We invite you to send Letters of Commitment for an extraordinary Round Square event: RS Inspiring Voices: The Big Baraza from 12-17 April 2025. The conference is for 15-18 year olds and will be held in the prestigious debating chamber at The Oxford Union. There will also be activities at The Sheldonian Theatre where degree ceremonies take place. Students will engage in courageous conversations in baraza groups, and explore how to make their voices heard.
Develop Key Skills
Whilst this is not a debating competition, it will offer students a unique opportunity to develop key listening, oratory, and leadership skills. Participants will engage in meaningful dialogues, gaining a deeper global understanding of different perspectives on some big world issues, whilst honing their ability to both confidently and respectfully articulate their thoughts and contribute their opinions to the conversations.
Students will follow in the footsteps of a long line of notable speakers who have appeared in the debating chamber. Previous speakers include scientists Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, Nobel Peace Prize Winners Malala Yousafzai, and Mother Teresa, as well as actors, musicians, Presidents, Prime Ministers and royalty from across the world.
Who Should Attend
There will be many opportunities for students to develop their communication skills and exercise their voices throughout the event. In order to make the most of the opportunities we will be asking that each group of students consists of:
a minimum of FOUR or a maximum of SIX students including:
- one Baraza Leader / Facilitator
- two Debate Champions in a debate at the Oxford Union
- and up to three general participants (give a keynote address, after-dinner speech, performance, filmed interview or create a conference video)
Up to TWO adults may attend per delegation.
Please note there will is a maximum of two debate champions per team. Schools can book for two delegations and apply for a third delegation to be added to the waitlist.
Delegate Fee
The delegate fee per participant (student or adult) will be £1,150.
The price specified above includes:
✓ all meals throughout the duration of the Inspiring Voices event
✓ all accommodation throughout the duration of the event
✓ airport pick up and drop off to and from Heathrow as standard (other UK airports – Gatwick, Birmingham International, Luton – considered on request at an additional cost)
✓ all activities throughout the duration of the event
The price specified above does not include:
ꓫ travel to/from the point of arrival in/departure from the UK or any accommodation whilst in transit
ꓫ visas
ꓫ personal spending money (for souvenirs and extra drinks/snacks)
ꓫ personal equipment or
ꓫ any pre/post event trips
There is a 400 participant restriction on the number of places, due to the capacity of the Debating Chamber. The Big Baraza is open to groups of four students plus one adult as standard. There is the potential to request a second group of four plus one, if capacity allows. Accommodation will be in colleges across the city.
Registration is open now and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Cancellation Policy
IF WE CANCEL: In the unlikely event that Inspiring Voices is cancelled by Round Square, a full refund of delegate fees will be issued. Any other non-refundable costs will be the school’s responsibility. Please ensure that your insurance will cover this.
IF YOU CANCEL: Please note the cancellation dates below before sending your letter of commitment as we will be holding you to the numbers quoted. Please do not submit more than one letter of commitment as only the first letter we receive will be accepted. From that point onwards you must cancel any places that are no longer needed.
All cancellations and alterations to your booking are subject to this cancellation schedule:
- Cancellations before 31 October 2024 will receive a full refund;
- Cancellations between 1 November 2024 and 30 November 2024 will receive a 50% refund;
- Cancellations between 1 December 2024 and 31 December 2024 will receive a 25% refund;
- After 1 January 2025 no refunds will be issued
If you need to cancel or amend your booking, please write to inspiring@roundsquare.org
Register
Download a copy of the Inspiring Voices Letter of Commitment to sign and upload to the form below.
PLEASE NOTE: each Conference will register on a first-come-first-served basis. Once this Conference has reached its delegate capacity based on Letters of Commitment, the host school will stop accepting LoCs, even if this is before the published submission deadline.
More Information
We will run online Zoom Information sessions on the dates below to provide more detail about this unique experience. The call is open to Round Square Coordinators, Heads of School or other faculty that are interested in sending a delegation to the RS Inspiring Voices Conference.
- XXXX October at
- XXX October at
We have also created a guide for Round Square Coordinators on all the information you need to help recruit students and explain the conference to senior leaders and / or parents. This resource includes posters, fee information, location details and an initial risk assessment, as well as links for Letters of Commitment and details of how to apply for one of six Film Production Experience places.
Film Production Experience
We are offering six students the extraordinary opportunity learn how to produce, film and edit a short documentary film from the conference. Working with Eye Film, these students will be trained on key techniques vital for any successful film production including: the role of storytelling in film, the art of interviewing, shooting B-roll to capture the atmosphere and energy of the event, creative decision-making while filming, the basics of editing and organising footage into a cohesive story, before screening the film at the end of the conference.
Students will apply separately from the rest of the delegation, explaining why they would like to be considered for one of the places. They do not need to have any experience in filmmaking – although we would happily consider them if they do – but we want to understand how students plan to use their new skills after returning home.
To ensure, they are able to start filming at the start of the conference, the successful applicants will need to arrive in Oxford ahead of a training session on Friday 11 April 2025.
Depending on the outcome of the application, you will be able to adjust your numbers by the number of applicants for this opportunity. For example, if a student is unsuccessful in their application, they may still decide to attend as a general delegate or they may not decide to attend at all.
Do you want to be an adult leader?
To ensure the best possible event experience for students and adults alike we are looking for ADULT volunteers to share their expertise and add to our organising / hosting team for the RS Inspiring Voices: The Big Baraza.
Who do we need?
We have ten spots available to school staff who either:
- specialise in managing student debates and/or;
- are Round Square Coordinators.
Adult Leaders will work alongside members of the Round Square Team and Oxford Union facilitators. They will manage logistics and Barazas at the Colleges, or coordinate debates and speaking opportunities at the Union and Sheldonian Theatre.
Volunteers are responsible for arranging, and paying for, their own flights. Their accommodation and meals in Oxford, plus transfers between the airport and Oxford, will be covered by Round Square.
To take on one of the Adult Leader roles you must be able to attend independently of any delegation that might be participating from your school. You will not be able to be an Adult Leader and have duty of care responsibility for your own student delegation. Any delegation attending from your school will need to have its own adult delegate register with the students (and it can’t be you if we have asked you to be an Adult Leader!)
How to apply
To apply, please complete the form below before 31st September. Include contact details for your Head of School (or other appropriate referee, if you ARE the Head of School). We will be in touch after the closing date.