Frequently asked questions

Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to reducing suffering and eliminating extreme poverty in the world's poorest countries.

The famine in Biafra in 1968 was the catalyst that gave rise to Concern.

Concern's vision is a world where no one lives in poverty, fear or oppression. Where all have access to a decent standard of living and the opportunities essential to a long, healthy and creative life. A world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Concern's mission is to help people who are living in extreme poverty achieve major improvements in their lives, improvements that last and spread without ongoing support from us.

To achieve this mission, Concern engages in long term development work, responds to emergency situations, and seeks to address the root cause of poverty through our work with advocacy and development education.

No. Concern is a non-denominational organisation.

No.

According to the last annual report, one percent of costs went towards management and administration; 87% went to emergency relief and development work; three percent went on development education and 9% went on fundraising, promotion and trading.

Click here to see our annual report.

The difference between development work and emergency work is the difference between giving someone a job and giving them welfare. Relief is necessary in emergencies, but in the long term people want to earn an income.

Concern spends about half of its money on work that helps people to earn more, so that they can obtain the resources to assert their human right to food, shelter, health and education services.

The objective of Concern's long-term work is to help local organisations to grow. This will help people acquire the confidence and skills needed to lift themselves out of poverty.

This is when Concern responds to crises such as natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, droughts, cyclones) and manmade disasters (often civil war). The most visible part of our is through emergency response.

Approximately half of Concern's resources are devoted to emergency work. In an emergency situation, Concern operates as part of the Disasters and Emergency Committee. We are most often responsible for feeding people. The way in which Concern manages malnutrition in the developing world is considered revolutionary, due to the pioneering of Community-based Therapeutic Care.

Concern is established, trusted, well known, community-based and well-managed. Concern has won many awards for financial accounts from the Leinster Institute of Chartered Accountants. Concern also has a reputation of being emergency specialists – we respond very quickly when emergencies occur. Concern is Ireland's largest overseas development agency.

Wherever possible, we try to work through local partner organisations in order to make projects self-sustainable as well as maximising the use of local and cultural knowledge. Concern has been praised for its consultative approach to development projects in Africa, working closely with the people it is helping in order to create long-lasting solutions to poverty.

Concern's policy in the main is to work in the poorest countries as laid down by the Human Development Index governed by the United Nations Development Programme. To see a list of the countries we work in, click here.

Concern focuses on five core programmes: livelihoods, health, education, HIV and AIDS and emergencies.

In Ireland, Concern's registered charity number is CHY5745.

Concern Worldwide UK is a Company Limited By Guarantee And Not Having A Share Capital (Registered in England and Wales with registered number 04323646) which has been granted Charitable Status by The Charity Commission for England and Wales (Registered Number 1092236) and The Office of The Scottish Charity Regulator (Registered Number SCO38107). The Registered Offices of Concern Worldwide (UK) are 13/14 Calico House, Plantation Wharf, London, SW11 3TN.

You begin right here! Look through all of the sections in this students’ guide and watch our training DVD (available from your teacher). If your teacher does not have a copy, please email Lucy or Evanna at debates@concern.net and we will post you a copy of the DVD. Make sure to log on regularly to the debates homepage. This is where all the action takes place; motions, pairings, research links and dates appear here first.

Join our blog

Let us know what you think! Join the debate on our blog by commenting on our posts or by joining us as a guest blogger. To become a guest blogger, email us your opinions on motions, debates stories or anything else you can think of that is in any way debates-related. The piece should be 200-500 words. If you send us in a photo to go with it, that would be even better!

Get your team in place

Each team should consist of four speakers, plus as many substitutes. Each team should also have researchers, a timekeeper and as many other “groupies” as you can find. (Everyone that participates in the debates or assists your team will receive a certificate.) Another important thing to do is to select your team captain. Your captain will have the job of defining how your team interprets the motion and of introducing briefly the other members of the team and their arguments. Your captain also sums up your team’s arguments, and refutes the arguments of your opponents at the end of the debate.

