JYF is a special place for teenage Quakers. It's a playground and a workshop with secure limits. Here JYF's can practice taking responsibility, making decisions, living up to standards of conduct, making relationships, living together, ordering their lives, being in touch with the flow of life, making sense of the universe. It is for people aged between 13 and 15 or forms 3 to 5. It is organised by monthly meetings with the help of both JYF's and YF's.
"Participation ... to enable young people to develop their full potential"
Some opportunities we see JYf being able to provide are: Gathering together to build friendships. Explore issues relevant to JYF's and all young people today. Experience and discover for themselves - in action - the Quaker testimonies on equality, truth, non - violence and simplicity, and Quaker ways of working and business methods. Express their imagination and creativity. Celebrate their differences, abilities and potential. Challenge society's stereotypes of race, gender, age, disability, sexuality, culture and class; to work for greater justice, tolerance, societal change, and environmental concerns. Explore and develop that source of strength that Quakers call "that of God in everyone". Raise questions about their vision and values, and how meaning can be made of their experience.
The fruits of the exploration will be experienced, by consciously sensitive, independently minded, resourceful young adults. The group also provides an opportunity for non - Quaker young people to be introduced to the Religious Society of Friends.
This year embedded in the beautiful Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt, Wellington is our camp. 24kms from any shopping centre. The camp provides us room to wonder and roam, building friendships that could last a lifetime Anna Brodie, Justin Flitter and Wellington Overseers, the camp organisers are attempting to do things a little differently, these form our Goals: 1. To encourage new JYF's to attend. 2. To boost numbers from around 30-35 to 45-50 3. To incorporate more Quaker beliefs. 4. To help people create an exciting, interesting camp that they will never forget.
On-site activities include: 1. Canoes 2. Flying Fox 3. Low ropes course 4. Initiative course 5. Orienteering 6. Swimming Pool… 7. Archery 8. Large playing field 9. And the river Facilities on site are very good. The camp is fully catered for so we only have to help with the cooking leaving us more time to do the things we really want to do.
The theme is TOGETHERNESS. Discussions and some activities will be based around this central topic. A day trip to Staglands Wildlife reserve will get you talking to the animals, hopefully we may be able to do some physical work for them (we'll try not to get planting trees) as part of the JYF tradition and to reduce the costs.
If you have any suggestions you would like to make towards the camp and activities please let Justin or Anna know soon. You can e-mail Justin at JFlitter@xtra.co.nz or write to Justin, at 163 Moxham Ave, Hataitai,Ph:04-3863927
Costs: Currently we are waiting on a Yearly Meeting decision as to whether they will grant us further subsidies on the Food and Accommodation costs.
If you would like a registration form please email me and I will send you one with a big smily face on it :).
