Junior Young Friends

We are:

  • A group of hip Quakers from 12-17 years old, hailing from different places around the world 
  • Friends who meet every so often, value and welcome each other and enjoy each other’s company 
  • The next generation of Quakers and as we mature into influential leaders, we will be understanding and encouraging of future JYFs 
  • Thoughtful and liberal teenagers who aim to keep an open mind in our conversations 

What are our values?

  • Spiritual: Silence, right relationship with the divine, friendship, seeing God in everyone. 
  • Global: Freedom, equality, striving for change, music, compassion, standing up for what we believe in and being willing to take the consequences, taking action, service. 
  • Social: Community, learning from each other, empathy, inclusiveness, camp, friendship, understanding others, having fun, diversity in our group. 
  • Environmental: Stewardship, service, sustainability, recycling, simplicity. 
  • Individual: Integrity, compassion, trust, love, honesty, respect, open-mindedness, adaptability and SPICES* (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, service/ stewardship/ sustainability). 
  • Fun: Games, high quality memes, milo, food, laughter, sleep, laughing at stupid jokes, living life adventurously, outdoor activities. 

*SPICES = Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, Sustainability

What can we offer?

Given the opportunity JYFs have many things to offer each other, the Quaker community and the world. We can shine a new light on Quaker values and offer our unique and diverse perspectives on them by offering:

  • an openness to learning new things 
  • a welcoming spirit to people seeking the Quaker community 
  • fun, friendship and a good time 
  • much meme sense, very humour 
  • to S.P.I.C.E up Quaker Meetings with our presence.

What do we need?

  • Each other - being together with friends 
  • A sufficiently large supply of MILO to keep us going (It’s good brain food and healthy!) 
  • Well organised camps (planned early, with an ongoing assurance of date, time and financial support) 
  • To be in silent worship together 
  • Intergenerational diversity in meeting 
  • Quality memes 
  • More Quaker books age appropriate for JYFs 
  • Respect – to be listened to and taken seriously 
  • Time together to include silence, fun and learning 
  • All Quakers to be given equal importance 
  • JYFs to be kept in the hearts and minds of Quakers 
  • Have older Quakers share their Quaker ways, history and beliefs with us 
  • Effective transition and support for JYFs going up to Young Friends (YFs)