The University of Southampton will select 12 schools in the region to take part in this programme.
Teachers will receive a full-day CPD training, designed to boosting their young people’s oracy skills and confidence. An expert public speaking trainer from Speakers Trust will run a full-day in school workshop for 25-30 Year 10 students, and schools will select at least one young person to speak out on a topic of their choice, at a showcase led by The University of Southampton in the summer term.
Over 300 Year 10 students will build their confidence, skill-set and increase their self-esteem, and teachers will be given the confidence and skills to roll out the training to more students and year groups.
“The most valuable factor of Speakers Trust, is seeing quiet and anxious pupils become more confident and present their ideas with a self-assurance they did not have at the beginning of the day.”
– Teacher, Cams Hill School, July 2026
In the academic year 2025-26, students’ confidence across Hampshire and Dorset increased by 85%, based on measuring their levels of confidence before and after the workshop.
