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)