Youth Ministries Committee

Purpose

The Youth Ministries Committee serves to regularly engage in on-going listening across the Quaker youth ministries “landscape” in New England. Based on their listening, the Committee regularly identifies both the growing edges of Quaker youth ministry in New England and current needs related to the spiritual development of Quaker children, youth, and families. The Committee act as storytellers and advocates, sharing relevant takeaways from their listening with the wider Yearly Meeting.

The Youth Ministries Committee provides and encourages opportunities for connection which strengthen the web of relationships between meetings, ministries, and ministers serving children, youth, and families. 

Annually, (or more frequently if needed), the Youth Ministries Committee reviews and, as needed, recommends revisions to NEYM’s Child Safety Policies.

In these ways, the Youth Ministries Committee plays an essential role in nurturing the faith life, spiritual growth, safety, and leadership of children and youth of New England Yearly Meeting. The work of this committee also helps to ensure the vitality, health, safety, and relevance of the youth programs offered by the organization of NEYM, as well as youth ministries offered within and across the web of local meetings in our region. This work happens in the context of both family and community, in same-age and in multi-generational groups.

It is the committee’s intent that New England Quakers’ youth ministries enable young people to grow into adulthood with a full sense of belonging to both a local circle of Friends and the Yearly Meeting as a whole. The committee encourages ministries which provide a foundation of Quaker faith and experience, fostering an active spiritual life. 

Procedures

  • The committee is responsible for conducting an annual review of the NEYM Child Safety Policy and its implementation.
  • As requested, the committee consults on the right ordering of administrative aspects of NEYM youth programs: health, safety and welfare of children; policy and procedures; and ethical and legal issues. 
  • The committee communicates to the broader Yearly Meeting about the needs of NEYM youth, families, and youth workers. 
  • The committee meets regularly, virtually or in person, as the needs of the committee dictate. The committee reports annually to Sessions on the health of the programs, status of the Child Safety Policy, and other issues in our care.

For local meetings, the committee offers opportunities for connection and networking, and, as possible resources, collaboration, and guidance for the health and welfare of children; policy and procedures; ethical and legal issues; program design and curriculum; outreach.

Next Meeting

No upcoming meetings are currently listed.

Composition

  • Committee membership should reflect the diversity within the Yearly Meeting. Gifts that we seek for the committee include skills in pastoral care for children and families, skills in youth programs and youth work, including program evaluation and planning. Committee membership should include people with familiarity with the NEYM retreat programs.
  • Members are named for 3-year terms, two people in each class for a total of six named members. Friends may be appointed for a second, consecutive 3-year term, after which they should take a year away from the work, Members are named by the Yearly Meeting  Nominating Committee.
  • The committee clerk will be nominated by Nominating Committee and approved by Permanent Board or Sessions. The clerk will serve for three years and may be reappointed.  The clerk’s term shall not extend past the end of their final term as a member of the committee.
  • The youth ministry staff—Children and Families Ministries Coordinator Teen Ministries Coordinator, the Program Director, and the Friends Camp Director—are ex-officio members of this committee. Because of the high level of staff participation in the work of this committee, YMC needs to remain mindful of the risks of over-burdening staff.
  • Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee, in consultation with the committee members, names the clerk of Youth Ministries Committee. This nomination is approved by the Yearly Meeting. The Youth Ministries Committee coordinates with and has linkages to the Meeting Accompaniment Group, and Permanent Board.