Members of the South Australian Student Representative Council (SA SRC) want all South Australian schools to regularly undertake a review of their policies, curriculum, co-curricular groups and staff, to ensure they embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Importantly, the review must be undertaken using mechanisms that involve students as co-designers and contributors.
Many young people do not see themselves in the texts or subjects they study, or in the holidays or events their school promotes and celebrates.
Although many schools are doing their best, they just don’t have the resources or tools they need to assess the scope of the situation, or the knowledge to determine what steps they could take to improve student inclusion.
Conducting regular diversity reviews would allow students and staff to self-assess their school’s inclusivity. The review results would provide insight into the diversity of their school community and with student input, help to determine what steps to take to make it more inclusive.
This position brief outlines the goals and methodology of the Seeing Ourselves campaign, and provides a summary of the poll held across South Australian schools which assessed students’ thoughts inclusivity and representation.
Seeing Ourselves is one of five campaigns undertaken by the 2024 SA SRC. You can also access the position briefs for Fitness for Free, Free Fares for Our Future, Greening Our Canteens, and Our Future Our Vote.