Promoted roles (apply directly)
You can apply for promoted roles directly by filling in an expression of interest form. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
Representatives to other European Yearly Meetings
Serve for one weekend a year, experience travel across Europe, form fellowship with Friends across the continent!
Each year, BYM nominates representatives who visit other Yearly Meetings across Europe. These short service opportunities usually take place over one weekend, once per year. Appointed Friends most often serve at two Yearly Meetings.
Can you speak French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, or Polish? who may be available and willing to serve in 2025 or future years to be visiting representatives to a different Yearly Meeting. Travel expenses and accommodation costs are covered.
2025 Yearly Meeting dates and locations are published on the
Friends World Committee for Consultation Calendar (offsite link).
Please complete an Expression of Interest Form to let us know you're interested in this opportunity.
To discuss this opportunity in more detail, please get in touch with the Nominations team by email (nominations@quaker.org.uk).
Please be aware that enquiries are ongoing with a rolling deadline.
Central Nominations
Do you have a talent for seeing the gifts in others? Can you offer your support to help Quakers across Britain thrive?
We are looking for Friends of all ages to join Central Nominations Committee, a group dedicated to strengthening and supporting nominations within the Yearly Meeting. By joining, you become part of a vibrant community of passionate and committed committee members working together to build something meaningful.
We actively seek Friends who are inspired by the notion that our community is created and upheld by us all, not by a 'chosen few'.
Would you like to be a part of this journey? On Central Nominations Committee, we see the gifts in others and speak to the divine spark within every person.
Friends are invited to serve for 1-3 years.
If this resonates, we'd love to hear from you! Complete an Expression of Interest Form and a member of our team will get in touch.
Complete list of service opportunities
If the roles below interest you then please tell us about yourself in the service information form (it takes about 10 minutes). We will match you to a suitable role.
Quaker Governance: keeping our organisation in good order
Quaker Governance ensures that Britain Yearly Meeting is well run. These committees and groups make sure our work is in accord with Quaker faith and values.
- Audit Committee works to ensure that Britain Yearly Meeting's finances are legal, well managed and low risk.
- Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) Trustees support and guide the administration of Britain Yearly Meeting and are responsible for its buildings and assets. Find out about BYM Trustees
- BYM Trustee Nominations find Friends to serve on BYM Trustee-appointed committees.
- Central Nominations Committee matches the gifts of Friends across Britain Yearly Meeting to the roles that serve it. This includes work on central committees and groups. It also appoints Friends to represent Quakers on outside bodies.
- Church Government Advisory Group identifies and drafts any changes to Quaker faith & practice. It consults with Friends and other experts as needed.
- Employment Committee oversees the employment of Britain Yearly Meeting's staff. This includes policy setting, salary awards and compliance.
- Finance & Property Committee looks after the finance and property of Britain Yearly Meeting.
- Friends Trusts Ltd looks after the property and investments held in trust for Britain Yearly Meeting.
- Quiet Company Trustees oversee the work of Quiet Company. Quiet Company works on behalf of the charity, Britain Yearly Meeting, to run a conference, events and catering business at Friends House. It also oversees the running of Swarthmoor Hall, the Friends House bookshop, and facilities on both sites. Find out more about Quiet Company. Find out about Quiet Company (offsite link).
- Meeting for Sufferings Arrangements Group supports Meeting for Sufferings.
- Quaker Housing Trust, Trustees : Quaker Housing Trust (QHT) is a charity that funds and supports social housing projects. It gives small grants, interest-free loans and advice. Find out more about QHT (offsite link).
- Quaker Life Approvals Panel provides an appeals process for Friends who have a criminal record. These Friends may have been told that they cannot take on a job which works with children and vulnerable people. They can appeal this decision with the Quaker Life Appeals Panel.
- Senior Staff Grievance & Disciplinary Group is called on when there is a need to hear a grievance or to discipline a senior staff member of Britain Yearly Meeting.
- Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee discerns, plans and runs Yearly Meeting and Yearly Meeting Gathering.
