Education expert and SRC Masterclass host Jill Pearman says that a well-run SRC can help create a school culture built on inclusion and belonging. 

But how do you create a strong SRC?

Pearman has been supporting schools build cultures of wellbeing across her 40-year career in education. She visited two exemplar schools to find out how they run their SRCs. 

According to Pearman, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to setting up and running an SRC, but there are schools who are leveraging their student structures to build student wellbeing.

Oxley Park Public School in Western Sydney and Westfield Sports High School in southwest Sydney are two schools that have thriving SRCs.

SRC can contribute to a wellbeing culture

“You can feel the culture when you walk through the playground,” Jill says of the two schools. “You can see in the way students interact with each other and with teachers. These schools take wellbeing seriously and put it at the centre of everything they do, including SRC.”

Jill says both schools have run the 91ֱ�� Support program for many years, and have stood out as ‘gold standard’ for their best-practice approach to building a culture with strong peer-to-peer relationships and student voice.

Jill says that wellbeing is not an afterthought for these schools’ leadership teams.

“It’s embedded into everything they do, and that’s reflected in their SRC. They use student voice as a key tool for inclusion and belonging,” she says.  

Representation matters

Both schools have their challenges, with their populations overrepresented by students from socioeconomic disadvantage. They also share a large multicultural community. For example, Westfield’s Sports High School has more than one third of students from a non-English language background. 

The Principal at Westfield’s Sports High School, Andrew Rogers, embraces and celebrates the school’s diversity, which is reflected in the SRC membership.

Student voice means listening and responding

The SRC is a real opportunity for students to help shape the decisions that impact them. Jill says that both schools take student voice seriously.

“Student voice isn’t just a buzz term. These schools genuinely want input from their students as key stakeholders in the decision-making process,” Jill says.

“Everyone needs to be heard. But the worst thing you can do is ask someone for their opinion and then not listen to it,” Andrews says.

“We are very conscious that when we talk to our SRC students, when we give them the opportunity to speak and give their perspectives, that we act on that information. “

A wellbeing focus supports student engagement and outcomes

Wellbeing isn’t just about feeling good. It impacts engagement metrics, like school attendance, and outcomes, like academic performance.

For some students, like Draven in Year 6, it makes all the difference.

“Before I had a leadership role, I didn’t want to come to school,” Draven says. “I didn’t think I had what it takes to be a student leader. But I ran for a student leader position, and I got it.

Kim Smith, Principal at Oxley Park Public School, puts a wellbeing lens on SRC that recognises all kids benefit from leadership positions.

“It empowers them to be creative, confident and collaborative. It enriches their social capacity. And they become strong positive role models for other students,” she says.  

Pearman says that wellbeing underpins academic performance.

“We know that wellbeing is directly linked to student performance. There’s a strong relationship between how a student feels and how they learn and their academic engagement,” she says.

This is reflected in Westfield’s 2024 NAPLAN results, with writing, spelling, grammar and maths all above school averages when compared with students from similar backgrounds.

Create your own thriving SRC

The SRC Masterclass is an online training course for teachers who coordinate their school’s SRC. The 10-episode video series includes interviews with students, teachers and school leaders from Westfields Sports High School and Oxley Park Public School.  Hosted by Jill Pearman, it provides a deep dive into student voice, with practical tips, insights and research that will elevate your SRC to a thriving student voice and wellbeing vehicle.

Find out more here

The post Student voice: How two schools have created thriving SRCs appeared first on 91ֱ�� Support.

SRCs have been part of the fabric of the Australian education system for such a long time, it can be easy to forget the opportunity they present for students to develop a range of skills, and contribute to a positive school culture.

91ֱ�� Support’s education expert Jill Pearman says an effective SRC can have a positive impact on student wellbeing and school culture. 

“Schools that do SRC well, often position it as a wellbeing initiative,” Ms Pearman says. “Some school executives and leaders recognise the impact that a strong student voice has on creating a space where kids and teenagers feel safe and valued.”

