Young Friends Program for 2025 Sessions

Hello Young Friends!

It is with great joy that we welcome high school-aged Quaker and Quaker-curious youth to attend the Young Friends Program at New England Yearly Meeting’s Annual Sessions! Yearly Meeting Sessions is the annual business meeting and gathering for Quakers of all ages in New England, with hundreds of people attending from all over the region and beyond. The Young Friends (YF) program is for those who were in 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade this past school year. If you are entering 9th grade in September, you are still considered part of Junior High Yearly Meeting. If you graduated from high school in May, you are still part of the Young Friends Program. 

Below you will find more information about attending Yearly as a Young Friend, and answers to common questions. 

What is Yearly Meeting like for Young Friends?

The purpose of the Young Friends program at Yearly Meeting is to connect teens to the life of Quakers in New England through serving the Yearly Meeting in volunteer roles and by providing opportunities for teens to participate in adult programming in Sessions as led. Volunteer roles can include helping at the bookstore, staffing at Junior Yearly Meeting program, helping in the office etc. Teens also have the opportunity to participate in adult programming at Sessions such as attending business meeting, Bible half hours, plenary, and afternoon workshops. In the evenings we will have program time just for Young Friends, centered around games, singing, and small group reflection time. The program will be planned and led by the Collee Williams, who has coordinated the Young Friends retreat program over the past school year.

Young Friends sleep in our own dorm, so you participate separately from the rest of your family, and you can attend Sessions without your family, too (more about that below). We also eat meals in the dining hall with the rest of the attenders at Yearly Meeting, which is a great opportunity to connect with Quakers of all ages. Lots of YFs look forward to Yearly Meeting Sessions all year long. 

Can I come without my family?

Yes, however, each Young Friend needs to have an adult sponsor, even if you’re 18. A sponsor is one of your parents or another adult over the age of 21 who is attending Yearly Meeting and who agrees to check in with you each day during the week. This person accepts the responsibility of caring for you in the case of injury, illness, or if you are asked to leave the Young Friends program. They are also the adult that Young Friends staff may contact with concerns. If you don’t know any adults who are attending Yearly Meeting but are interested in coming, let me know and I will help you find a sponsor. 

All Young Friends must complete the Youth Health and Permission Form with your registration. You’ll receive more info about that when you register.

What do I bring?

University of Massachusetts Amherst provides beds in the dorms and three meals a day at the dining hall. Plan to bring everything else: comfy summer clothes (including a sweatshirt for the air-conditioned buildings), pillow, SHEETS (long twin size), BLANKETS, TOWELS, bathing suit and beach towel (for the lake trip), umbrella and/or raincoat, alarm clock, a fan if you use one to sleep, musical instruments (for jamming, group singing or the talent show), pajamas you don't mind being seen in, sunblock, shampoo, and anything else you will need to feel comfortable for a week.

Also, remember while we are packing that the purpose of Sessions is to build community together. Because of that, we try to unplug from our devices (like computers and tablets) during the week. If you need to make an occasional call home or text to meet up with your family or sponsor at Sessions that’s fine, but please don’t plan on spending free time on your phone or computer. We want you to be here with us throughout the week and we ask that all participants arrive prepared to spend their time prioritizing connection with others at Sessions, which means temporarily disconnecting from social media and devices.

Expectations: Please Read Carefully

We expect this to be a joyful, loving week in which we learn more and go deeper in the Spirit together. In order to do that, we expect that all Young Friends continue to follow the list of imperatives (things we must do) and intentions (things we try our best to do) announced at the beginning of every Young Friends gathering this year, listed below. In addition to these two lists, we expect that Young Friends fully participate in the program: to attend the meetings, program, outings, etc., that are scheduled and to get enough rest to be present with the group. 

Imperatives for Young Friends at Sessions:

  • To remain with the group during Young Friends programming time.
  • To only touch others with their consent.
  • To not bring or use drugs or alcohol.
  • To refrain from any sexual activity, including kissing.

Intentions for Young Friends at Sessions:

  • To participate, with the support of Resource People, in the life of the Yearly Meeting through placements in a volunteer role or adult programs.
  • To be with the whole group, being actively inclusive of all.
  • Give feedback and contribute: we all make the Sessions great for each other!
  • Be as present as you are able (refrain from using technology except when necessary, get enough sleep, participate in program, etc).
  • Help make this space work for everyone (respect “lights out” time, be aware of noise levels, clean up after ourselves).
  • YFs respect themselves, their peers, and the Resource People (RPs), as well as everyone attending Sessions and working at University of Massachusetts Amherst.

If there is any behavior at our conference that upsets or disturbs you, it is important that you report this to a Young Friends Coordinator or a Resource Person. We want everyone to be safe and comfortable. Young Friends who are unable to uphold the expectations listed above may be asked to leave the dorm and/or program.

The Young Friends Program Schedule will be posted here when available.

Contact the Teen & Outreach Ministries Coordinator, Collee Williams, at [email protected] for more information.