Around the world, Quaker youth come together under the name of Young Friends. For over a hundred years these groups have offered youth in the Religious Society of Friends an opportunity for worship, fellowship and service to others.
Following in this tradition, Southern Appalachian Young Friends (SAYF) is an organization under the care of the Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association [sayma.org] (SAYMA). SAYF has the express purpose of creating a loving, caring, Quaker spiritual community for teens in the southeast. In doing this SAYF seeks to foster a safe space for Young Friends to grow and explore Friends testimonies, values, process, and spirituality. Through retreats, conferences, service projects, business meetings, worship and other activities, SAYF brings Young Friends together as an ongoing Quaker ministry to teens.
SAYF assists Young Friends in the Southeast to be less isolated and to become fuller participants in their monthly meetings as well as other wider Quaker organizations. Graduating Young Friends, as they become young adults, can continue to support the SAYF community for future generations of teens.
SAYF seeks the Light in all people, listening for that “still small voice” that speaks to our condition.
SAYF Community Values
Love and respect the boundaries of the community and its individuals
Love and respect yourself and others
Love and respect the environment
SAYF Guidelines
- Be safe and aware of your surroundings
- Respect people and their stuff
- Be inclusive
- Maintain confidentiality
- Attend mandatory activities
- Refrain from using offensive or derogatory language
- Avoid the expression of violence, including the possession of weapons of any kind
- Never bring or use alcohol, drugs or other restricted substances
- Abstain from sexual activity and inappropriate physical contact
- Respect people’s gender identity
- Help with clean up
- Use fire only during designated activities
- Follow local rules
How SAYF Works
SAYF is a self-directed program of 7th-12th grade teens centered around 6 retreat weekends held throughout the school year, plus a special retreat integrated into our yearly gathering (SAYMA Sessions & Retreat) in June. Most retreats begin on Friday night, end midday Sunday, and gather together teens associated with several regional Quaker meetings. Teens from the host meeting plan their retreats around a theme oriented towards teaching Quaker principles, spirituality and equitable process. Retreats may include activities, service, workshops, and worship planned and led by teens and adults, as well as unstructured time to rest and socialize. Young Friends are expected to participate in all planned activities unless excused for a specific reason. Visit our Retreat page to learn more.
SAYF’s operation is based on Friend’s tradition so that the Young Friends community is nurtured, structured, and directed in keeping with Quaker faith and pracitse. Business is carried out in the Young Friends Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business. The overall spiritual welfare of the community is held by the Young Friends Nurturing Committee and the SAYF Steering Committee (see SAYF Guidance to learn more). Retreats are planned by a committees made up of teens from the host meeting. When guidelines are broken by adults or teens the SAYF community endeavor to use principles of restorative justice to address the concern and determine consequences necessary to maintain the health of the community. Committees of teens and/or adults are formed as needed.
Attending SAYF Events
Anyone in 7th grade through high school is welcome to attend SAYF retreats. Individual Monthly Meetings may have requirements about attendance or participation prior to attending a SAYF Retreat. If you have questions, you may contact awesomesayfers.org.
Rising 7th graders may attend the first retreat of the year at our June Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting [SAYMA] Sessions and Retreat (See Retreat Calendar on the Retreats page for details).
Teens may attend SAYF events through the SAYMA Sessions and Retreat immediately after they graduate high school or their graduation equivalent if they are home schooled. Generally teens may not attend events past their 19th birthday. Following graduation from SAYF, Young Friends are encouraged to join Young Adult Friends.
SAYF is held under the care of the
Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association
The SAYMA community, through its annual sessions, is ultimately responsible for the nurture and care of SAYF which was created by recommendation of the SAYMA Ministry and Nurture Committee and approved at the SAYMA Representatives Meeting in the winter of 1994. SAYMA supports SAYF through the SAYF Steering Committee and the SAYF Support Committee and with financial support of the program manager position and some annual program funding.