Northumberland club helps beat fear of debate

Posted by The Journal on Apr 30, 09 04:12 PM in Clubs/Societies

A club has opened in Ashington to encourage people to conquer their fears of public speaking.

The Northumbria Speakers Club has held its first meeting at the start of April, following on from the success of similar clubs in Newcastle and North Tyneside.

Members are given the chance to stand up in front of their peers and talk about any topic, helping to get rid of butterflies and increase confidence.

Joe James, national president of the Association and member of the club since 1973, described how the clubs create a very positive atmosphere and are not about pressurising people.

He said: "There are a lot of people who, at a funeral for example, would prefer to be in the coffin than giving the eulogy.

"Our aim is to change our members from gibbering wrecks into good speakers, and it is excellent training for all sorts of jobs."

The Northumbria club currently has an equal amount of women and men, varying greatly in age. Mr James, a former teacher from Whitley Bay, said: "Our Tyneside club has been running for more than 40 years now, and it is growing now because of people like Barack Obama.

"He is a brilliant orator and has a wonderful style. His content is a bit thin, but he is a perfect example of how delivery and performance can really make a difference."

The first task for new members, who feel ready, is to hold an audience for up to eight minutes. One member is then chosen to be the evaluator of the speech, pinpointing the speech's good and bad points.

Joe said: "Their performance will not be ripped to shreds. They are there to give constructive feedback. They are there for mutual support and will switch turns when the evaluator becomes the speaker."

Competitions are regularly set up by the Association of Speakers Club, including a virtual speech contest where members from all across Britain post their speech on YouTube and get judged.

The Northumbria club meets at the Brewer's Fayre in Queen Elizabeth Park, Ashington, every fortnight on Tuesdays at 6pm.

For more details go to www.the-asc.org.uk

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