Teenagers at Yearly Meeting July day
On 1 July, young people met to explore 'Community and Belonging', alongside Friends taking part in the additional Yearly Meeting day in London.
'Do you choose to belong?' was the question teenagers chose to explore at the Yearly Meeting day on 1st July in Friends House.
Young people came together to create a temporary community to explore the theme of community and belonging through games, art, discussion and worship. They people reflected on communities they are a part of, what it feels like to belong and how different it could be in different groups. The day was held by Quaker Life staff and Rosie Carnall (Sheffield and Balby AM), who facilitated the group in a philosophical enquiry in the afternoon.
One young person reflected that although they present themselves differently in different groups, they are always authentic as they have so many different aspects to their character. Someone was surprised to note they felt other people held the key to enabling an individual to belong in a group. Another young person was pondering deeply how Quakers build community in silence.
These thoughts, questions and happy memories of time with new and old friends are what we all took away from the day together. This was the first-time young people have met for a day long Yearly Meeting programme. Feedback from those young people involved was positive, with one young person returning 'delighted he had gone and spent time with such nice and welcoming Friends'. The young people's arrangement committee and staff are thinking now how they will build on this model for yearly meeting 2024.
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