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Debate Mate
Talent and Skills
Impact for scaleups
235
Primary and secondary schools covered in the last 12 months
5,383
Students reached per teaching week
88%
of pupils more likely to put ideas forward when working in a group and 81% more confident speaking up in class
88%
pupils feel the skills gained would help them succeed in future
99%
of teachers believe that students are better at critically responding to arguments
Key sectors
Debate Mate’s school debating clubs improve social mobility and enhance key employability.
Since 2007, Debate Mate has been delivering school debating clubs that enhance social mobility and build essential employability skills. Operating in areas of high social deprivation, the programme equips students with key transferable skills, including teamwork, communication, core confidence, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Debate Mate develops future-proof skills identified as vital by scaleup leaders. Its curriculum strengthens critical and analytical thinking by challenging students to construct arguments from multiple perspectives, sharpening their judgement, problem-solving, and empathy. A 2023 survey found that 81% of students felt more confident speaking in class, while 88% were more likely to contribute ideas in group settings.
The programme has engaged with over 5,000 students per teaching week across 235 schools in six UK cities, focusing on primary and secondary schools with high levels of free school meal eligibility. The Virtual Core Programme continues to expand Debate Mate’s reach, with students from rural areas competing in the Debate Mate Cup.
The programme gained widespread recognition in 2023, winning the Southwark Stands Together Award and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Community Engagement Award. Internationally, Debate Mate Virtual engages over 2,500 students from 40+ countries, while summer programmes in Mexico, Zambia, Kenya, Nepal, and Rwanda empower schools to run their own debate clubs.
Debate Mate Schools is supported through reinvested profits from Debate Mate Ltd, which provides communication and leadership training and is transitioning to a tech-first company integrating AI into skills training. Through Boardroom to Classroom, students engage directly with employers for career insights. Additionally, 200 Bank of America interns collaborated with over 100 Debate Mate students in the Intern Challenge, fostering real-world problem-solving and meaningful career discussions.
