Get your school involved
Find out how to register your school for the next round of debates.
CMAM2021
"CMAM 20 years on: Going to scale in fragile contexts": A conference for practitioners hosted by Concern Worldwide on 22–25 March 2021
Find out more
Read our 2020 annual report
Concern's objectives, activities and achievements in 2020 can be found in our new annual report.
Read the report
Nothing Kills Like Hunger
Join our campaign urging action in support of people suffering from conflict-driven hunger.
Take action now
Debate materials
We’ve got a host of Debating material for you to download and if you’re still hungry for more, you can attend one of our teacher training sessions or organise a student online workshop.
Contact debates@concern.net to attend a teacher information session or to schedule an online workshop with your students
Debate materials
Check out our range of Concern Debates handbooks and marking sheets to help you get started.
Motions for Debates League Phase 2021-2022|PDF(642 KB)
Debates Online League Phase How to Guide |PDF(534 KB)
Teachers Guide to Debates Online Platform |PDF(1 MB)
Debates Handbook 2020|PDF(7 MB)
Debates Adjudicator Handbook 2021|PDF(5 MB)
Adjudicator marking sheet and feedback form |PDF(694 KB)
Adjudicator Guide to Debates Online Platform|PDF(989 KB)
Concern Debates Online Teacher, Student and Adjudicator Video Guides
New Training Videos for 2021/22
- Teacher Training Video
- Debates Teams Training Video
- Adjudicator Training Video
Concern Debates Online 2021/22 Adjudicator Training
Concern Debates Online 2021/22 Teacher Training
Concern Debates 2021/22 Teams TrainingDebates podcast
Listen to our new podcast 'Debating Development'. The series aims to support teachers, student and adjudicators involved with the Concern Debates programme. Concern staff and former debaters are on hand to discuss top tips for succeeding in the competition and analysing some of the motions to give your team a head start!
Debates workshops
If you’re thinking of entering a team in the Concern Debates, but aren’t sure what’s involved, contact us to find out about our online debates webinars.
Due to social distancing restrictions, we are unable to offer workshops in person but are available to run online webinars with students and their teachers. We will got through the rules of the competition, tips for writing a good speech and support with refutations and rebuttals.
We are also available to support teachers with technical support such as uploading videos of student speeches and any questions about the programme.
Concern Debates champions St. Kilian's German School from Clonskeagh holding their trophies at The Helix, Dublin. Photo: Ruth Medjber/Concern Worldwide.
Concern Debate finalists 2019. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
St. Killian's German School at the Concern Debate Finals 2018. Photo: Ruth Medjber / Concern Worldwide.
Concern Debate Finals in the Helix Theatre. Photo: Ruth Medjber / Concern Worldwide.
Adjudicators watch on as a debate takes place. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
2017 Debates finalists St. Mary’s CBS Carlow and Sacred Heart Secondary School, Clonakilty at the unveiling of the motion for the final. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
Scenes from the 2016-2017 Concern Debates Final, The Helix, Dublin. Photo: Ruth Medjber / Concern Worldwide.
St. Mary's CBS at the Concern Debates Semi-Final. Photo: Ruth Medjber / Concern Worldwide.
Video tutorials for students
These five videos provide a step-by-step guide to succeeding at the Concern Debates.
Part one
Concern Debates Training Video (1/5)Part two
Concern Debates Training Video (2/5)Part three
Concern Debates Training Video (3/5)Part four
Concern Debates Training Video (4/5)Part five
Concern Debates Training Video (5/5)Concern Debates final video
Check out the fantastic debate between finalists, Largy College and Sandford Park School. If you are looking to participate in the Concern Debates programme next year, but you're not sure where to start, this video will give a great insight into how the debates are structured.
Concern Debates All Ireland Final 2019Related reading
