Journey to the Mic: An Interview with Idris and Karen

As part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Jack Petchey Foundation, we’re highlighting exceptional stories of those from our programmes. This month, meet Idris and Karen. Both took part in the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, which has been run in partnership with Speakers Trust since 2006. Karen and Idris are sharing their experience and advice!

Idris was crowned the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge Grand Final winner in 2010.

Karen was one of the first cohort to have taken part in the programme, and spoke at the Grand Final in 2007.

Firstly, tell us about yourself – name, what you do, where you are from.

Karen: My name is Karen Boadu and I currently work as a corporate lawyer at leading global law firm A&O Shearman. I was born and raised in South London and my parents are of Ghanaian heritage.

Idris: My name is Idris Debrand. I’m an actor, from Islington, London.

Tell us about your experience taking part in Jack Petchey’s Speak out Challenge.

Idris: About 14 years ago I took part in the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge Grand Final and was crowned the Grand Final Champion. I can still remember the day like it only happened yesterday. It was an incredible experience, finding myself, finding my voice and also finding my passion. From the training to the regional finals, to more training, to the grand finals; the experience was nothing short of amazing.

Karen: My experience at the first Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge Grand Final back when I was a student in Burntwood School was extremely impactful. Initially, I found the thought of standing in front of a large audience to deliver a talk quite daunting. However, I decided to engage fully with the programme and by doing so, managed to build my confidence. I ended up having such an amazing time, supported by my family, friends and English teacher and created memories that I will always cherish!

What impact did taking part have for you?

Karen: It helped me to understand the power of my voice and the art of incredible storytelling. It was the first time I had properly learnt about the benefits of excellent communication skills and it completely changed my outlook on public speaking.

Idris: It definitely took my confidence to another level. I felt empowered by the trainers, as well as my peers to use my voice for good, and to impact and inspire others.

How have the skills you developed helped you in later life?

Idris: The Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge birthed my acting career. I always knew I loved acting but didn’t know I could pursue this as a whole career. I took all I learnt in the training into my auditions. Confidence is a major, major factor that casting directors and producers look for. Outside of acting, I also host events and I’m recently exploring the industry of wedding MC’ing.

Karen: As a lawyer, I am required to constantly communicate with clients, often articulating quite complex concepts to them in a manner that is clear and easy to understand. In addition, I’m often asked to deliver client presentations and legal training, all of which require me to have excellent communication skills. I’ll forever be grateful to the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge for equipping me with the skills I needed for this stage of my life and career!

What advice would you have for young people today about taking part in programmes like this and why communication and youth voice is important?

Karen: I would encourage them to enjoy the experience and give it their best, always remaining authentic and true to themselves! I would also let them know that regardless of whether they win the competition or not, they should be incredibly proud of themselves for having the courage to stand before a crowd and deliver their speeches on a topic they feel passionately about. They should never forget that with their voice, they have the power to bring hope and inspiration to those around them and to change things for the better!

Idris: The most important thing is to have fun – don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy it, because it will come and go super quickly and before you know it, you’ve become an alumni writing answers for the Jack Petchey Foundation website! These skills are for life, and you will see it manifest in anything you end up doing as you get older. Young voices matter because I remember very vividly being young, and how important it was for me to feel seen and heard, and having the space and being allowed to speak made me who I am. It’s super important to allow young people to be free and express themselves, and through this, we help in the moulding and building their character as they grow older.

The 2023-24 Grand Final of the Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge was held at the Cambridge Theatre on 8th July 2024. Watch all of the Grand Finalist’s speeches here.