Clerks of Senior Young Friends

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Last Updated on 2 years by IMYM Tech Lead

Revised (02/22/19)

Appointment

The Clerks are nominated by Senior Young Friends and advanced by the Nominating Committee to the Yearly Meeting for approval.  The term begins at the rise of an annual session. Current practice is to appoint Co-Clerks for a term of two years.  The Clerks are members of the Youth Working Group which is part of the Arrangements Committee charged with planning and supervising the annual gathering.

NOTE: If your Working Group has no Clerk, then direct your reports and any questions or issues that arise directly to the Clerk of Arrangements Committee. We also encourage you to read the Guide description of your Working Group and reach out to other members of that Group for help.

Responsibilities of the Clerks of Senior Young Friends

  1. Serving as clerk at business meeting and other meetings of Senior Young Friends.
  2. Working with the Friendly Adult Presences (FAPs) to plan activities for the annual gathering, including joint activities with Junior Young Friends.
  3. Presenting to the IMYM Nominating Committee nominees for FAPs of the Senior Young Friends programs.
  4. Assuring that nominations are made by Senior Young Friends as specified under Senior Young Friends nominations section of this document.
  5. Developing a “Call to Yearly Meeting” addressed to Senior Young Friends.  This statement will be included in the Registration Materials and should be provided to the Registrar by the end of January.       
  6. Coordinating the facility needs with the FAPs and the facilities staff.
  7. Receiving epistles sent by Young Friends in other yearly meetings from the Yearly Meeting Watching Committee Clerk.
  8. Assisting Senior Young Friends in preparing and presenting an epistle, in consultation with the Watching Committee and the FAPs.
  9. Informing the Yearly Meeting Clerk of concerns Young Friends wish to bring before IMYM before Yearly Meeting sessions for business, if possible. 
  10. Serving, along with FAPS, on the SYF Committee for Ministry and Counsel.
  11. Overseeing disbursement of scholarships from the Tim Shaw Fund described below.
  12. Preparing an evaluation report of the last gathering to send to the Clerk of your group by the fall.  This report is essential for evaluation and planning, even if your term has ended.
  13. Communicating with the Clerk and other members of your group as needed.
  14. Attending the winter meeting of the Arrangements Committee and, one week before that meeting, sending a preliminary report about the plans for Interest Groups and Seminars during the upcoming gathering to the Clerk and the website.

Tim Shaw Fund

The Tim Shaw Fund is for SYF Travel and the Annual Gathering.  The Yearly Meeting will allot $500 annually to the Fund.  The money will primarily be used to assist in bringing those SYFs to IMYM who would otherwise not be able to attend the annual gathering due to lack of financial resources.  (SYFs are also encouraged to seek other sources of funds, such as monthly or regional meetings.) 

The Senior Young Friends Clerks and Regional Representatives to Arrangements Committee will award grants from the Tim Show Fund, using the following guidelines approved by the Yearly Meeting in June, 1991: 

  1. The annual gathering is the first priority for the use of these funds.  A minimum of $300 will be used solely to bring SYFs to the annual gathering. 
  2. Grants will be given for up to 50% of cost of registration and travel, as funds permit.
  3. Requests for annual gathering support should be made between April 25 and May 25th of each year.  Requests will not be processed before the end of May, so as to provide equal opportunity for access to funds and to maximize time to find funds from other sources.
  4. Requests will be processed through contact with Regional Representatives and the Senior Young Friends Clerk.
  5. Each situation needs to be examined individually; therefore, these guidelines shall remain flexible.
  6. After approval, receipts will be submitted to the Treasurer of IMYM who will reimburse according to the decisions made.

Senior Young Friends Nominations

Nominations are submitted by Senior Young Friends to the Clerk of the Nominating Committee to be advanced to Yearly Meeting for approval.  A person may hold more than one appointment.

  1. Senior Young Friends Clerk (term to coincide with Friendly Adult Presence).
  2. One member each to Finance, Watching, Program Committee for one-year terms.
  3. Two members to Committee on Ministry and Counsel for one-year terms.
  4. Regional Representatives to Arrangements Committee, one from each region for a one-year term with the responsibilities listed below:
    1. Being aware of the interests and abilities of the Young Friends in the Regional Meeting for use in planning the programs for the annual gathering and other Yearly Meeting activities.
    2. Encouraging young people in monthly meetings and worship groups to participate in the Young Friends programs.
    3. Assisting the Clerks and Coordinators of Junior Young Friends and the FAPs of Senior Young Friends in planning the programs for the annual gathering.
    4. Encouraging Young Friends within their Regional Meeting to meet together at times other than the annual gathering.
    5. Encouraging young people interested in Quakerism to attend regional and monthly meetings, worship groups and other Quaker activities.
    6. Attending Arrangements Committee at the expense of their regional or monthly meetings, in order to assist with planning Young Friends’ activities for the annual gathering.

Financial Arrangements

The Yearly Meeting is responsible for the expenses for the Clerks of Senior Young Friends to attend Arrangements Committee meetings and the annual gathering.  Senior Young Friends have a budgetary allowance of $500.00 supplied by annual gathering fees for program expenses (including food and supplies).  The Clerks should consult with the FAPs as needed regarding the current budgetary situation and spending procedures.