So it's not just about asking students what they think?

Young people sometimes feel that the subjects they are encouraged to speak about are of low importance or that their opinions don’t have an impact anyway.  They may also be sensitive to the power imbalance in their relationships with teachers and administrators and may be concerned about negative or punitive reactions if they speak up.

Student voice means more than consultation with students over such matters as school uniform, or how to reduce littering. It is not simply about the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinions and to provide data for others to make decisions. It is about young people’s true partnership with adults and active participation in meaningful decision-making and consequent actions. It is about philosophy, thinking and inquiry.  It is about having the power to share ideas, to influence peers and to influence broader change in the community.

Student voice promotes activities for making a difference:

• seeking to understand why things are done as they are
• having a say in what is learnt, how it is learnt, and how learning is assessed
• engaging as partners with teachers in the teaching process
• exercising the right to have a voice and respecting the rights of others to have their own very different voices
• transforming attitudes, policies and structures in education at all levels – local, state, national
• building participation skills and leadership abilities for today and in the future
• being actively involved in the community in finding real solutions to real problems.