Rating: +1
The first thing we would suggest is to get students involved in planning and running the assembly/assemblies.
We're often told by students that they pay more attention to assemblies run by their peers. Involving students in planning the assemblies also allows you to have discussions with them about what they and their colleagues find enjoyable and engaging (and boring) in assemblies.
A key focus of the assemblies should be to be really clear and positive about what impact the school council and committees have had. Often people don't want to join them because they think it will be a waste of time, if they can see that there have been tangible outcomes that breaks down one barrier.
Another route to consider, if you have the space and the confidence is to use the assembly as a decision-making vehicle and recruitment drive:
- Get 4 committee members to each come up with an appealing project and get them to write and practice a 30 second pitch for each one.
- In the assembly, get each committee member on a soap box in each corner of the hall. With all the other students standing in between.
- Explain that all students will decide which of these projects will go ahead.
- Each of the committee members then delivers her pitch to persuade people of the value of her idea.
- You may give time for questions after each one.
- Then ask everyone to go and stand by the project they want to happen - allow people to discuss with tier friends.
- Ask a few people to explain why they chose the one they did.
- Give people the chance to move if they heard a reason that persuaded them.
- Once everyone is in place ask people who are willing to help with each project to raise their hands.
- Explain that even those projects that loads of people want to happen, if no one is willing to do them, won't just materialise. Equally any projects can happen if enough people are wiling to help out.
- Relate this to the 'votes' and volunteers you've got before you.
- Write own the 'votes' for each option and the names of those who volunteered to help.
- At each subsequent assembly, update briefly on the progress being made by each group.