Student representatives develop leadership skills

Being a student representative is exposing Ben to decision-making in a cross-grade peer group. He describes it as ‘exhilarating’.

“We try to come up with new ideas for fundraisers to help people in need or to help worthy causes,” he says.

Ms Pearman says the experience is likely boosting his confidence, enabling him to form new relationships, and giving him a sense of empowerment.

A school SRC can contribute to a positive culture

But SRCs don’t just benefit kids like Ben who are lucky enough to get a role on one.

“SRCs can help the whole school community, delivering a strong student voice and creating a culture of belonging and inclusion,” Ms Pearman says.

And that’s why, she says, 91ֱ�� Support provides training for SRC coordinators.

“Teachers at 91ֱ�� Support schools started asking us to develop SRC training because they recognised the synergy between the 91ֱ�� Support program and their SRC program,” she said.

“Both programs empower student leaders, support student voice, and build peer connections.”

SRC members feel a sense of responsibility

Since joining the SRC, Ben has attended regular meetings, shared his ideas, and contributed to several events.

He takes his role seriously, feeling a sense of responsibility towards his peers. This plays out in the classroom and playground, where other kids voice their contributions for him to take back to meetings.

His friends, Thomas and Oliver, say they tell Ben to raise particular issues at meetings, including fixing the soccer goal posts and making assemblies shorter.

Like the other student council representatives, Ben is being given an opportunity to learn a range of skills, including communication, idea development, planning, and working in a team.

“The SRC gives also gives students a chance to communicate with teachers and peers,” Ms Pearman says. “It instils them with confidence and shows that you can influence positive change.”

A well-run school SRC creates a sense of belonging

Ben works together on projects and events with other student representatives, fostering friendships and teamwork skills.

Ms Pearman says student-led events also create a sense of fun and inclusion.

“Kids love running events, and it seems to generate a lot of excitement among their peers too,” Ms Pearman says. “There’s often a feel-good element when students raise money for causes they care about. It highlights the power that groups and individuals have to contribute to the community.”

Ben is thoughtful about including his peers in SRC activities, which helps create a culture of belonging at his school.

“We try to have fun and keep activities safe for everyone,” he says. “We try to take care of everyone because we are a team.”

SRCs can have a significant contribution to the sense of comradery across the school community, according to Ms Pearman. 

“The relationships formed with students from other grades across school can have a significant effect on building a great sense of belonging and a connected culture,” she says. “This vertical grouping of students is a very important aspect of SRCs.”

Find out more about 91ֱ�� Support’s training for SRC coordinators.

The post 4 reasons you should prioritise your school SRC appeared first on 91ֱ�� Support.

SRCs play a crucial role in amplifying student voices and fostering engagement. They provide students with an opportunity to actively participate in decision-making processes and contribute to the development of their schools.

SRCs can provide a voice on a range of school-related issues, such as school rules, how students are taught in class, ideas for improving wellbeing, improvements to the school’s grounds, and much more.

Students can integrate ideas from their peers into plans for the year, supported by their SRC Coordinator.

These eight ideas aim to enhance student voice, foster leadership skills, promote wellbeing, and create a culture of inclusivity.

Create the right environment for a student-led SRC

SRC engagement is not about telling student representatives what they should focus their time on. Instead, it’s about opening a school up to student voice, initiative and participation.

When students feel like their views are valued and listened to, they’re more likely to work enthusiastically with other stakeholders, canvass peers, put forward ideas and make decisions.

They are much more engaged in their roles and will bring forward student-led initiatives. With the right environment and training, what initiatives could be just waiting to be proposed in your school?

It’s worth taking the time to train your student representatives, so they feel equipped and empowered in their positions. 91ֱ�� Support offers SRC training to teachers who are SRC coordinators. 91ֱ�� Support offers training for teachers who are SRC Coordinators. The training includes a workbook and resources to train their student representatives.