Once you receive your motion, the whole team should get together and discuss it, especially your “side” of the motion. Teams proposing the motion must defend the motion; those opposing the motion must argue against the motion.

Plan your approach

During this discussion you should plan your approach. Will you use a team line? i.e. will your captain be the “Taoiseach”, with the rest of the team acting as “cabinet members”? Each of your points/arguments will arise from your ministerial position.

The Concern Debates, as the name suggests, is a debating competition which is open to senior cycle students (4th year to 6th). The debates are an excellent opportunity to learn about the way the world works, and to develop lifelong skills in research and public speaking, all while having fun.

You will have the chance to have your say and argue motions on development issues against teams from other schools. Your team will participate in four debates in the League Phase between October and January. Then, if you are one of the top 32 teams in the country you will progress to the Knockout Phase which runs from February to May.

This is what a few of our past debaters have to say about the debates:
 
“I have found the Concern Debates absolutely brilliant! I have only been in two so far but it has been such a learning experience. I have not only educated myself in subjects like the UN, but I have really gained so much confidence, although the ole' legs shake still when I get up to speak! Thanks once again for this opportunity.”
Sarah Murphy
 
“Due to the debates, I have become much more aware; I buy fair trade products and encourage others to do the same.”
Francis Dowling
 
“Since being involved with these debates I have learned so much. Now especially, I am always encouraging my friends to buy fair trade stuff.”
Kate O’Connor
 
“The debates have helped my confidence and it has made me more aware of issues in the world today.”
Emma Fogarty
 
“The debates make me more conscious of the planet and its people and the fact that I’m a ‘child of the universe.’”
James Mahon
 
“I have much more confidence. I’m more comfortable with GM foods and more open to the views of others.”
Danielle Cuffe

There are many different ways you can conduct your research. For instance, school surveys are great to get some local or firsthand statistics on how your fellow students feel about some of the issues. Do they care about child labour? Do they think corruption in politics is just part of doing business? You could also try to interview people who may have relevant information, such as members of NGOs and embassies, teachers that may have travelled overseas or perhaps someone from your local community.
 
Valuable sources
 
Documentaries and news can contain some really strong information and statistics. They can also provide useful case studies. All of which can be found in abundance on the internet. So, too can podcasts, informative videos and other multimedia. Offline, books and magazines can also be a great source of statistics and quotations relevant to motions (your school textbooks may even come in handy).

Before you begin writing your speech you should take the following points into consideration:

Each speaker has four minutes and 30 seconds to speak (including the captains’ summation). Make sure you speak for no less than four minutes (or you will look like you didn’t prepare well) and for no more than four minutes and 30 seconds (or you will lose some of your hard earned marks).

Don’t try to cram too much information into your speech. Adjudicators prefer to hear three to four well-developed points, with clear information about each of the points. Find some good solid facts to strengthen your arguments, and make sure to quote your source during your speech to back up your point. Look at the marking sheet before you debate so you know what the adjudicators are looking for. Ensure that your points “flow nicely together”. Points are awarded for clarity and logical thought.

Preparation

Prepare your cue cards for the podium. Do not write your entire speech on them. Put key points, facts and quotes on them, and use them to guide you on to your next point.
Practise, practise, practise! In front of the mirror; using a video camera; in front of your class or parents. The more comfortable and convinced you are of the points you are making, the easier it will be to convince others – especially the adjudicators.

Leave time for refutation and rebuttal. When doing your research, try to predict what the other team will say and keep some statistics that could be used to counteract their arguments. Finally, remember to use your wit! Humour really livens up a debate.

This is the essence of debating, the difference between public speaking and debating! Put simply, to refute an argument is to produce evidence (facts or figures) to prove it untrue. To rebut an argument is to discredit it by offering a completely different point of view.

To “do” refutation and rebuttal well, when preparing and researching your own speech you will need to anticipate the kinds of arguments your opponents will use. Jot down notes, quotes and statistics so that you are prepared to call into question the arguments put forward by the other team.

