We’re having a Diocesan Synod in May (and one this month, which is going to be super neat, but for this article, I’m really talking about the May one), and we’re pretty excited about it! A small team of folks have been working hard to create a plan to support youth delegates to make sure they have the best experience possible. Hopefully your parish has already been connecting with youth to see who might be interested in coming, but in case that hasn’t started yet, here are a few things that you can share with youth (aged 16 to 25) to encourage them to consider being a youth delegate:
1. It’s an opportunity to connect with other youth from across the diocese. And not just at Synod itself, but also before Synod – there’s going to be Zoom gatherings to get to know one another and an in-person overnight gathering in Halifax to help everyone get ready for Synod.
2. You get to spend a weekend in Halifax! Ok – this might not be as great a selling point if you live in Halifax already. But spending some time in Halifax is fun and exciting! Lots of the time will be spent indoors in meetings, but there will be some free time, and you can explore the city a bit before Synod starts or after it ends.
3. You get to be part of the business of the church – making decisions that could have a huge impact on the way our church works or the difference our church makes in the world around us. Youth delegates have an equal vote to everyone else and have equal opportunity to speak on the things that are discussed. There aren’t many opportunities for young people to be part of significant decisionmaking processes – but this is one of them!
There are also some things that your parish can do to help make it as easy as possible for youth to go to Synod – here are a couple of them:
1. Be clear that travel costs, meals, and accommodations are covered. For people who have been part of things like Synod or who travel for work, this might seem obvious, but for young people who may not have done something like this before, it can be a bit of a worry. So – just be clear up front about it. Also, depending on your young person, consider whether you can cover costs for a parent or guardian to travel along with them – depending on the accommodation, this doesn’t necessarily add a huge expense, but can add a huge amount of assurance, knowing that even though they may be going to a new place with people they don’t know, that they have someone close by to support them.
2. Offer to write a note excusing their absence from school. If a young person in high school wants to attend all of Synod, that means missing some school. Many schools have strict attendance policies but will allow absences that give students the opportunity for meaningful experiences. A letter from a priest or a warden explaining the purpose of Synod and the importance of youth presence can go a long way. (Also – make sure that young people know that it’s ok to miss part of Synod if they don’t want to or aren’t able to miss two days of school.)
3. Be sure to tell any potential youth delegates that you value them and their perspective and believe that they can make a difference at Synod. Being part of something that matters, something that can make a difference, is exciting, and it’s a real gift of our Synod structure that there is space for every single parish to send a youth delegate. This kind of thing doesn’t happen everywhere – not every diocese does and there are lots of structures in the wider community that don’t make so much space for young people. So, we need to make the most of it by encouraging young people in our parishes to be part of our Synod and have their say in the future of our church.
