Councils
Find Your Council
browse below and find the one that matches your interests
Apply To Join
Tell us about yourself and what you'd bring to the council
Get to Work
Most councils meet virtually on a flexible schedule
Welcome to Our Council Portal
NextGen Debate is built and sustained by volunteers who care about the activity. Our Councils are the working groups behind everything NGD does. Find your fit and apply to join.Â
Resources
Develops and maintains NGD’s debate resources including topic releases, case materials, debate guides, and the Golden Speaker Rubric.Â
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Courses
Builds and maintains the course curriculum. Be part of the video creation process and help us discover new ways to teach debate.
Term: Two years with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Camp
Plan and execute Camp. Includes programming, logistics, scholarships, and more.Â
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Swag
Help us select and design new products, fulfill orders, and manage everything else to do with The Debate Store.Â
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Volunteer Admin
Recruits, onboards, and coordinates NGD volunteer community. Manage volunteer assignments across all events and programs.Â
Term: Two years with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by June 1 and begin by Aug 1.Â
Tournament
Although NGD does not have any tournament plans at the moment, that doesn’t mean we won’t some day. Sign up here to help make this happen.Â
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by April 1 and begin by June 1.Â
Website
We need help developing and maintaining this powerful platform. Sign up to join our web development team.Â
Term: Two years with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
NGD News
Help us design and execute newsletters. Research and report on issues that matter to you.
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Outreach
Handles community outreach, league + school partnerships and expansion efforts.Â
Term: Two years with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Grants
Work with the team that finds and completes grants that help us fund our nonprofit operation.Â
Term: Two years with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Registration
Execute, organize, and improve the registration process for everyone.Â
Term: One year with possible extensions.
Selection: Apply by Dec 1 and begin by Feb 1.Â
Coach Support
Your mission is to support coaches. You decide how we can best do that. Includes coach training curriculum. Â
Term: One year with possible extensions. 18+ only
Selection: Apply by April 1 and begin by June 1.Â
Leadership
For 18+ only. This team is responsible for coaching and supporting council leaders, managing the budget, and all other day to day responsibilities.
Term: Two years with possible extensions. 18+ only
Selection: Apply by April 1 and begin by June 1.Â
Something Else?
Is there something else you’d like to volunteer for? Or perhaps you are open to volunteering for anything. Let us know here.Â
Frequently Asked Questions
NextGen Debate is an online platform aiming to bring the middle and high school debate communities together. We want debate to become more accessible to everyone and to strengthen existing organizations through education and collaboration. More specifically, debate students, coaches, volunteers, and league admins are all encouraged to sign up regardless of your current level of experience.Â
Yes. Your NGD membership is completely free and never expires. Some course packages and league specific memberships may require a separate purchase to unlock, but your account, your community access, and a growing library of free content is available to everyone.Â
We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit  that is funded by local grants and micro donations. We do not charge for debate opportunities as long as we can afford too.Â
Not at all. NGD welcomes individual members regardless of league or school affiliation. Many of our members come from rural areas or programs that are just getting started. The platform is designed to support you wherever you are in your debate journey.
No problem. If your league isn’t yet affiliated with NGD you can register as an independent member (often called a floater) and still access everything the platform has to offer. Your league can always join later and you can transfer your affiliation at that time.Â
NGD serves debaters as young as 5th grade. Minors registering on the platform are required to have parental awareness and consent. If you have questions about account access for younger students, please contact our support team.Â
Newsletter
Subscribe soon, not quite ready.