Quinns Baptist College

The Quinns Baptist College Advisory Committee comprised of 16 children in Years 5 and 6 at Quinns Baptist College.

The Advisory Committee was formed so that students could develop their research skills and learn more about the views of culturally diverse younger members of their community.

Us and Our Community project 

The Committee’s 'Us and Our Community' project involved surveying upper primary students at their school on what they enjoy about their community and what they would like to change.

To help in the creation of the survey, the students were trained in research methods by the Sheridan Research Institute.

The Commissioner attended Quinns Baptist College to receive the final report from the consultation project, where students presented their research findings in an innovative way – a quiz show recorded on DVD titled ‘Children’s Choices’.

More than 200 local children from Quinns Baptist College and surrounding schools took part in the research, outlining what they liked best about living in their community – beaches, walkways and open spaces as well as sporting facilities and clubs all featured highly.

The Acting Commissioner presented certificates to the Advisory Committee members and thanked them all for their efforts throughout the year.

Later in the year, the students extended their research to other schools in the Wanneroo area presenting their results in a film or book.

Activities

10 June 2014 - online survey begins

• The Quinns Baptist College Advisory Committee is working on part two of their project Children’s Choices - Us and Our Community.
• The Advisory Committee has developed an online survey to gather the views of years 4, 5 and 6 students from three local schools on what is good about their community and what they think could be improved. Over the next two weeks they will analyse the survey results.
• The students are also working on an idea of how to creatively present the information to the Commissioner, but this is top secret at the present time.

13 March 2014 - visit by staff from the Commissioner's office

• Darren Gillespie, Manager Communication from the Commissioner’s office, visited the Advisory Committee to hear about the work they have completed so far. Each member of the advisory committee started by introducing themselves and describing what they like most about their community – the beaches and cycle paths were popular. Darren talked about the role of the Commissioner and then answered questions that advisory committees had about the Commissioner and her work.
• The advisory committee then spoke about the work they had begun on their ‘Children’s Choices - Us and Our Community’ project. They have been learning about conducting primary research and having fun along the way. Some of the many activities have included:
  • a treasure hunt around the school grounds which was a novel way to learn the ‘Golden rules of a good researcher’
  • playing the Crossing Game which taught them the importance of learning to work as a team
  • learning to give accurate and clear instructions with the ‘blindfold building blocks’ game
  • practicing observation and interviewing skills.
  • Mathilda Joubert from the Sheridan research Institute has visited the students on three of five full training days so far, teaching them about data gathering techniques, questionnaire design and data analysis. 

4 April 2014 - initial visit by the Acting Commissioner

• The group of fifteen Year 5 and 6 students involved in the Advisory Group met with the Acting Commissioner for the first time to outline their research project ‘Children’s Choices – Us and Our Community’.
• The students presented the findings of the first phase of their project, which involved a questionnaire that asked their fellow students what they liked and what they would like to change about their community. In terms two and three the group will take their survey to other local schools.
• The Commissioner was impressed with the enthusiasm of the students and their constructive recommendations.