Finally – a real voice for students
ESSA (English Secondary Students Association) has just launched a really exciting initiative in partnership with Channel 4, that asks students to submit videos of their views of education in the UK.
So-called ’student voice’ in schools all too often results in successful students confirming or repeating the agendas of the adults in their school, in what has become known as ‘ventriloquism’. Real voices of real students (and not just those who are succeeding in the school environment) are hard for adults in schools to access even where the intentions are genuine and the processes thought through.
This is why ESSA’s initiative is so exciting. ESSA, founded by RSA Fellow Rajeeb Dey, is a charity run for students by students (and this it staken seriously – their board of trustees are all aged between 11 and 19) and supports young people of secondary age to exercise real student voice, and to take action in their schools on issues they care about.
This time they are asking students to submit up to 3 min videos for their chance to appear on Channel 4 and win an award and prizes including exclusive training opportunities with media professionals from PR agency Porter Novelli; Channel 4; Form Films etc. The findings will be fed into a Manifesto to present at party conferences in Autumn.
Comments
3 Comments on Finally – a real voice for students
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Max Hogg on
Sat, 30th May 2009 11:49 am
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Rajeeb Dey on
Mon, 29th Jun 2009 9:37 pm
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Shalina on
Wed, 2nd Sep 2009 10:40 am
Hi Louise,
I agree – this is a very welcome development. Not just because students often have the clearest and most coherent views on the future of education, but also because the process of making your voice heard its itself an important educational experience. Initiatives like this help students to realise they can be agents of change, rather than disempowered recipients of a service.
It’s not clear whether ESSA will be able to get beyond the usual suspects – I hope so!
Max
Hi Max,
Completely agree and this is exactly what we’re aiming to do – especially by working with those who are seen as ‘disenfranchised’ or those who need additional support in having their voices heard. For example we’ve just started a two year programme with “NEET” young people in Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest to develop peer leaders amongst them and develop truly inclusive student voice mechanisms.
Really pleased to hear you’re supportive of this type of work!
Best wishes
Raj
I think this project sounds great- if only they had this kind of thing when I was in school! It’s great to see something which will convey the real and more importantly, the honest voice of students.
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