About the event

Want to develop student voice, but not sure where to start? Join us for the Achievements & Challenges Seminar as we dive into the current state of student voice, agency, and participation.

In 2019 there was a major international conference around Student Voice, Agency, and Participation in Melbourne. Four years on from this face-to-face event:
- What has changed?
- What is the current state of play for Student Voice?
- How are these ideas embedded in school plans and practice, going beyond the rhetoric?

Whether you're a student, teacher, school leader, academic, policy worker, or part of a support organisation, this seminar is a must-attend! It offers a valuable opportunity to hear form a diverse range of stakeholders across the divides. You can engage in discussions with like-minded individuals from schools, communities, and the broader education system.

This seminar will challenge and inspire you as you explore innovative and practical solutions and strategies. Our expert panels comprise of a diverse mix of voices from different corners of education, working to bridge gaps and stimulate discussions. Let's embark on this journey of discovering innovative solutions and strategies together. Explore our lineup of speakers below!

Meet the Speakers

Hayley Dureau

Hayley Dureau is Assistant Principal at Mentone Girls’ Secondary College. Prior to this, Hayley was Head of Student Voice at Mount Waverley Secondary College and she has been recognised at state and national levels as a passionate and forward-thinking mathematics teacher and educational leader. Passionate about enhancing student learning by improving relationships between staff and students, Hayley’s work gave students the opportunity to provide professional learning for staff, drive elements the school’s strategic plan, design feedback tools which teachers use regularly, and allowed students to provide feedback and engage in powerful conversations around their learning, with their teachers.

Emma Donaldson

Emma Donaldson is an upper Primary School teacher at Melbourne Girls Grammar School, who is passionate about student voice. Emma recently shared an article in ReConnectEd about her work tackling the absence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems, cultural representation and language in schools and communities. Emma will be joining us for the Achievements & Challenges Seminar, chatting about her work partnering with students to address the complex and important inclusion of Indigenous voices, history and culture in a meaningful way.

JSC from Rosanna Primary School with coordinators Sophie Cartelli and Caitlin Wheeler

In 2016, the Rosanna Primary School Junior School Council (JSC) decided that they no longer wanted to be just a fundraising body; rather they wanted to be a voice on behalf of all students and be proactive in taking action. They dedicated the year to a range of student-led initiatives, ranging from creating the ‘Voiceometer’ to use as a student voice measurement tool, to highlighting and celebrating student voice through the ‘Student Voice Awards’, and building a Chicken Coop which saw the development of our Garden Club. The Rosanna Primary JSC were recently published in ReConnectEd, and will be joining us at the upcoming Achievements & Challenges Seminar to chat about the work they’ve been doing to develop student voice and participation!

VicSRC

Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) is the peak body and leading advocate representing school-aged students in Victoria. VicSRC was created by students to be a voice for all primary and secondary school students at the highest levels of decision making in Victorian education. Their vision is an education system that is student-led, student driven and student-focused. VicSRC CEO Julia Baron (she/her) will be joined by members from VicSRC's Student Executive Advisory Committee for the Achievements & Challenges Seminar, to chat about their experience representing students on a state-wide level.

Getting to the event

We recommend that you travel by Public Transport to this event. Tram Routes 11 and 48 stop nearby and are within the Free Tram Zone so there's no need to touch on your Myki. Southern Cross Station is 500 meters away. Use PTV’s Journey Planner to plan your trip. There is limited metered street parking available nearby and none within the immediate vicinity of the venue. If you want to travel to this event via a private bus, please reach out to discuss your plans. Local roads may not be suitable, and parking may not be available. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible event. If you require accommodations to allow you to participate in this event, please contact us via email to have confidential discussion. This event is wheelchair accessible and will be held on the second floor of the Community Hub at The Dock. Access to the building is flat, and there is a lift to the second floor. Toilets are also located on both floors. Any documents or handouts can be made available in alternative formats, please contact us for more information.  

What to expect

Light refreshments will be provided. Please ensure to advise of any dietary requirements, via the ticket form, at least 36 hours prior to the event. Requirements received after this deadline may not be able to be accommodated. We are committed to the continual improvement of our environmental performance, and to reduce our environmental impact we will only provide a limited number of single use items in our catering. To join us in this commitment, we strongly recommend that you bring a keep cup and a water bottle to this event. 

This is a paid event, and your ticket will be scanned upon entry. If you're able to do so, we'd greatly appreciate if you'd also purchase an ACSV Lanyard alongside your ticket to contribute to the running costs of the ACSV. Tickets will not be sold at the event itself.

This event will be recorded. To allow for the continual sharing of knowledge, we’ll be recording this event and making it available to our community. Video and still photography will be captured, and this media will also be used in the promotion of the ACSV. If you do not wish to be photographed, please contact us prior to the event. 

Safety

The ACSV is a child safe organisation. We have adopted the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, and are committed to empowering young people through enjoyable and enriching experiences. The ACSV has a responsibility to protect all children and young people from potential harm that might arise during their engagement with us and in spaces which we provide. We share this responsibility with parents, guardians, and the child or young person. The ACSV will take particular care to minimise risks of exposure to unsuitable content, experiences, and inappropriate contact. To uphold this commitment, alongside other measures, all volunteers and ACSV Staff have a valid working with children's check. 

Information you submit through the Ticket purchasing process, such as your name and email address, when made available to us are governed by our Digital Platform’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We strongly encourage you to take a moment to familiarise yourself with this policy. As the tickets are available for sale only on Humanitix’s website, we strongly recommend that you take time to read through their Ticketing Terms and Privacy Policy

The full terms and conditions of entry are available on our website. Visit studentvoice.org.au/seminar for more info.