Our Voices Our Schools Online Scheme Launches

An online toolkit to help schools improve the voice of their students has launched.

Our Voices Our Schools seeks to improve the participation of young people in decision-making in the school system by informing school management and teaching staff of their views, based on the Lundy Model of conceptualising a child's right to participation.

The project was created as a result of young people around the country expressing a feeling that there was inequality in their school. Responding to these concerns the National Executive developed this online resource for schools over a two year period, furthering opportunities for all students to have their voices heard and included in decision-making in school.

The guidelines will create an effective partnership between the student body, teachers and school management by providing equal opportunities for individual, collective and representative student voices to be heard and recognised.

The toolkit includes worksheets, reflective exercises, peer-assessment tools, resources to develop surveys and research articles to assist principals, teachers and young people themselves in improving the participation of young people in schools.

Minister Zappone officially launched Our Voices Our Schools to an audience of young people and adults from secondary schools and educational stakeholders this week. Videos of how schools have implemented this project and the impact it has had were shown and participants workshopped the toolkit.

The Minister shared her excitement about the potential of the online resource created by the young people, stating that: "We need to work together to make our schools places where students are listened to and heard. It is no longer a time for young people to be seen and not heard. Young people will be seen and young people will be heard."



(JG/CM)