You have a voice that is unique. You have a perspective that speaks to this time and place. You have a story that wants to be told.
Pat the Dog Youth is now accepting applicants for their Story Creation Unit. This free program is available to youth in the Waterloo Region in grades 7-9 and 10-12.
We are interested in stories exploring whatever is important, interesting, and meaningful to you.
Participants will explore story creation with prompts and discussion, and with the guidance of multiple professional artists across a variety of disciplines. Participants will work on activities in the group and also in a self-directed manner.
There is no cost to apply for or participate in this program. No previous experience is required.
You Are:
- A youth (middle or secondary school) in Waterloo Region
- Curious, creative, and collaborative
- Interested in story creation
- Available to attend in-person creation sessions on Tuesday evenings from October 2025 – March/April 2026
- Excited to work towards a final showcase of story to be included as part of Femme Folks Fest running March 7-15, 2026 (exact times TBD)
How To Apply:
- Send us an email to youth@patthedog.org by OCTOBER 10, 2025
- Include your name, age, grade, and a parent’s name and contact information
- Tell us (100-250 words) why you want to be part of Pat the Dog Youth and what stories you’re interested in telling
- Tell us one or two of your favourite books, movies, or TV shows
There are a limited number of spaces for this program. Admission decisions will be based on factors including group dynamics, artistic interests, and range of experiences. Decisions will not be based on previous training, so we encourage applications from all backgrounds and experiences.
Who We Are:
Pat the Dog Youth focuses on preparing the next generations of artists in the Waterloo Region. Participants will have the opportunity to make connections, discover skills and talents, learn from exciting mentors with real-world theatrical experience, and take their first steps on a journey of creation and presentation. This story creation unit is a place of joyful noise, curious collaborations, possibilities, and the pursuit of story. We’re focused on the process of creation, and delight in the discoveries that can be made when we fumble along the way.
Pat the Dog Youth is facilitated by Amy Neufeld. Amy is an award-winning theatre educator with over 25 years experience teaching youth. She has written for CBC’s The Irrelevant Show, and is a TYA playwright. Her play Witches in the Woods received a professional production at Femme Folks Fest in 2023 and at the Tamarack Festival in 2024. After studying acting and musical theatre and spending several years working as a professional actor, Amy went on to co-found Lightning Banjo Productions where she serves as Artistic Director. She is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC, performs comedy, and runs the local humour writing group Punch Up. And yes, she wants to see a picture of your pet.
Sam Mercury is the assistant facilitator of the Pat the Dog Youth. Having grown up in Kitchener, she is excited to share her passion for storytelling with the next generation of creators in the Waterloo Region. After graduating from the University of Waterloo’s Theatre and Performance program in 2018, Sam has lent her acting talents to shows such as The Vagina Monologues (Green Light Arts), You Can Do It Put Your Mask Into It (Potato Potato-Toronto Fringe), Play This: Street (Tottering Biped Theatre), and we could be (Green Light Arts). Her first original full-length play mixed(er) is set to have its world premiere in September 2026.
Pat the Dog Youth is made possible through the generous support of our funders.
