CYP trainers meet in Leeds
Recently a group of a dozen Friends, from across the country, who form the Children and Young People's (CYP) Training Team, met at Leeds Central Meeting House for a weekend working together. The CYP training team are experienced facilitators and well-practiced in work with under 18s. The team met together to review their service over the past year, and to consider what's next.
The CYP training team offer support, training and conversations with Quaker communities across Britain, supported and enabled by the Quaker Life staff team. Together they have co-facilitated regular monthly network zoom meetings for Friends holding children's meetings and running youth events. They have also delivered training to local and Area Meetings – on how to work with children and young people.
Yearly Meeting children and young peoples programmes and Junior Yearly Meeting also benefit from these Friends experience as they offer service as key volunteers supporting these events. The trainers also support the Youth development workers employed by BYM in Yorkshire, the South West and the Thames Valley, facilitating and acting as critical friends to ensure the success of this work. Their input and skills are invaluable in Quaker children's and youth work at so many levels.
Over their time together in November, the group developed plans for a new resource “What's in the Box?' (ideas and resources for use in Childrens meeting) and planned a day event “Exploring Quaker work with children and Young people" to be held in Bolton QMH on 17 February 2024.
If your Quaker community would appreciate an opportunity to explore the purpose or practice of your children's meeting or need support with this work, please contact cypadmin@quaker.org.uk for a conversation with a Quaker Life staff member.