Second Chance Debates

A group of clients that are recovering from substance misuse are working with the Union Society and the Director of Sport on their debating skills.  The eight-week programme will conclude with a debate in December.

Clients:

17

University Students:

14

University Staff:

5

The Second Chance Debate Programme returns for a third year...

The Second Chance Debate programme returned for a third year in October 2009. The first session was attended by a record 30 clients and they can look forward to an eight-week training in debating by students of the Durham University Union Society. The culmination of the project, which is put together by the Union, Team Durham and the Tyneside Cyrenians, is the Second Chance Debate which will take place this year on Friday 4th December. Having been piloted to great success in December 2007, a follow up Second Chance debate took place in December 2008. The first black tie event debated the motion ‘This House would ban alcohol in the United Kingdom’, and the second debated ‘This House believes alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs.’ The debates are preceded by a four-course dinner where Tyneside Cyrenians, clients, staff and students had a chance to meet one another. Debates are performed in front of a full debating chamber of 270. Ian Chapman, President of the Union Society, stated the debate has "fundamentally changed the way in which I see addiction. An addict is now not a statistic, or stereotype, but something far more real and human."