The New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council will be sending a team to the World Schools’ Debating Championships in Panama City, Panama between 22 July 2025 and 1 August 2025. 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 2025 are:
* Attendance at the National Finals from Friday 23 May 2025 to Monday 26 May 2025;
* Training the NZ team for at minimum two weekends prior to departing to Worlds;
* Attendance at the World Schools’ Debating Championships in Panama City, Panama between 20 July 2025 and 1 August 2025 (noting that the tournament itself runs from 22 July – 1 August 2025);
* Attendance at a preparatory “camp” in Auckland for several days before departure to Panama.
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. 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.
Feedback
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 – Friday 28 March 2025 at 6pm
* Applicant Feedback Opens – Monday 31 March
* Applicant Feedback Closes – Thursday 3 April at 6pm
If you are interested in coaching, please email council@debating.org.nz by 6pm on Friday 28 March 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.
If you are applying only to judge please email council@debating.org.nz by 6pm on Friday 28 March 2025 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.
