We used to get the local squadron into our hangar when we had aircraft on maintenance and show them around. This helped with them see how aircraft actually worked. It was great doing gear swings and letting the kids select gear down and up, even let them come on engine runs in some cases.
Theres a lot of people looking for a reason not to do something as oppose to the way that things should be done, find a way of doing it!
I was a member of the ATC for some years and saw a constant stream of handbrakes coming through to stop us providing a service to those that wanted to experience and learn. I really do think that the parent service has lost the way on this and needs to do something quick to put the Air back in the ATC.
OB