Building the capacity for student leadership in high school: a review of organizational mechanisms from the field of student voice

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the organizational mechanisms by which schools can increase opportunities for student leadership.Design/methodology/approachA review of the student voice literature conducted in high schools was used to identify organizational mechanisms for enhancing student leadership.FindingsFive leadership-fostering organizational mechanisms were identified: consistency, research, group makeup, governance structure and recognition.Originality/valueThis paper examines the existing body of student voice research to identify organizational mechanisms for fostering student leadership in schools. Researchers can use this to operationalize student leadership mechanisms and study their impact. Practitioners can implement these mechanisms in schools to support youth leadership development.