It is essential that every speaker attempts to “have a go” at their opponent’s arguments; each of you can earn 10 marks for refutation and rebuttal. Don’t leave it up to the others on your team. Remember it’s your chance to have your two cents and convince the adjudicators how absurd your opponent’s arguments are. Also, try not to tack your rebuttal onto the beginning or the end of your speech. Try to weave it into the body of your speech and time it well to emphasise the points you are making.

You can put up posters to encourage your friends and family to support your team (even if you are nervous, familiar faces in the audience will help boost your confidence). Remember that the other team will have support too.

You could advertise around your local area or town – is there a local newspaper or radio station who would be interested? Don’t forget to tell your family and friends to come along and support you!

Please ensure that as you face the audience from the podium that the proposing team is on the right and the opposing team is on the left.

Host teams are responsible for providing the Chairperson and Timekeeper. Check with your teacher that you have a chairperson and timekeeper assigned to the task. After the debate it is always nice to have a cup of tea and a chat. It has become a tradition of the Concern Debates for host schools to provide a cuppa and a few bickies after a debate.

Your arguments have been researched and prepared, you know what your team mates are going to say and you’ve got your points ready to refute the other team. The posters are up around the school advertising the debate, the audience is gathered and the Chairperson calls the house to order... you’re off!
 
The team captains will speak twice once to open the debate on behalf of your team and at the end to close your team’s arguments. Throughout the debate you and your entire team should be listening out for points to refute and rebut the other team’s arguments. Write clearly and pass them on to the next speaker or the captain for his/her summation.

• When you are speaking remember:
• Use your notes as little as possible
• Pace yourself ; do not speak too fast; the adjudicators won’t be able to follow your speech and you will waste all of your hard work
• Be confident, enjoy yourself and be passionate about the subject (even if you are shaking like a leaf). Keep your voice clear and remember you know more about the subject than your audience
• Quote sources for your statistics and facts
• Try to refute your opponents arguments
• If you have a team line, use it sparingly and to emphasise your points (you don’t want your audience or adjudicators to become bored with it)

The open forum takes place at the conclusion of the “formal” debate while the adjudicators are deciding on the winner. This is one of the best parts of the debates evening; it gives you the opportunity to give your real opinions of the motion and to display (or show off) the knowledge of the subject you have gained through research.

The open forum usually lasts 15-20 minutes. The discussion will be facilitated by the Chairperson who will direct the questions asked by the audience to either team. There are no marks given for the open forum, although it is often recommended that there should be!

There are three adjudicators at each debate, one chief and two assistants. They mark students according to the Concern Debates marking sheet. After the open forum session, the Chief Adjudicator will give some feedback on the debate, going over various parts of the marking sheet and offering advice for future debates. He/she will then announce that the motion has been carried (won by the proposition) or defeated (won by the opposition).

Points are awarded as follows:

• 3 points for a unanimous win (all 3 adjudicators agreed)
• 2 points for a majority win (just 2 agreed)
• 1.5 points each for a draw (both teams were equally as good)
• 1 point for a majority loss (if you lose by a majority)

Keep in touch with Concern!

Use this site to send us your photos, speeches, favourite quotes, opinions of motions, recommended sites etc. We will use this information either on the website, on our blog or in our debates newsletter.

Dublin and internationally based positions are advertised here. We also advertise in jobs sections of relevant websites and from time to time, in international and local press. We reserve the right to advertise positions internally.

Concern works in 30 countries. For more information on these countries click here.

We do not maintain a register of applicants and therefore recommend that you check our website www.concern.net/jobs regularly.

We believe in working directly with local people. In as far as possible, we try to recruit staff from the communities in which we work. For information on volunteering in our home offices click here.

Employee benefits are tailored to your place of work. In Dublin, we offer a competitive range of employee benefits, while for those working internationally, we offer benefits normally associated with overseas assignments in this sector. Full details on salary and job benefits will be made available to all candidates selected for interview.

