Quaker Youth Programmes
EMES is currently involved with two pieces of work with Young Friends and Young Adult Friends:
EMES Youthgroup
Background
In July 2019 EMES held an event in Brussels that brought together adults who work with children and young people, along with some young people, from around the Section. There is a short report of that event here.
One outcome of that event was a plan to organise a gathering over new year 2019-20 for 14-18 year olds. Unfortunately that event did not happen. We then hoped to organise an event alongside the Border Meeting in September 2020; this was unable to take place because of Covid restrictions. We tried again in 2021 but Covid once again meant this was not possible.
Current work and plans
In December 2020 we held a one-day online gathering for 14-18 year olds from around the Section. 12 people participated from six countries around Europe.
Out of that developed the EMES Youthgroup which began in January 2021, running monthly two-hour long online gatherings for Young Friends aged 14-18. The EMES Youthgroup meets bilingually in English and German.
Please visit the EMES Youthgroup page on our website for more information or get in touch with Michael Eccles.
Young Adult Friends Development Fund
Background
For many decades the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage was a powerful spiritual and community experience for Young Friends between the two longest standing Sections: the Section of the Americas and the Europe and Middle East Section. Friends often described their experience of the pilgrimage as being pivotal in their lives as Quakers. Supporting Young Friends has been a long and evolving process for over 100 years, and it continues to change to meet the needs of Young Adult Friends (YAFs), defined as ages 18 – 35.
Current work and plans
FWCC as a whole is keen to continue this tradition in a way that will serve many more Young Adult Friends, be available to and work across all four Sections, and be responsive to what YAFs identify as needed by their age group, within their contexts and across the world. A Young Adult Friends Development Fund has therefore been created from Quaker Youth Pilgrimage monies with the aim of strengthening Quaker identity across the FWCC Sections by offering opportunities to explore Quaker roots, history and heritage in many contexts, and to enable Young Adult Friends to meet peers at international level, across different branches of the Quaker family, or across different variations of the same branch. It is hoped this will encourage the ever changing next generation of young adults.
FWCC Sections, Young Adult Friends networks and other Quaker bodies are invited to bring forward proposals for events, projects or programmes that will fit the criteria and meet the objectives set out below. Flexibility and experimentation are encouraged. It is hoped that in time regular programmes may emerge that will become as well-established and memorable as traditional Quaker Youth Pilgrimages were in the past. Consider applying for events and projects that will benefit and strengthen the network of Young Adult Friends around the world according to the objectives and requirements. This could include anything from running a Quaker leadership training course to planning a World Gathering of Young Friends. We have a preference for engaging in partnerships and for working across theological and cultural differences and across Sections.
Expressions of interest prior to your submitting a proposal are welcome. Help, support, and encouragement will be given to the development of proposals. If you have questions please contact Michael Eccles, EMES Executive Secretary.
More information is available on the FWCC World Office website.
