Recently Emma Brown, one of our Members of Youth Parliament took part in the launch of her school Diversity Panel, with the introduction of many new resources and Emma even led a schoolwide assembly. Throughout the week, the panel spoke to all years highlighting the importance of inclusion at the school. This article showcases Emma’s experiences of the panel.

We promoted our values of equality, acceptance and our voice, which we have promised to put at the forefront of all of our campaigning. Like Youth parliament, our assemblies are highlighting the importance of youth voice in our community. As the assembly progressed, we asked the students to stand up if they believe that their voice is listened to, but most people sat down. This obvious lack of student voice shows me that something must be done to increase students’ participation in what’s happening at our school. We finished the assembly with this simple but powerful video:

When More People Speak Up, More People Listen (youtube.com)

Overall, the student body accepted the assembly well and it certainly stirred up conversations about our voice in the school environment.

The Diversity Panel, is introducing a suggestion box in our school library to allow students to anonymously report concerns or make suggestions to us. We’ve also introduced a badge system for students and lanyards for teachers to show pupils who they can speak to; this has worked very effectively so far. And there is certainly more change to come in the next academic year.

At a recent meeting, I asked members of the panel why they though that our representation of diversity is important. Many said that they “felt proud that our school is doing something for our school community” and one member said that “it’s great to finally be able to express my views”. After taking feedback from those new members who joined after the assembly many were compelled to try and make change “because I wanted to make our school a better place”.

As a member of Youth Parliament, the celebration of diversity is at the heart of all of my work and I believe that it’s vital that all students have a panel similar to ours, so they can express their views, opinions and concerns. If this work sounds interesting to you, why not start up your own panel in school? Or campaign for more inclusion?

To finish I would like to end with a quote from our head teacher who diligently watched our assemblies all throughout the week, he said:

For these students to bravely promote equality and diversity with a clarity and passion was gently magical. And it was equally instructive to watch the students in the audience. Their respectful listening told you something about how this landed, that the representation of their own student body in this discussion was as it should be.

Spreading awareness for diversity and inclusion influences everyone, whether or not they show it, Spread your views and opinions, your voice matters.

Emma