Student Voice

Within the diversity of the Hospital Education Services, Student Voice is considered a key component while children and students are admitted, in their homes or at school.

The principles include:

A right to voice:

  • The diversity of learners are included.
  • Genuine partnerships are established.
A right to access:
  • Multiple strategies are used to include the diverse voices of learners.
  • Support is provided to facilitate the involvement of the diversity of learners.
  • Ongoing induction of all participants in inclusive decision making partnerships occurs.
A right to accreditation:
  • Learners identify issues of concern to them as part of teaching and learning processes.
  • Decision making partnerships are formally acknowledged through learning programs and assessments.
A right to powerful partnerships:
  • Enjoyable and challenging processes that involve a sense of ownership and belonging for learners are included.
Key elements in effective and powerful participation include:
  • Meaning – learners believe in what they are doing.
  • Control – learners understand the roles they play in site and district decision making and carry their decisions through to resolution and action.
  • Coherence – there is consistency between what is said and what actually happens as a result of decision making partnerships.
  • Connectedness – there is a sense of working together, networking and creating something bigger.
  • Capacity building – learners’ capacities develop as they contribute
    • to shaping their sites and communities.