The PYM Young Friends program provides a spiritual home for those who are high-school-aged and interested in experiencing Quaker community. Friends and Quaker-friendly folks in the PYM region are welcome, and you can learn more at the “Who is Young Friends for?” page.
New Young Friends Program!
Youth in grades 8 through 12 are invited to participate in a new PYM Young Friends (YF) program! Responding to what we are hearing from current PYM youth, we are offering a program that will focus on getting to know other teens, building community, and having fun together! There will also be time for workshops focused on Quaker faith and values and issues of importance to YFs. Gatherings take place once a month throughout the school year. Dates can be found on the Youth Program Events page.
For youth who are interested in being more involved in the planning and facilitating of the YF gatherings, we invite you to join the YF Steering Committee. This group will meet monthly on Zoom and will also participate in all YF in-person gatherings. This is a semester-long commitment, with the option to stay on for the full year. A small stipend will be provided. If you are interested, please complete the form below!
For more information contact Youth Engagement Coordinator -Kristin Simmons (ksimmons@pym.org).
Collaboration
The Young Friends program is directed by a dynamic collaboration between youth and adult leadership. Young Friends is a place where leadership is nurtured and encouraged, providing opportunities for youth to explore their gifts and learn to practice leadership in a way that is distinctive to the Quaker community. Learn more about this unique aspect of Young Friends on the Leadership page.
Guidelines
The Young Friends Guidelines are all about supporting a safe and accepting community in which everyone is loved and appreciated for what they bring. These guidelines acknowledge that we all may need some help remembering how to be in community with awareness and care for ourselves and others. Young Friends will be asked to read and sign a form to acknowledge and affirm their understanding of the Guidelines and consequences for not following them. For more information, visit the Young Friends Guidelines page.
Adult Volunteers
Volunteers that work with young people in PYM’s youth programs are called Friendly Presences, and these lovely people are essential to the Young Friends Program. Friendly Presences with the Young Friends program are:
- Friends who love being in multi-generational community with youth
- At least 21 years old
- Known in a Quaker community or a community like PYM for at least six months prior to service
In order to volunteer as a Friendly Presence, you will be asked to consent to a background check. These forms and more information about this process is available on the Child Safety Background Checks page. You can also check out the Friendly Presence Guide for Adult Volunteers for more information.
Contact the Youth Engagement Coordinator – Kristin Simmons (ksimmons@pym.org) – with any questions or to learn about upcoming opportunities!
