18 February 2026
Schools across Northern Ireland are being invited to get laughing as the VoiceBox joke competition launches, celebrating the importance of communication through humour.
Developed by the RCSLT Northern Ireland team, the competition encourages pupils of all abilities to get involved and share their funniest jokes in their own way.
The campaign launched today at Nettlefield Primary School in Belfast, where pupils entertained classmates and judges, including local comedian Emer Maguire.
Schools in Northern Ireland have until 20 March 2026 to submit their jokes, with the campaign culminating in a celebration event on 19 May at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, where the funniest pupil in Northern Ireland will be crowned.
More than 28,000 children in Northern Ireland experience speech, language or communication needs, and the competition highlights how vital communication skills are for confidence, learning and wellbeing.
Ruth Sedgewick, Head of RCSLT Northern Ireland, said: “VoiceBox is much more than a joke competition. It reminds us all how important it is to really listen to children. When we create spaces where children feel comfortable communicating, we see their confidence and personalities shine through.
“Speech and language therapy plays a vital role in helping children find their voice and express themselves in ways that work for them. Importantly, VoiceBox is a lot of fun, which really helps to engage children. We hope schools across Northern Ireland will join us in celebrating children’s voices and the many different ways they communicate.”
VoiceBox is supported by HarperCollins, whose Collins Big Cat programme helps schools build strong reading skills.
Visit our VoiceBox page for further details including a toolkit for schools and information on how to submit.
