Mentorship Program

How Does it Work?

• We match high school students with elementary debate clubs where they can instruct, assist, and inspire younger debaters!
• The club coach and mentor will work together to determine how many club meetings the mentor will attend and how the mentor will help the club.
• Mentors will be required to participate in training. 
• There will be a fall session (October to December) and winter session (January to April). A mentor or debate club coach may sign up for both sessions, or just one.
• Mentors must commit to a minimum of 20 volunteer hours per session. Hours must be approved by the SEDA office.
• SEDA Mentors may also assist with SEDA workshops, Debate Academy, and volunteer judge to meet their hours requirement.

Who Can Participate?

• SEDA members in grades 10 to 12, with at least 2 consecutive years of debate experience, can sign up to become a SEDA Mentor to an elementary debate club. Sign up for the 2022-2023 season is closed. 
• Coaches of elementary debate clubs can sign up to receive a SEDA Mentor. Coaches can indicate this on the club memebrship form. 

What do Mentors Receive?

Mentors can choose between two benefits:

• Honorarium   
  • Mentors will receive a $150 honorarium. Mentors who provide more than the minimum 20 hour requirement will not receive a higher honorarium.  Honrariums will be paid out at the end of the session. 
• Enrollment in SEDA Abroad
  • Mentors may choose to forgo their honorarium and receive benefits through SEDA Abroad. Please see below for more details. 

SEDA would like to thank Summer Student Rafay Ahmed for spearheading this pilot project.

How Does it Work?

Worlds Schools Style debate provides debaters with a unique opportunity to hone their skills on an international stage while developing long-lasting bonds with their teammates. SEDA Abroad aims to provide debaters with an accessible environment to thrive in the style! 

• SEDA Abroad Members must be enrolled in the SEDA Mentorship Program.
• SEDA Abroad members will receive regular coaching from a highly-experienced Worlds Schools Style coach, a team manager, tournament registration covered, and in the event of in-person tournaments – support with travel coordination.  
• SEDA may assist in fundraising for travel, but will not directly cover travel costs.
• SEDA Abroad members may be required to participate in media interviews to bring awareness to the program! 
• Members of SEDA Abroad will attend a number of world school style international tournaments under the banner of Team Saskatchewan.
• Examples of possible tournaments include
  • Harvard College Worlds Schools Invitational, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Winter Holiday Opens, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Eurasians Schools Debating Championships, Istanbul, Türkiye 

How to Apply?

• Students in grades ten to twelve who are singed up to be a SEDA mentor can apply.
• The selection of SEDA Abroad Members has two stages:
  • Six students will be selected by the SEDA office using a written application due on Monday, September 19th, 2022 via email to info@saskdebate.com
  • A virtual selection tournament tentatively scheduled for October 8th, 2022 will then be used to select three to five debaters based on their current debate skill and their potential to improve in Worlds School Style over the course of a year.  

Please note, the selection of SEDA Abroad Members is a separate process from the Team Canada Tryouts selection that will occur in spring 2023. Debaters not selected for SEDA Abroad are still highly encouraged to participate in tryouts as the selection criteria is composed differently.  

What is the Time Commitment?

• Average of five hours per week will be required from October 2022 to June 2023.
• This will include sustained commitment to the SEDA Mentorship Program, necessary media training and appearances, and training-related tasks, including coaching, debate practice, and recommended reading.  
• Tournament time commitments can last anywhere from 2-5 days. As tournaments accommodate multiple time zones, school may need to be missed.