What:

Identify key positions on leadership teams that are designated and filled by students.

How to do it:

1. Indicate in your group structure/bylaws/governing structure that a designated number of positions are filled by students.

2. Provide support to the adults on the team to understand how to make space for the students’ voices to be heard.

3. Recruit students to fill those spaces and engage them as equals.

4. Provide support for students filling those roles to understand the structure and how to engage in the decision making body.

5. Create regular intentionality and supports to ensure students are explicitly invited and encouraged to share their voice and adults are accountable to be responsive to those student voices.

Things to Consider:

• In this model there is risk of tokenising students in this role. It is vital that the implementation includes the adults buying into the clear values and practices that elevate student voice. This may require explicit training and practices for accountability to the model.

• If this position is left up to a volunteer position, it is more likely that voices reflecting dominant culture will be represented and marginalized identities will still not have a voice. Intentionally seeking out students that may not regularly be invited into these spaces and providing support to help them successfully engage will be important to create true opportunities for authentic student voice.

• Be careful not to use this position(s) as the sole voice for the students.

• It may be helpful to include at least two positions on the decision making body to be filled by students for collegiality and support.

• Positions for Student Voice could be a long-term position or you may have different representatives engaged at different times on different topics.

• When engaging students in leadership positions it requires the adults to be flexible in meeting times and formats to accommodate the schedules and needs of the involved students.

Take It to the Next Level:

Leveling Up Towards the Leadership End of the Spectrum of Student Voice-Oriented Activity

• Consider how students can provide leadership from creating roles, responsibilities, facilitating meetings, and more.

https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/organizational-structure/include-youth/main