Children and Youth Advisory Council

The Child and Youth Advisory Council is a group of young people who help shape how Barking Gecko Arts connects with children, families, and communities. (We call it the Advisory Council, but really, it’s just a group of young people helping us make things better.)

This is a space where your ideas, experiences, and questions matter.

There will be 2 separate groups:

• Children’s council: for children aged 8-12 years old
• Youth council: for young people aged 13- 18 years old

You don’t need to be an artist, performer, or “the creative kid” to join. You also don’t need to have ever been to one of our shows or workshops before. In fact, we’d really love to hear from you if you haven’t.

This might be for you if:

• You’ve never been to a theatre show before 
• You’re not sure if “the arts” is your thing 
• You have lots of opinions (or none yet, that’s okay too) 
• You’re curious about trying something new 
• You want to help make things better for other kids 

You don’t need experience. You don’t need to know anything about theatre.

You just need to be you.

As a Council member, you will:

• Share your thoughts about shows, programs, and experiences 
• Help us understand what makes young people feel welcome, included, and excited 
• Test out ideas, themes, and creative concepts (sometimes before anyone else sees them) 
• Tell us what works, what doesn’t, and what could be better 
• Help us think about access, inclusion, and removing barriers 
• Talk about what matters to you and your community 
• Explore how creativity shows up in your life (hint: it’s not just art class) 

Think of it as being a “behind-the-scenes advisor” who helps us make things better.

We want to be upfront so there are no surprises:

• You won’t be expected to run Barking Gecko Arts (we promise, that’s our job) 
• You won’t be choosing shows or making all the big decisions 
• You won’t be auditioning actors or building sets
• Sometimes we’ll bring you ideas that are already partly formed and ask for your thoughts 
• Some ideas take time, so you might not always see changes happen straight away 
• This is a volunteer opportunity, so it isn’t paid 

That said, your voice will absolutely shape how we think, plan, and improve what we do.

We’re working to make this a space that is:

• Safe, respectful, and welcoming 
• Relaxed, friendly, and not too formal 
• Supportive of different backgrounds, identities, and experiences 
• Flexible, with support so everyone can take part in their own way 
• A place where there are no “wrong answers” 

You don’t have to be loud to be heard. You don’t have to have all the answers. Just showing up as yourself is enough.

By joining the Council, you will have the chance to:

• Meet new people and maybe even make new friends 
• Be part of a creative, supportive space where your ideas are taken seriously 
• Feel more confident sharing your ideas
• Practice speaking up in a way that feels right for you, 
• Build confidence and leadership skills (without it feeling like homework) 
• Learn from artists and creative professionals 
• Try things you might not normally get to try 
• Help make real change for other young people 
• Receive volunteer recognition and references if you would like 
• Access free or discounted tickets to performances 
• Eat delicious snacks

And hopefully, have a bit of fun along the way.