Australian Framework for Student Empowerment

We’re leading the development of a comprehensive set of standards and framework for student empowerment in Australia.

The development of the AFSE is being led by a Steering Committee, who represent a wide variety of perspectives and join us from across Australia; and are all incredibly passionate about student voice. We wanted to share some initial insights with you. Through collaborative efforts and ongoing stakeholder engagement, we are developing a framework that addresses the diverse needs and experiences of students across Australia. By establishing clear standards and frameworks for student empowerment, we can empower students to take ownership of their education, cultivate critical thinking skills, and become effective contributors to their communities.

This framework will serve as a guide for all educational stakeholders in promoting student voice, agency, and participation within schools and communities.

We are committed to collaborating with educators, students, policymakers, and other stakeholders to ensure that this framework reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of the Australian education sector. Together, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and empowering educational experience for all students.

We’ve conducted an initial consultation, that has provided us many insights. So far we have heard from a modest but diverse group of people with wide representation from across the community. We primarily heard from educators and academics, and we engaged with people from a range of states and territories across Australia, with a  majority in NSW and  Queensland.

From our initial consultation we can see that there is desire for greater guidance for schools and communities on student empowerment. There are also so many great examples of schools and communities that genuinely value student voice, agency, & partnerships.

Check out this infographic we’ve put together explaining a bit more about what we learnt.

Project Scope

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive framework of standards and guidelines for promoting student empowerment within educational institutions and communities across Australia. The framework aims to provide stakeholders with a roadmap for creating inclusive, student-centred learning environments that foster student agency, voice, and participation. The framework will not prescribe specific curriculum content or pedagogical approaches but will instead focus on overarching principles and guidelines for promoting student empowerment within diverse educational contexts.

Stakeholder Involvement

Stakeholders involved in the project will include educators, students, parents, policymakers, support organisations, and other relevant parties. Their input will be essential in shaping the framework to ensure it reflects diverse perspectives and meets the needs of the sector.

Framework Components

The framework will encompass the following key components:

  • Definition and Principles: Establishing a clear understanding of the key components and characteristics of student-empowered learning environments, including student voice, agency, partnerships, and leadership.

  • Strategies for Implementation: Providing practical guidance and recommendations for leaders on ensuring and improving student empowerment, integrating student voice into decision-making processes, fostering a culture of empowerment, etc.

  • Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: Establishing mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of student empowerment efforts and identifying areas for ongoing improvement and refinement.

  • Resources and Support: Providing educators and institutions with resources, tools, and professional development opportunities to support the implementation of student empowerment initiatives.

Key Deliverables

The project will deliver the following key outputs:

  • The Australian Framework for Student Empowerment, outlining the standards, guidelines, and recommendations for promoting student empowerment.

  • Supporting materials, resources, and tools to assist stakeholders in implementing the framework effectively.

  • Ongoing support and professional development opportunities for stakeholders to support their implementation of the framework.

Project Governance

The project will be overseen by a steering committee comprising representatives from key stakeholder groups, responsible for providing guidance, decision-making, and oversight throughout the project lifecycle.