Children and young people are a vital part of the life of Quaker meetings. The Youth, Children, and Families Team in Quaker Life offers training and networking opportunities to support Quaker meetings in this work.

We do not seek to tell you what to do but hope to enable you to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, as our work with young Quakers is not effective without your help.

These opportunities are offered by the experienced volunteer Training Team – a part of the Quaker Life Network – supported by Quaker Life staff. They are Friends with experience in children and young people's work; they are also skilled at facilitating groups of adults. They have a desire for Quakerism to be for people of all ages. Usually two members from this team would meet any request made.

Workshops and conferences

    Host a workshop

    All workshops provide opportunities to come together, learn, reflect, practice and plan.

    Request a workshop for your meeting on one of the following topics:

    For adults:

    • being ready for children and families
    • embracing babies and toddlers in Quaker meetings
    • building relationships with children
    • exploring the spiritual with young people
    • working with small numbers across a wide age range

    For ages over five, all together:

    • making everyone welcome
    • worshipping multi-generationally
    • storytelling (Godly Play and the Quaker Faith & Play)
    • enquiring and reflecting together (using Philosophy 4 Communities)
    • singing with children in a Quaker context

    Bespoke, tailored for your meeting:

    • considering an aspect of all–age community relevant to your Meeting

    To find out more about these opportunities check our 'Growing community' leaflet (PDF).

    To make a request, please contact cypadmin@quaker.org.uk.

    Within two weeks of making a request, you will be contacted by Quaker Life staff.

    Network Opportunities

    We offer regular opportunities to meet with Quakers across Britain Yearly Meeting (and beyond!) to ask questions, share ideas, good practice and concerns to support each other in our work/interactions with youth, children and families. These meetings were borne out of the need to connect differently during the pandemic, and continue to offer our widespread community a way to connect, develop and sustain each other. More information, including dates and times, can be found on this flyer.

    Booking onto a network meeting (or requesting an invite to all future network meetings) can be done here: 2024 YCF Support Network Meeting for Youth, Children and Families Work – QForms (quaker.org.uk)

    Contact us

    CYP Administrator
    cypadmin@quaker.org.uk
    020 7663 1013