- Yearly Meeting Arrangements Committee helps to run Yearly Meeting. It supports and acts on behalf of the Agenda Committee at Yearly Meetings.
- Yearly Meeting Nominating Group works to find Friends to serve on Central Nominations Committee.
Quaker Connections: working with Quaker and non-Quaker groups
Quaker Connections reach out to make connections with other groups. These can be other Quaker meetings across the world, or other faith groups.
- Friend in Residence, Pendle Hill Study Centre stays at Pendle Hill in North America for three months in autumn/winter. Friends taking on this role live and work at the centre.
- Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations (QCCIR) helps Quakers work with other faiths and human values groups to find and pursue common goals. Find out about QCCIR.
- Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) bring a vision of peace, justice and equality to Europe. It works with other groups working in Europe. Find out about QCEA (offsite link).
- Quaker United Nations (UN) Committee - Geneva (QUNC Geneva): The Quaker UN Office holds Friends' concerns for global peace and justice. The committee sets the priorities and it monitors the work of the UN Office. Find out about QUNC Geneva.
- Quaker World Relations Committee (QWRC) helps Britain Yearly Meeting keep in contact with other Quaker meetings and groups across the world. It helps them understand and support one another. Find out about QWRC.
- Representatives to other European meetings represent Britain Yearly Meeting at a European Yearly Meeting. Friends are only asked to serve over the time of the meeting. This is a short term appointment.
Quaker Life: nurturing Quaker communities
Quaker Life works to support and strengthen Quaker life throughout the yearly meeting.
- Book of Discipline Revision Committee (BDRC) works to revise Quaker faith & practice. This work is done every generation to reflect changes in faith. This work began in 2019 and lasts ten years.
- Developing Opportunities for Young Quakers Reference Group supports young Quakers (aged from 11 to 18) to get involved in their faith. It works with local and area meetings.
- Engaging Young Adult Friends supports and empower young adults across Britain Yearly Meeting to fully take part in their faith. Young adult Quakers are those aged from 18 to 35. Find out about work with Young Adult Quakers.
- Quaker Life Central Committee (QLCC) work to support and strengthen Quaker life across Britain. The committee oversees both the nurture of the spirit and the practical tasks that are needed to run our Quaker meetings. Find out about QLCC.
- Yearly Meeting Elders make sure that the meetings of Britain Yearly Meeting are held as an expression of the Quaker faith. They promote the principles of our meetings for both worship and business. They are there to support and guide all Friends in the meeting.
- Yearly Meeting Epistle Drafters write the Epistle at Yearly Meeting. This is a short term appointment over the course of Yearly Meeting.
- Yearly Meeting Pastoral Care supports Friends in need who come to Yearly Meeting. The need could be emotional, physical or spiritual. The group also manages the bursary for Friends who need financial support to come.
- Yearly Meeting Publications Group oversees the publication of Quaker faith & practice, the book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). It also has to ensure the up-to-date publication of the booklet Advices & queries.
Quaker Peace & Social Witness: putting faith into action
Quaker Peace & Social Witness works to translate Quaker faith into action.
- Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI): Committee members guide the work of this programme. The work places people from the UK and Ireland into Palestine and Israel. They live alongside the communities and work nonviolently against military occupation. Find out about EAPPI
- QPSW Central Committee (QPSWCC) has oversight of Quaker work for peace and social justice. It has a strategic view of the work of the other committees within QPSW. Find out about QPSWCC.
- QPSW Conciliation Group sets the priorities for QPSW conciliation work. The aim of this work is to support key groups and people involved in specific conflicts. The work helps them to deal with conflict without the use of violence. Find out about Quaker conciliation work.
- QPSW Economics & Sustainability Subcommittee sets the priorities for QPSW work. It helps to build an economy that does not harm the environment and protects and supports all life. It helps Quakers use economic power to the benefit of all. Find out about QPSW economics and sustainability work.
- QPSW Grants Group awards QPSW small grants. These range from grants for international development to grants for education. Find out about QPSW Grants
- QPSW Standing Nominations Committee works to match the gifts of Friends to these QPSW groups.