A Global Study of Debate Extension Service Organizations (DESOs): Challenges and Opportunities

Debating is often seen as an extra-curricular activity, with debate clubs in secondary and tertiary level institutions being the main organizational unit. However, some organizations operate beyond individual schools and offer broader support to debate activities. This includes organizing tournaments, training coaches and adjudicators, executing debate workshops/camps, managing national debate teams, and promoting debate in non-school environments. These can be called Debate Extension Service Organisations (DESOs), are typically non-governmental organizations that vary in terms of structure, services, staffing, and funding. Generally, they aim to create positive change in the lives of their programme participants and to promote debate as a useful tool for society. Conducted in the Caribbean, this study uses a sequential mixed method approach consisting of a survey and a focus group discussion to explore the challenges confronting such organizations, and examines the extent to which they are similar across places, in addition to considering various solutions to such challenges. From this, it is noted that the strategies to overcome the challenges may be at least somewhat transferable, though contextual nuances remain relevant. It was found that the challenge of greatest concern to the organizations was funding, while participant buy-in was of least concern. Other concerns of staff turnover, public support, and organization capacity were moderate. Despite the concerns, the organizations remained optimistic in achieving their goals and believed that they would remain in existence.