A strong intergenerational community is one that knows how to be relevant to people in many different stages of life. Learn how to create a welcoming structure that is friendly for people in high school. Many of these suggestions are written for an audience of older adults. For additional suggestions, see Intergenerational Spaces That Empower.
- Be sure that your meeting has a website that is clear, up-to-date, and includes some QuakerSpeak videos. This can help make meeting information more accessible to high school students.
- Be sure that your First Day School curriculum has a section on Conscientious Objection. FGC has many anti-war resources for young Friends to document their commitment to peace, in the event of a draft.
- If you have high school students who are invested in the Quaker way, ask them about becoming a member. Some yearly meetings allow for dual membership or membership at-large within the yearly meeting. This can open up opportunities for a Friend to contribute and belong, even if they move houses often.
- Ask Friends in High School to help the meeting draft a minute that supports Trans Rights, LGBTQ+ health, Climate Change, or on another topic that’s important to the young people in your meeting. Act as an advocate to be sure that the original copy submitted by high school students stands in its integrity, without adults overly editing it.
- Ask high school students about good times to meet for worship. Would an evening or mid-week worship work better for some people? How well is the Sunday morning worship time working? Set aside time for socializing and snacks after meeting.
- Show genuine interest in the activities, passions, and spiritual journey of high school students.
In some cases, an adult with child safety clearances can set up additional worship times or service projects for high schools students. Be sure that you follow your state laws and your meeting’s Child Safety Policy. For instance, if you want to check in on a high school student, always include their parents on the text or email. Correspondence between adults and high school students should be transparent.
More Resources
Material on this page was inspired by the 12 How-To’s of Intergenerational Community. This document includes suggestions for working with high school students as well as many other groups of Friends under 30. It’s made to be used as a print resource.
Page created on December 18, 2025