Our Young Friends (teenagers)
Young Friends and self-expression
Young Friends is the term for our teenagers, who tend to want to exercise their own wings of religious expression. Quakers respect that in our Young Friends.
Our Young Friends cherish the ability to self-organize, which includes setting their own rules (within limits). For example, they might decide to have their own groups outside of meeting, and organize those groups themselves.
There are rules
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Adults typically exercise the minimum but necessary supervision of Young Friends' events. These events always have one or more adults, who are called a "Friendly Adult Presence", or FAP. And while the Young Friends make their own rules, these rules are set within certain parameters established by Quaker meetings, such as no illegal drugs. Our Young Friends often join with the Young Friends of Richmond Friends Meeting, which is a larger meeting with typically more Young Friends.​ Together they like to join with the other Young Friends of the larger Quaker circle.
Taken in front of the fireplace at the Clearing, a Quaker retreat center in Amelia County