Start with Fundamentals & Principles
- watch short video on fundamentals & principles on YouTube
- download document on fundamentals and principles (PDF)
Role-holders
- watch short video on simplifying for role-holders on YouTube
- download document on simplifying for role-holders (PDF)
Area meetings
- watch short video on simplifying area meetings on YouTube
- download document on simplifying area meetings (PDF)
Area meeting trustees
- watch short video on simplifying for area meeting trustees on YouTube
- download document on simplifying for area meeting trustees (PDF)
Treasurers
- watch short video on simplifying for treasurers on YouTube
- download document on simplifying for treasurers (PDF)
Small local meetings
- watch short video on simplifying for small meetings on YouTube
- download document on simplifying for small meetings (PDF)
Grouping meetings differently
- watch short video on grouping meetings differently on YouTube
- download document on grouping meetings differently (PDF)
Local meetings changing
- watch short video on local meetings changing on YouTube
- download document on local meetings changing (PDF)
Simpler property management
- watch short video on simpler property management on YouTube
- download document on simpler property management (PDF)
Meeting houses - alternatives
- watch short video on meeting houses - alternatives on YouTube
- download document on meeting houses - alternatives (PDF)
Areas working together and structural changes
- watch short video on structural changes on YouTube - the document below has more about working together
- download document on areas working together plus structural changes (PDF)
Paying people for some tasks
- watch short video on paying people for some tasks on YouTube
- download document on paying people for some tasks (PDF)
Using digital
- watch short video on using digital on YouTube
- download document on using digital (PDF)
A poem about simpler meetings
- watch short video of a poem about simpler meetings and sustainability on YouTube
- download simpler meetings poem (PDF)
How can I explore simplifying?
You can:
- watch the videos and read the documents above, and discuss them with a group of role-holders,
- have a session for your area or local meeting using some of the videos or with a speaker. You could join with neighbouring area meetings or other local meetings to consider questions together. Jonathan Carmichael can visit a few area meetings each year, ideally several areas together, and give ideas for running a session yourselves.
- come to the Simpler Meetings sessions in the Patterns & Examples days 2020: Saturday 2 May in Lampeter, Saturday 30 May in Norwich, Saturday 27 June in Lancaster: Details of Patterns and Examples Days
- join a series of online meetings being planned for 2020 - email jonathanc@quaker.org.uk to be sent details once they are confirmed.
- share your ideas with the project: email Jonathan Carmichael at jonathanc@quaker.org.uk.
- join an email group to discuss simpler meetings and hear updates: email jonathanc@quaker.org.uk. We will set up an email group if enough people want to join.
- have a conversation with Jonathan Carmichael to help you think through how you could approach the topics in your area or local meeting,
If your area meeting or trustees are thinking about a big organisational change please contact Jonathan Carmichael. Find out how he can help you. He can also share your ideas and experience with other meetings.
Other aspects of the project
The project will find and develop model documents for area meetings, to avoid reinventing the wheel. You can find the current model policies via the Area meeting trustees page.
The project is also working with Britain Yearly Meeting staff and others to simplify the support offered to role-holders, linked with the new Support for Meetings Strategy being developed by Britain Yearly Meeting and Woodbrooke.
The Simpler Meetings Project runs for three years until June 2021. It is funded by legacies. There is one worker, Jonathan Carmichael, plus a small budget for pieces of consultancy work.