The Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP) Leanne McLean today announced the recipient of the inaugural Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Award for Student Voice is Cosgrove High School.
“The Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Award for Student Voice is awarded to a school, team, or individual who demonstrates excellence and innovation in including the views of children and young people in decisions being made about them, including in their schools and about their education” Ms McLean said.
“The team at Cosgrove High School is the first recipient of this new award due to their exemplary efforts in encouraging students to participate in decisions that impact on them, including their school’s physical appearance, culture and how the school can generally be improved.
“Cosgrove High School has purposefully provided opportunities for students to participate in decisions about their school and their education – from actively encouraging and supporting involvement in the CCYP Ambassador Program, to embedding opportunities for students to contribute to the future design of the school’s physical environment, school culture and school improvement.
“I would also like to make special mention of Cosgrove Assistant Principal David Bryant who has provided exceptional support and encouragement to students to participate as CCYP Ambassadors in 2019.”
Ms McLean said the award is designed to promote greater emphasis on listening to the views of students in schools about how schools are operating; and complements the new CCYP Ambassador program, in which nearly 200 young people Statewide are now engaged.
“These young people meet with me and tell me what’s important to them. One of the key priorities they’ve identified is ‘education and opportunities’ and how they think we can improve education in Tasmania.”
“I’m very pleased that The Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Award for Student Voice will become a feature of the Department of Education’s annual awards process, the Together we Inspire Awards, from next year.
