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).

Read more about the DOVES Council on the about page.

How can I get involved?

Applications for the DOVES Minister’s Student Council are open for 2025.

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.

In October 2020 a student steering committee was formed to help co-design the council.

The result is DOVES 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 do students apply?

The DOVES applications are open for 2025.

The number of positions available is listed below by directorate, 13 in total.

Regional South 2
Connected Communities 0
Regional North & West 1
Regional North 3
Rural North 1
Rural South & West 2
Metro North 1
Metro South & West 1
Metro South 2

Students initial expressions of interest can be submitted via a video of up to 90 seconds or less in length and showcase you:

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?

• 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.

Please submit your application video via the Google form

Timeline