Guidelines for Brainstrust Competition

NORTHAMPTON TOWN & COUNTY FEDERATION OF YOUNG FARMERS' CLUBS

GUIDELINES FOR BRAINSTRUST COMPETITIONS

·  The aim of the competition is to speak to an audience, to express your thoughts and views clearly on a given subject and to create entertaining discussion

BEFORE THE START OF THE COMPETITION

·  A team comprises a Chairman and a panel of three members – you will not be split up, but compete as a team

·  Competitors should come prepared with paper or postcards and pens to make notes

·  20 minutes before the start of the competition, the Chairman will be asked to chose one of a number of sealed envelopes, each containing six question topics, three of a general nature, three on rural affairs

·  Teams will not be given advance notice of these topics

·  The Chairman must select three questions, one from each section, plus one other, for discussion by the team

·  He should chose questions to suit the team and that provide adequate scope for discussion

·  He is not allowed to tell the other team members beforehand what he has selected – if this happens, the team will be disqualified

·  The Chairman should make a list of as many salient points as possible to support both sides of the discussion

·  It is best to put the question that the panel will feel most comfortable answering to them first

THE ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN

·  Your role is to introduce the panel to the audience, to put each question to the panel and summarise their answers, keep an eye on timing, control the panel, ensure the coverage of each question and conclude the meeting

·  Await Judges’ signal before starting

·  Formally introduce yourself and the team

·  Sit up smartly in a business-like way and be pleasantly in charge of the team and the audience

·  Read the question clearly and meaningfully

·  Ideally, a different team member should be asked to speak first on each of the questions

·  Allow about 5 minutes per question (including your summary) and 5 minutes for your introduction and closure of the meeting. There will be penalties for exceeding the total time limit of 20 minutes.

·  Ensure no individual dominates the discussion. Try not to over-dominate yourself

·  Don’t let any panel member ‘dry-up’; bring in another panellist if this happens

·  Try to listen carefully to what members are saying

·  Make notes as the discussion proceeds

·  Prompt the team and keep them on the subject

·  The introduction, summaries and conclusion should be addressed to the audience. Make summaries brief and to the point

·  Stand to introduce the team and when closing the meeting

·  Formally conclude the meeting

THE ROLE OF THE PANEL

·  Your role is to discuss the questions put to you by the Chairman. Remember that you will not have seen these in advance

·  You should avoid long speeches

·  Look at and speak mainly to the audience

·  Avoid the use of abbreviations that the audience may not understand

·  Ensure that your comments relate to the question

·  Avoid total agreement – some discord promotes discussion

·  Use humour – but not to excess

·  Keep discussion lively to keep the audience interested

·  Each member must be careful to stay with same line of argument throughout

POINTS FOR THE WHOLE TEAM TO NOTE

·  Approach and leave the stage in a quiet and orderly fashion

·  Sit facing the audience, NOT each other, and about 2 feet apart

·  Sit upright, but not too rigidly, and be interested in the proceedings

·  Avoid undesirable mannerisms, e.g. excessive hand gestures

·  Speak loudly and clearly and in such a way that you appear to be talking to each other and to every person in the audience

·  Notes may be made for reference while on the platform, but excessive or obvious use of notes will be penalised

·  Look tidy – appearance counts

·  Don’t forget – all the rules for good public speaking apply

TRAINING TIPS

·  Read the newspapers

·  Practice with current affairs questions: Agriculture, rural issues and social issues

August 2009