Barrington Public School

Integrity - Excellence

Telephone02 6558 4258

Emailbarrington-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

From the department

Applications are open to join the 2025 DOVES Minister’s Student Council

Image of student council from 2024, standing with the Deputy Premier Prue Car

The Minister's Student Council is the peak forum for interaction between NSW public school students, NSW Education and the NSW Minister for Education.

The council is officially known as the DOVES (Department of Student Voices in Education and Schools).

The Minister's Student Council, known as the Department of Student Voices in Education and Schools (DOVES), is an initiative of the NSW Government to ensure student voices are heard in developing education policy and addressing matters of concern to students.

The council consists of a 27-member council representing students from all Operational Directorates across NSW, including Connected Communities, who advocate on behalf of their school communities.

There are three students representing each operational directorate who bring their wider student community into the policy process by holding regular DOVES forums, where they hear from special interest groups.

How to apply

Students' initial expressions of interest can be submitted with a video of up to 90 seconds or less in length:

1. Tell us about yourself.

2. Why would you be a good advocate and member of the DOVES Council?

3. Why are you passionate about helping NSW public education students?

4. What is an initiative you have implemented in your school?

Conditions for selection

  • Applications are open for students currently in Year 6 to Year 9.
  • Each student will sit on the council for a 2-year term.
  • There are no Year 12 students on the council due to HSC commitments.
  • If you are in Year 10 or Year 11 now you will be ineligible as your second year on the council will be in Year 12.

A selection panel will review all submissions and invite shortlisted applicants to join a short online video interview. The panel includes students currently on the DOVES Council and department representatives.

All students submitting their applications will be contacted.

For more information, visit the Department of Education website