UN Youth Tasmania Voice Competition
REGISTRATIONS FOR THE 2022 VOICE COMPETITION HAVE NOW OPENED.
ONLINE FORMAT FOR 2022!
Voice is a unique public speaking competition running throughout October that invites Tasmanian high school students from Years 7-10 to solve real issues that affect our community, our country and our world. Whatever the issue may be, we want to hear you pitch your big ideas. Voice asks students to think outside the box and put their design thinking skills to the test in order to develop innovative and creative, yet feasible, solutions to real world problems.
How does Voice work in Tasmania?
Speech Format
The competition is split into two parts — the Pitch and Question Time.
The Pitch:
This is the portion of the competition where participants deliver a prepared speech on one of the topics provided on the topic list. This speech will outline the participant’s original solution to the given world problem contained in the topic they have selected. Students may present new solutions to long-standing problems or new solutions to largely untouched issues. In this section the judging panel will be assessing the ability of participants ability to provide tangible and innovative solutions to the problem at hand, rather than just identifying their chosen issue in the abstract and delivering a call to action.
Question Time:
In this portion of the competition, participants will answer two impromptu (unseen) questions asked by the Judging Panel, lasting for approximately one minute each, on the solution they presented in The Pitch.
Question Time will take place on Zoom. All participants will need to attend one (1) Question Time round. There are ten (10) Question Time rounds to choose from and the registration form will ask students to select all rounds that they are available for. Students will be notified via email which Question Time round they have been allocated to four (4) weeks before that round. Students who register less than four weeks before the date of the round they have been allocated to will receive their round allocation email shortly after registration. Each Question Time round will last for one (1) hour, but students will be given a fifteen (15) minute time-slot within that one hour and will only need to be present on the Zoom call for those fifteen minutes.
Speaking Time
Junior Division (Year 7 and 8): 4 minutes
Senior Division (Year 9 and 10): 5 minutes
Question Time
Junior Division (Year 7 and 8): 1 minute preparation, 2 minutes speaking time
Senior Division (Year 9 and 10): 1 minute preparation, 2 minutes speaking time
Topics
Students will be emailed the set topic list four (4) weeks prior to the Video Submission Date. Students who register less than four weeks before the Video Submission Date will receive their topic list via email shortly after registration. It is encouraged that students register as early as possible so that they have the maximum possible time to prepare for the competition.
Students are to choose one of the topics from the topic list and present a solution to the issue contained in the topic they have selected. The topics are the same for ALL three divisions. Please note that you only need to deliver a speech on one (1) of the topics from the topic list. These Sample Topics from 2016 will provide you with some information on the types of questions Voice asks students to grapple with.
Question Time Preliminary Round Dates & Times
Each competitor needs to attend one Question Time Preliminary Round. The registration form will ask competitors to select all the dates that they are available for. Students will be allocated into a round by the Convenor and will be notified of their round allocation four (4) weeks before that round. The full list of dates and times can be seen below.
- Saturday 4 February
- Sunday 5 February
- Saturday 11 February
- Sunday 12 February
Important Information
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the Voice Competition and the Judging Criteria to ensure your speech ticks all the boxes.
Why compete in Voice?
- Develop skills in public speaking, critical thinking, design thinking and research
- Hone your ability to think on your feet, assisting you in leadership positions and debating
- Build an increased knowledge about areas pertinent to you as students and citizens of the world
- A chance to meet likeminded and engaged young people who share a passion for our world
Need more details?
If you have any questions, please contact our 2022 Voice Convenor, Gideon Daley, at gideon.daley@unyouth.org.au.