable activity.
It teaches students fundamental skills, in a way no other activity does, that are vital for their academic and extracurricular pursuits. Skills such as critical and nuanced thinking, effective researching, pursuasive communicating, and more. Even high-level skills, seemingly unique to debate, such as argument construction is used in every aspect of life. There is nothing more powerful than an individual able to precisely and concisely, formulate and articulate, their ideas.
Although debate is an activity that teaches lifelong skills, many students are unable to access these opportunities. Reasons for this includes but are not limited to: financial constraints, lack of established debate team, and high barriers of entry prevalent in this activity.
In urban areas within the US, and in countries where schools lack established debate teams, students must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to attend debate academies—leaving many competitors unable to participate. Not only that, access to coaching services can be remarkably expensive, only further entrenching an elitist structure of debate.
To address the disparity in access to debate education, the International Youth Debate Initiative was started to host free debate camps for all to join. Beyond just offering a debate curriculum that teaches core debate skills, IYDI is committed to teach students key leadship skills, such as how to start a debate club at their school. In doing so, we hope the effect of these camps can be multiplied through generations.
We firmly believe that debate is more than just attending tournaments, but an activity that gives everyone an opportunity to express themselves and find their voice.
*Our vision is to fill this entire map: to provide an opportunity for everybody, anywhere, to access debate education.
If you'd like to view the various initiatives you or your child could participate in, please visit our Initiatives page. Beyond hosting our online camps, we hold semesters of week-end classes, where students attend class held every week for 3 months.
Alternatively, if you're an experienced debater passionate about sharing your expertise with students, who are equally passionate but less experienced, reach out to us to become an instructor for a camp! We are constantly seeking debaters of various debate styles.
View our team of volunteer debaters that instruct our sessions and make IYDI possible.
Learn moreConnect with us for any questions, concerns, or opportunities. Or, just come say hi!
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