Anyone working for Concern must agree to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy. Each of which is intended to ensure the appropriate behaviour of Concern staff and ensure the maximum protection of programme participants.

Any offer of employment is subject to a medical check with a Concern approved Doctor and satisfactory references. We will contact three referees, one to be from your current or most recent previous employer.

In response to donors funding requirements and our determination to ensure that funds are used in an exclusively humanitarian manner, it is our policy that all job offers are conditional on our ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States.

Payroll Giving is a form of donating to Concern through your company's payroll department. When you receive your wages, the Concern donation will already have been deducted. In effect, you won't see the money before it gets sent to Concern.

Your payroll department will send your donation on to Concern by whatever means is most appropriate for them, eg cheque or credit transfer.

To give to Concern through your payroll, simply follow these guidelines;
Step 1: Decide how much you would like to donate to Concern on a weekly/monthly basis.
Step 2: Contact Concern, who will provide you with a form for your payroll department.
Step 3: Complete the form and send to the relevant person in the payroll department. Confirm with them that the company is happy to process the donation.
Step 4: Contact Concern confirming the payroll deduction has been set up and provide contact details for your payroll department.
Step 5: Take pride in the fact that you are now contributing towards Concern's work.

If this is the case, they may be understandably hesitant about beginning such a scheme without all of the relevant information. Please contact Concern with contact details for your payroll department. We will deal directly with them to alleviate any reservations they might have.

You can increase, decrease or discontinue your donations at any stage. To do this, you will need to notify both Concern and your payroll department in writing. We will then make the necessary amendment to your Payroll giving scheme immediately.

Concern is currently working in some of the poorest countries in the world. Up to date information on which countries we are currently working as well as what type of projects we are operating is available at here.

If you are a PAYE-only tax payer and have given €250 or more to Concern in the course of a tax year, Concern can reclaim the tax paid on your donations.

This only applies to personal donations you have made and not to money raised through sponsorship. Claiming this tax back for Concern applies to one-off donations or instalments such as monthly donations.

If you are self-assessed, or a corporation, you can also reclaim the tax paid on your donations. You will need a copy of your donation history to attach to your assessment form. You can get your donation history from Concern's team at concerntaxappeal@concern.net.

Concern can reclaim an extra 25% of the value of your donations if you are a standard rate tax payer of 21%. For example, if you have given €250 over the course of a year, this will be worth an extra €63 to Concern.

Use our tax calculator to work out how much your donation is worth to Concern when the claimed tax is included.

Yes. Your details are confidential to Concern and the Revenue Commissioners. The information will not be used for anything other than the tax claim.

Once a year, Concern automatically mails a tax relief form to all individual Concern donors that qualify for a tax reclaim.

Simply complete the form and return it to Concern's Freepost address: Concern, Camden Street, Freepost F 1906, Dublin 2.

You can also download the form here.

You only need to fill out one form for each year that you donated more than €250. We can claim tax back for the past four years – so if you donated more than €250 in 2006 we can still claim the tax on it!

This scheme is for PAYE-only tax payers. If your income is self-assessed or partly self-assessed we cannot claim tax on your donation. You can claim your own relief from the revenue. Please contact us at concerntaxappeal@concern.net if you require a list of your donations for the year.

If you are a company, treat your donations as a normal business expense, deductible at the appropriate rate of corporation tax. If you need Concern to resend a donation receipt, please contact us at concerntaxappeal@concern.net.

This number is given to you by the Revenue Commissioners. You will find it quoted on any form or correspondence sent to you by them. You can also find it on your payslips.

If you are taxed as a married couple, either party can sign the form using either person’s PPS number.

Pensioners may pay some PAYE tax on their pension. Concern can claim on this amount.

It doesn’t matter if you have given to other charities as well. We only reclaim tax on the donations made to Concern.

Contact concerntaxappeal@concern.net for more information.