Griffeen Valley ETNS has a long tradition of student voices being at the heart of our school. 

A Student’s Union was established back in the early days of our school being opened. Our Student Union has representatives in all classes from Junior Infants all the way to 6th class. The meetings are organised and run by the elected officers of chairperson, secretary, treasurer, equality officer, Gaeilge officer and student union officers. 

Representatives from each class are democratically elected each year. Students who would like to be a “rep” for their class put together a campaign, make their own posters and take part in hustings just before election day. On election day the whole school votes throughout the day, visiting the ballot boxes in the school halls. Student Union meetings are held every fortnight in our school library and representatives attend. At these meetings there is a sharing of ideas from all of the classes as reps will bring their class suggestion box and read to the group. 

Throughout the history of GVET Student Union, we have been involved in many valuable campaigns. These include:

• Marching in Dublin on World Day against Child Labour in 2007 
• Campaigning against Direct Provision in 2014
• Attending conferences in Belfast with Amnesty International 
• Standing in solidarity with our school secretary for better rights for school secretaries
• Visiting teacher training colleges to explain to the student teachers all about the work a Student Union should do
• Establishing our own Equality and Justice Award. 
• Giving input into the school Code of Behaviour, and requesting more after school clubs such as Homework Club, Basketball Club and others
• Holding a fundraising week for Amnesty where we sell friendship bracelets during this week

This year SU merged ‘Friendship Week’ with Wellbeing Week, collaborating with the Green School Team, to promote care of the planet as being an important aspect of our wellbeing. We have started our Children’s Rights Programme with UNICEF and have completed the first year of a three year process. Our students from Junior infants all the way to 6th class have a voice on our SU which is a first in our school!

GVET Student Union are always looking for ways we can highlight, promote and improve the voice of the child in our school, our community and the wider world. Our Student Union plays a very important role in this regard as well as nurturing young active citizens who will make powerful and positive changes in our future world