The teenage years are an important time for developing communication skills. Young people are increasingly expected to give presentations, contribute to class discussions, express their opinions and speak confidently in front of others. As they move towards college and the workplace, these skills become even more important.

Our six-week Public Speaking course is designed to give teenagers practical experience of communicating in a group and help them become more confident in their own voice.

Public speaking is a learnable skill. With the right techniques and regular practice, young people can become much more comfortable speaking in front of others. During the course, students learn how to manage nerves through breathing techniques, project their voice and use pace, pause, tone and intonation to make what they are saying more engaging.

We also work on clear speech and articulation, organising ideas and delivering a point clearly and concisely. Just as importantly, students have opportunities to think on their feet, express their own opinions and respond without having to memorise or rehearse everything beforehand.

The aim isn’t to turn teenagers into performers or teach them to sound overly polished. We want them to feel comfortable speaking as themselves.

When a young person has confidence in their own voice, they’re much more likely to contribute to a discussion, ask a question, share an idea or stand in front of a group and say what they think.

These are skills they can take with them into school, college, interviews and eventually the workplace.