Youth

Annual Session Children's Program

North Pacific Yearly Meeting annual session is a time when we meet as a wider community of Quakers. Once here, we worship together, make plans together, listen to each other, play and make art and sing. For five days we live in a trusting community where we can open up to each other and to God.

The Youngest Friends are a "kid-centered community" within the larger NPYM community for Friends in the age range of birth through "Elementary School" (0-10). *(For more information about children from birth to age 3, please see the note below) The Youngest Friends have our own program (usually in the mornings) where we explore the culture, history, and community of Quakers. We also have snacks.

The Central Friends are a community within the larger NPYM community for Friends in the age range of "Middle School" (11-13). The Central Friends have our own program (usually in the mornings) where we work together to build a community, and discern what "Being a Quaker" means to each of us. There's also snacks. 

Play As Led is a kid-centered time for Friends of all ages to chose from various activities as they feel led. There might be games, crafts, stories, songs, quiet spaces, books to read, Intergenerational Interest Groups, visiting Friends, and indoor or outdoor spaces to choose from. And of course, snacks. 

We welcome infants or toddlers as part of our program, and recognize that their developmental stages require a different level of care and supervision than older children. In recent years we have not had many children in this age group attend our program without their primary caregivers accompanying them. Because of this, we haven't been able to reliably recruit Kid's Program staff who feel led to work with this age group (Friends have shown up wanting to hold babies, and have left feeling understandably disappointed.) We offer two flexible options for Friendly Families with this age group, so we can work together to help Annual Session be a good experience for everyone.

Friends are welcome to join their kids in participation with the Kid's Program. (This invitation is extended to all Friendly Families.) At past Annual Sessions it has been common to see family members nursing babies, rocking them to sleep, changing diapers, all while the Kid's Program has continued around them. 

If Friends would like to sign their infants or toddlers into the Kid's Program, they are very welcome to do so. Please know that the earlier infants or toddlers are registered prior to Annual Sessions, the easier it will be for us to find a Friend who feels led to work on staff specifically with that age.  This Friend would then work primarily (or only) with this age group, and give them the care that is developmentally appropriate. If we can not find a Friend who feels led to work on staff in this role, we will notify you prior to Annual Sessions, and we can work together to try and find a way forward. 

Youth Coordinator

The NPYM Kid's Program Coordinator works with the NPYM Youth Committee to help create a space within the NPYM community where kids can grow, connect with other Friends, and discern what "Being a Quaker" means to each of them. 

Job Description:

Annual Session Planning:

• Create a flyer for each year's Annual Sessions Kid's Program 

• Distribute each year's Annual Sessions Kid's Program flyer to various NPYM contacts and Meetings

• Recruit the staff for the Kid's Program for each year's Annual Sessions

• Create the Kid's Program for each year's Annual Sessions

• Determine the schedule and number of hours for the Kid's Program for each year's Annual Sessions 

• Visit the campus for each year's Annual Sessions and determine which available locations are best for the Kid's Program

• Purchase supplies for each year's Annual Sessions Kid's Program 

• Check expiration dates and quality of the NPYM Kid's Program first aid kits each year

• Prepare various updates for Annual Session Kid's Program information on NPYM's website each year

• Prepare various Annual Session Kid's Program handouts and forms for each year (Kid's Packets/Medical Release Forms/Sign In Sheets/etc)

Administration + Committees:

• Attend Coordinating Committee Meetings (either by Zoom or in person). 

• Attend Youth Committee Meetings (either by Zoom or in person).

• Maintain the list of Friends who have had background checks for work with children at NPYM events. 

• Maintain the reusable supplies and equipment belonging to the NPYM Kid's Program 

• Respond promptly to emails/phone calls/texts

• Maintain relationships with NPYM Kid's Program Staff (answering questions/solve problems/etc)

• Maintain + establish new relationships with other Quaker Youth Workers (Pacific Yearly Meeting Youth Program Coordinator/Quaker Religious Education Collaborative/etc)

• Maintain + establish new relationships with Friendly Families (answering questions/getting the word out about NPYM events/etc) 

Visitation + Events:

• Attend PNQM (Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting) in the Spring and Fall (when possible), to make connections with Friendly Families, potentially recruit Friends for staff at Annual Sessions, and get the word out about upcoming NPYM events.

• Attend MGOF (Montana Gathering Of Friends) in the Summer (when possible), to make connections with Friendly Families, potentially recruit Friends for staff at Annual Sessions, and get the word out about upcoming NPYM events.

• Attend WQM (Willamette Quarterly Meeting) in the Spring and Fall (when possible), to make connections with Friendly Families, potentially recruit Friends for staff at Annual Sessions, and get the word out about upcoming NPYM events.

• Visit each Monthly Meeting within NPYM that has an active Children's Program, once per year (when possible), to make connections with Friendly Families, potentially recruit Friends for staff at Annual Sessions, and get the word out about upcoming NPYM events.

Annual Sessions:

• Attend Annual Sessions (be "on site" every day)

• Keep track of Kid's Program Staff hours

• Be available for Kids/Kid's Program Staff/Friendly Families/Campus Staff/Youth Committee/NPWM Executive Committee/and others who may require you

• Write and give a Kid's Program Coordinator report for Plenary 

Post Annual Sessions:

• Report Kid's Program Staff hours to NPYM Treasurer and Youth Committee Clerk for approval and payment

• Clean and repair reusable supplies and equipment belonging to the NPYM Kid's Program 

• Read surveys from Friends who attended Annual Sessions

• Meet with Youth Committee

F.A.Q.

Why does the Kid's Program Coordinator visit our Monthly Meeting / Quarterly Meeting?

The Kid's Program Coordinator visits various Meetings so they can get opportunities to meet Friends and establish connections. Annual Sessions can seem really far away, and the Friends there might not be people you've ever met before. But if you've met the coordinator, you'll know at least one Friend there. And they might find someone at your Meeting who feels led to come and work with the Kid's Program.

Does the Kid's Program Coordinator work with the Junior Friends (teenagers) too?

The Junior Friends don't need a coordinator. They do their own coordinating. The Kid's Program Coordinator works with them sometimes when they need an extra hand. Or when the Junior Friends want to collaborate with the Central Friends or the Youngest Friends on a project. If you have an idea for one, we'd love to hear it!

Who is the current Kid's Program Coordinator?

The current Kid's Program Coordinator is Mim Lilly Coleman. Mim uses any/all pronouns, lives in the Tacoma / University Place area, attends Salmon Bay Monthly Meeting in Seattle, has been a Convinced Friend for over thirty years, and has been working in this role for NPYM since 2017.

Who is Pickles?

Pickles is a small stuffed gorilla. He uses he/him pronouns, is five years old, and also lives in the Tacoma / University Place area with his family, and attends Salmon Bay Monthly Meeting in Seattle with his "mom" Mim. Pickles is a vital part of Mim's ministry, for Friends of all ages. He has allowed people to find openness, comfort, joy, and laughter. (For those who find it hard to interact with a small stuffed gorilla, the easiest way to address him is like you would any other five year old. He's especially good at modeling desired behavior like sitting and listening to stories, raising his hand to ask questions, and apologizing when he's made a mistake.)