Empower students to support their own wellbeing

A focus on wellbeing is critical in a post-Covid environment, given only 11 per cent of children in Australia .

SRCs can become allies in identifying wellbeing issues. They can respond through activities, events or programs, including organising mental health awareness campaigns, yoga or meditation sessions.

Ask your SRC for input on the school environment

Would your school benefit from murals, more recycling facilities, or new soccer balls? What advice could students offer when it comes to improving gardens, seating, toilets or canteen facilities?

One school in Victoria, for example, they would have put new bubblers in the wrong places without student feedback!

Invite input into teaching and learning

Schools may baulk at being ‘taught how to teach’. However, students can be powerful sources of feedback on what they find effective and engaging to support better learning outcomes.

SRCs could provide feedback on curriculum and what they want to see more of in lessons, share common learning challenges, pitch excursion ideas, or shape how tech is used in the classroom.

There may be opportunities to invite students to have their say on decisions that effect their learning. You could, for example, ask for student input before purchasing new books for the classroom or library.

Use your SRC to help communicate school messages

SRCs can play a central role in contributing to or designing better all-round school communications.

This could involve contributing newsletters, noticeboards, websites and social media, having special assemblies, or participating in parent-teacher meetings.

Involve your SRC in events

Casual dress days, discos, musical performances and arts, science or maths competitions.

What lunch time sport or club activities interest your SRC? What social events? Could they advocate for team games between students and teachers, organise a talent show, or make carnivals better?

SRCs can have lots of great ideas for making school a fun place for kids.

Support your SRC to fundraise

Fundraising is a common responsibility for SRCs. SRCs can raise funds for the school or for initiatives like charities and organisations, food and clothing drives and more. Empower your SRC to choose which charities to support and how to raise money.

Fundraisers are a lovely way to support the community. Just make sure you give your SRC opportunities to engage with other activities too.

Encourage your SRC to take action

Empower your students to have a voice on issues they care about. How can your SRC get behind causes, like climate change? Do they want to take action? What can they do?

There may be teachers who can support your SRC with advocacy campaigns, such as writing letters to MPs, and contacting the local newspaper to share stories.

Case studies: Be inspired with these Student Representative Council ideas from two schools

Not every school would choose to have their logo designed by their own students.

But this is the path taken by one school that attended 91ֱ�� Support Australia’s SRC Coordinator training. Through their SRC, the school’s student body was canvassed for their ideas on what features should go into the logo. Student feedback was then fed to a graphic designer to come up with a final design.

In this case, the SRC and students were not an afterthought. Instead, they were engaged by being taken into the process all the way through. They were there right alongside the adults making the decisions. Now, they are said to be wearing their new logo they helped design with pride.

The SRC of Brauer College in Victoria is another example. Identifying a problem with morale and discussion around mental health, impacting wellbeing, it launched the Emotional Support Rabbits project, becoming the first school in Australia to use rabbits as emotional support animals.

, the student-led initiative was successful in creating more discussion around mental health, removing stigma around its student wellbeing space, and is even being looked at by other SRCs and schools to see how it can help them.

Student Representative Council ideas FAQs

1. What is the purpose of a Student Representative Council (SRC)?

The SRC ensures that student voices are heard and included in school decision-making.

3. What are some effective ways to engage student voices?

Invite your SRC to be true partners in the decisions that effect their education. Get their input into the school environment, learning resources, events, and wellbeing initiatives. Include your SRC input into your communication platforms.

4. How can SRCs ensure diverse representation?

SRCs should actively seek input from students of different backgrounds and experiences. Encourage diverse membership to reflect the school’s demographics and include different voices, such as students with disability or from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Improve school-wide student wellbeing

Better support student mental health through a peer-led approach to wellbeing, trusted by 620+ schools Australia-wide.

Register Today

The post Student Representative Council: 8 ideas to engage your student voice appeared first on 91ֱ�� Support.