Welcome to the DAV Website
The DAV is a non-profit association which exists to promote debate. It
is the peak debating body in Victoria and runs large competitions for
adults and for schools across Victoria. It provides training and
resources for debaters, teachers and adjudicators.
Adult Debating Program
Join us to learn the style of 3-on-3 debating. Come to improve your public speaking and teamwork skills. Meet new people as you compete in friendly afternoon debates.
New to debating? No prior expereince is expected. Basic training materials will be provided before your first debate.
Already a keen debater? Enjoy an opportunity to participate in friendly debates, honing your skills and increasing your ability to 'think on your feet'.
Where: Kathleen Syme library, Carlton.
When: 2pm-4pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month unless otherwise advertised. The upcoming dates confirmed for 2025 are 19 January, 9 February, 16 March, 13 April, 18 May, 15 June.
Who: Novice adult debaters
Cost: Each session will be charged at $25, or $20 if you pay for 5 or more sessions at once.
You do not need to attend every session. To indicate your availability for this year's program, please complete this form.
Please note that pre-payment will be required to confirm your spot each round, this must be received the Monday prior to each session. No refunds will be given, but you can transfer a payment to another session if you become unavailable or sessions are cancelled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will we need to prepare before the debate?
Debates will be run as a secret topic with 1hr preparation time on the day after the topic is released.
What are the speaking times for this program?
The speaking times for adult debating will be 6-8 minutes.
Do I need to register as a team? Can I sign up with my friends to form a team?
No, you will be assigned a team before topic selection each afternoon. Teams will be assigned to encourage you to meet new people, even out debating abilities and assist people new to debating by allowing them to work in teams with people who have previous debating experience.
I'm a university debater, can I participate?
Yes, however the program is intended for novice and inexperienced adult debaters. It is a friendly competition to build the skills of debaters who may not have the opportunity to debate through a university.
I'm a DAV member, can I participate?
Yes. DAV members will receive a discount to their program should they agree to adjudicate one round.
I've never debated before, can I participate?
Most definitely! This program is designed for you. Basic training materials will be provided before your first debate. We will also attempt to put you in teams with more experienced debaters so you can learn through collaboration.