Support for meetings

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...supporting Friends in their local organisation by providing services and advice relevant to the current needs of the Quaker community...

- Qf&p 8.03

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Quaker Life support for Quaker communities includes:

• people who can help (we sometimes call this 'accompaniment')
• Local Development Workers
• topic specialists in the Quaker Life team
• experienced Friends in the Quaker Life Network
• resources: we develop resources especially for Quakers. We also signpost to resources in other places which are useful for Friends. Many of these can be found either on the Quaker roles pages or in the Resources section of this website.
• networks: Friends can access a range of opportunities to connect to other Friends across Britain Yearly Meeting for information, support and development. Some networks are specific and formal; some more general and informal. They can be area, regional or national. You can find out about networks on the Quaker roles page, or by contacting your Local Development Worker.
• events and activities: we run a range of events and activities to help Quaker communities to thrive. Many are run in partnership with Woodbrooke Learning (offsite link). They are usually advertised in Quake!, the regular Britain Yearly Meeting newsletter.

Quaker roles

The responsibility for running Local and Area Quaker meetings is held by members of the meeting. There is online guidance on the support and advice for Quaker role-holders that is available to Friends and meetings.

There is advice here for roles that you might expect but also some of the roles are less obvious to all meetings. Such as:

• Children & young people's work advocates
• Employers and wardens
• Quaker Life representatives
• Quaker chaplains
• Records custodians and librarians
• Registering officers
• Safeguarding coordinators

Outreach and Quaker Week

Outreach is about helping people to find us and, when they do, to offer them welcome, encouragement and friendship. Many meetings do outreach all year round. Quaker Week takes place each autumn. It offers a time to focus on reaching outwards and welcoming new people to meeting as well as looking inward to our own communities.

Look at the outreach and Quaker week webpages for help, advice and support on how your meeting can become an outreaching community.

Criminal records (DBS) checks

Criminal records checks are just one aspect of ensuring that people working with children, young people or vulnerable adults are suitable to do so. Visit the criminal records check application process webpages to find out how to apply for a check.

Data safety

All parts of Britain Yearly Meeting must follow its policies on information security and data protection which Meeting for Sufferings Committee agreed on behalf of Meeting for Sufferings in July 2003. Follow data safety support to find out more.

Property advice

Look at the Property advice webpage for help, advice and support on how to look after your meeting house.

The property advice e-group supports Friends involved in looking after meeting houses and other property held by Friends. It is open to anyone, not just specialists, to join. Group members can ask questions, seek assistance and obtain guidance from the group by email. To join, visit the property advice e-group online subscription webpage.