Young Friends Program for 2024 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. 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 all-ages activities with the whole community as well as program built just for Young Friends. The program will be planned and led by the new Teen & Outreach Ministries Coordinator, Collee Williams, along with the Interim Young Friends Coordinator, Drew Chasse. Young Friends have program together where we connect with one another about Quakerism in our lives, our spiritual journeys, and other things that are important to teens. We also hang out, play games, sing, go on a lake trip, and generally have fun together! We 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 eat meals in the dining hall with the rest of the attenders at Yearly, we connect with Quakers of all ages, and we often join Meeting for Business to find out what’s alive for adult Quakers in New England and participate in community decision-making. Lots of YFs look forward to Yearly Meeting Sessions all year long. YF activities focus on building community, learning about the Quaker spiritual path, and having tons of goofy fun.
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 we do during the week?
Most mornings, Young Friends will have singing and worship or another shared spiritual practice, followed by Young Friends Program. Program can be many different things: games, skits, workshops, panel discussions, or art projects. Sometimes program is just with Young Friends, and sometimes it’s with other programs like Junior High Yearly Meeting, Young Adult Friends, or with the whole Yearly Meeting. After this, there is a block of free time for lunch, napping, playing games, going to the pool, etc. The rest of the afternoon will vary—on any given day there could be hands-on workshops, committee meetings, or service opportunities to choose from. After dinner, we have more program together and then home groups. Home groups are small groups that meet every day to check in with one another about how we’re each doing, hang out, and play games. All Young Friends should be in the dorm by 10 p.m. for some time to wind down before bed at 11. During many evenings there are special opportunities to have fun with the whole community, like a Block Party, and the Coffeehouse where you can perform a talent or non-talent.
What do I bring?
Castleton provides beds in the dorms and three meals a day at the dining hall. Plan to bring everything else: enough masks for a week (we’ll have extras), 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 pool and our lake trip), umbrella and/or raincoat, alarm clock, a fan if you use one to sleep (our dorm is not air conditioned), 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 times when Young Friends are expected to be in a specific place (e.g., the YF dorm at night, the Campus Center during program).
- 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 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 Castleton University.
If there is any behavior at our conference that upsets or disturbs you, it is important that you report this to the Teen & Outreach Ministries Coordinator, 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.