Gathering student voice on racism and mental health in schools

Taking a whole-school approach to anti-racism means putting the views and ideas of students at the centre of everything you do.

Taking students’ views into consideration should always be a part of decision-making at your school. Schools should provide children and young people with meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, views and hopes about their school.

Asking students for their opinions and ideas around anti-racism has benefits for both the school and the students and can be done in many different ways. It can provide:

• an improved sense of belonging and community in the school

• an improved sense of identity for students

• developing students’ confidence and self-esteem

• a safe space for students to share lived experiences of racism

• identification of issues or specific students who are having difficulties and who may need further support

This resource shares a number of suggestions for gathering student voice around anti-racism. It also shares suggested questions to add to a student survey, with guidance on how best to do this.