Becoming a Quaker Elder is one of many opportunities available to our Junior and Senior School students at Sidcot. Quaker Elders run our weekly Meeting for Worship sessions, deliver assemblies, and facilitate workshops for students and staff throughout the year.
We met with two of our Senior Quaker Elders to learn more about what this role means to them, why they chose to become a Quaker Elder, and how the role helps them be themselves.
Joshua
"I have been a Quaker rep and then elder for a little over three and a half years, and it has been a wonderful way for me to act on issues I am passionate about. In joining the Quaker team, I've been able to work with like-minded students and staff, sharing our values with the rest of the school community. Student-led justice is something I have long been interested in and at the end of Year 11, because of my role as a Quaker Elder, I was able to be involved in starting a program of "restorative practice". I have led this for the past few years and am about to start training others.
Young people often struggle to navigate having strong values, religion, or faith, but being part of an amazing team has really helped me explore and practice what I believe in a truly nurturing environment".
Susanna
"I initially became a Quaker rep in Year 11 when Nikki Havercroft told me about the role and encouraged me to think about taking it up. From there on, I became more and more involved with Quaker events and activities, despite not being one myself, allowing me to meet many like-minded and contrasting characters of different ages, personalities, and nationalities. Through these experiences, I’ve become more comfortable interacting with others and being myself around them, helping me step out of my comfort zone.
I’m especially grateful for Quakerism’s approach to kindness and acceptance. I believe normalising and encouraging such behaviours, while seen as common sense, is important in times of war and cruelty everywhere. Therefore, to see empathy not as a weakness but a strength is what I treasure most from the experiences I’ve gained from this role".
To learn more about our Quaker heritage and what it means for our students today, visit us at an upcoming Open Morning or book a personal tour.