In its 8th year, the Belfast Trust’s Healthcare debate aims to give young people, an opportunity to engage with the hot topics in health and social care. In 2022, St Catherine’s College, Armagh were victorious in opposing the motion ‘Healthcare workers should not be allowed to strike’ against Dominican College, Portstewart.
Involvement in the debate activity will support students further in their consideration of a healthcare related career and in their UCAS applications. Debate topics will be public health focused and pertinent to current issues facing healthcare professions.
Schools have the opportunity to put forward a team consisting of max. of 5 students (one team per school) all of whom have a healthcare career choice focus. The students must be in Year 13 or Year 14 and are considering a future career in healthcare.
First stage of the process: teams are invited to complete the application form. The completed application form should be submitted electronically to kerri.mcardle@belfasttrust.hscni.net to reach the shortlisting panel by Friday 22nd December 2023 12:00pm.
Four teams will be shortlisted from applications to participate in the semi-final debates, which will take place on Wednesday 31st January 2024. The WINNERS of semi-finals will then be invited to compete in the FINAL debate event, which will be held Wednesday 28th February 2024. All debate participants will receive recognition of their contribution to the process and the winning team will be presented with a prestigious winner’s award trophy for their school.
Please find, in the link below, a letter from the work experience co-ordinators in the Belfast Trust outlining the requirements and the application forms. Also find linked below, a poster for you to use in school to encourage students to apply.
Please register your interest in entering the Student Healthcare Debate, so that we can send reminders as the closing date for completed entries approaches. Register your interest in entering with: kerri.mcardle@belfasttrust.hscni.net
I would urge your school to consider entering this debate and I wish them well in their endeavours. (Other winners have included St Catherine’s College (Armagh), Thornhill College, Down High School, St Colman’s College (Newry), RBAI, Belfast Royal Academy and Sacred Heart Grammar).
Please circulate with your Health and Social Care colleagues and also those who look after debating in the school.
To download the poster for printing please click here
To download the letter and application form please click here
Please click here to contact Joanne Mehaffy if you have any further queries and we encourage the school to participate.