What we stand for
There have been a few attempts to set up a national body whose role is to advocate for student voice, agency, and participation in Australia between the 1970s and 2010s. In 2019, a group of like minded advocates brought the series of international conferences to Melbourne with the 2019 Student Voice, Agency, and Participation International Conference (SVCMelbourne). Out of this conference, the organisers recognised the need for a national body to not only act as the legal authority under which events like this occurred, but to ensure the continual sharing of knowledge. From this, the Australian Council for Student Voice was born.
The ACSV uniquely sits “across the divides”. We are not just for students, we are for leaders and learners who are passionate about student voice, agency, and partnerships. We are a national peak body who brings together students, educators, school leaders, academics, policy makers, and industry through events like the 2019 Conference, and through the continual sharing of knowledge.
We're building a national body whose purpose is the promotion and development of student voice. Differentiating ourselves from those who’ve tried this before us, we aim to support our community to be advocates for themselves. This body will facilitate events, share knowledge, and develop leading practice. We will bring together like minded individuals and provide support for them to create meaningful change as a collective, towards an education system where student voice thrives.
We're committed to an Australian Council for Student Voice that works independently to amplify student voice through support, training, and partnerships.
Our Values
We’re independent
We are independent – we aren’t funded by government, but by our community’s contributions and involvement.
We’re democratic
We are democratic –all members of our community have the chance to be involved in the governance and the decision-making of the ACSV, to have a say on decisions that affect them.
We value collaboration and learning
We value collaboration and learning – taking an active role in the future, through building real connections with our community and sharing valuable knowledge.
We value integrity and inclusion
We value integrity and inclusion – we act with purpose and are accountable for our actions, including to hear from the unheard voices, and sharing practice across the divides.
Our Commitment to Child Safety
The Australian Council for Student Voice Ltd. (ACSV) is deeply committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. Our role as a national peak body advocating for student voice, agency, and participation is built upon a foundation of creating inclusive, equitable, and empowering environments where all students feel safe, valued, and respected.
Drawing from our Australian Framework for Student Empowerment, we affirm that child safety must be approached with authenticity, cultural responsiveness, and equity. Our commitment is to establish systems and practices that not only safeguard children but also empower them to actively contribute to decisions that impact their lives.
We affirm our zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and are dedicated to actively preventing harm. This includes embedding child safety in our policies, practices, and culture, ensuring that all children—regardless of their background, abilities, or identity—feel valued and supported. We strive to uphold the rights of children as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and align our efforts with the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
As an independent and democratic body, the ACSV stands across divides to connect students, educators, school leaders, academics, policy makers, and industry. Our work fosters collaboration and learning to ensure that the voices of children and young people are not just heard but meaningfully acted upon.
Our commitment to child safety reflects our broader mission to create an education system where student voice thrives, and students are empowered to lead meaningful change in their communities.
We’re proud to be an official supporter of the National Strategy for Volunteering
We recognise that we all have a part to play in ensuring that volunteering has a bright future in Australia. The National Strategy is a ten-year roadmap for how we can collectively build this future and our organisation is committed to this journey.
