Weekend
Workcamps Program
at the Friends Neighborhood Guild
An opportunity to connect, learn, serve and be transformed
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Since 2006, the Friends Weekend Workcamp
Program has had a new life, now based at the Friends
Neighborhood Guild in North Philadelphia, and supported
in part by a generous contribution from Philadelphia
Yearly Meeting. The Friends Neighborhood Guild is a
Quaker-founded social service agency in its 127th year
of operation, headquartered at 8th and Fairmount.
With change comes opportunity. Fairhill
Burial Ground and Fairhill Friends Ministry, also in
North Philadelphia, works with the Guild to offer weekend
service learning programs for the wider Quaker community.
Many of us who have cared about the workcamp program
over the years, and valued the legacy of David Richie
and Judy and Michael Van Hoy, have a sense of excitement
about the possibilities for new life in this work. |
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Here are exciting new possibilities of working
together with local community members on issues of common
concern. |
What?
Weekend Workcamps at the Guild bring youth and
adults from Friends Schools and Quaker Meetings together
with youth leaders and adults at the Guild for workshops
and service projects in the neighborhood themed
around topics like community arts, oral histories and
urban environmentalism. During the workcamp, we usually
go out for dinner together, see a play or other cultural
event, sleep over at the Guild’s community center,
and make time for yoga class or sports and games. Workcamps
are typically Friday night–Sunday noon, with about
6-12 people from each group. We ask visiting groups to
contribute $55 per participant or other
in-kind resources to cover the weekend’s food and
activity costs—and we love to improvise to meet
visiting groups’ needs. Weekend Workcamps
offer opportunities for learning about the community,
service, reflection, play, community building and worship
in North Philadelphia. |
| Who? |
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Quaker youth |
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Friends School groups |
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Other youth groups. |
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Members of monthly and quarterly meetings in Philadelphia
Yearly Meeting |
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Groups of Quaker families |
| Workcamps can be for groups
of young people (6-12 middle school or high
school-aged youth and 2 chaperones), young adults,
and intergenerational groups.
Why?
The workcamp program has a powerful history,
as it invites Quakers and non-Quakers to a spiritually-based
experience in low-income communities. It is essential
to our spiritual well-being as Quakers to know personally
what it means to stand with the poor and the oppressed.
Never have we needed a sense of connection and understanding
across barriers of class and race in this country more.
The Weekend Workcamps Program offers an opportunity
to increase awareness of economic, racial and cultural
differences and inequalities as well as discover similarities,
seeking to recognize “that of God” in everyone.
Countless participants have told of how workcamps
have changed their lives.
Where?
The workcamps are housed at the Friends
Neighborhood Guild, 701 North 8th Street, on
the corner of 8th and Fairmount in lower North
Philadelphia. Workcampers will be involved
in projects with the Guild and other Quaker-related
groups in the area, such as Fairhill Burial Ground and
Fairhill Friends Ministry.
When?
Year-round! Planning a workcamp takes about
a month’s worth of advance planning, so contact
the Workcamps Coordinator today.
How?
Contact Laura Owens Smoot, Coordinator, Weekend Workcamps
Program
guild.workcamps@gmail.com
or 856-287-0729
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Summer
Workcamps
Westtown
Quaker Leadership Workcamps are an interesting
and meaningful way to volunteer and travel with a purpose.
Working and living together with other young people
provides an excellent opportunity to make new friends,
learn about new cultures, gain new skills and practical
experience. Your enthusiasm, time, and energy can make
a difference in areas where help is really needed.
This summer we are offering one
Environmental weekend Program
(June 19 to June 21, 2009 ) based at Westtown
and one 8-day program in Mexico (June 28 to
July 5, 2009.) Program information and application
forms are available by clicking Read
more information. We hope to see you this
summer! |
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China
Summer:
International Volunteer
Summer Workcamp
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The Journey
of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step
— Traditional Chinese saying
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is
no longer cosponsoring the China Summer workcamp.
The American Friends Service Committee is now
the sole sponsor and (AFSC) has taken responsibility
for the webpages.
Go to the AFSC China Summer webpage.
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