Advice for setting up an advisory group

We ran a workshop at the Children in Scotland Annual Conference that shared our experiences of being involved in an advisory group and our top tips to help organisations in setting up their own group!

Here are some of our key messages:

• Young people need to be at the centre
• Involve children and young people at as many stages as possible
• Have fun!
• Create a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere
• Create a safe space
• Make sure inclusion is at the heart
• Keep things interactive so everyone can have their say and be involved
• Make things structured but flexible
• Use short activities and give people options
• Listen to what works for children – including food
• Don’t just listen – act! (If not, explain why not, respond back, and use different ways to report back!)