To reach out widely
Gill Sewell explains the outreach work of Britain Yearly Meeting, the strategy behind it and where the money goes
Working on outreach is exciting and fills me with optimism for potential growth in Quaker worshippers. We use many approaches, including media coverage, social media, stalls at big festivals and advertising. However, advertising can be an uncomfortable issue for some Friends. Surely people will find their way to Quakerism if it is the ‘right’ faith for them? Well, we know the journey to Quakerism can be slow – painfully so, with some suggesting seven or twelve years from first exposure to membership. In the outreach team we talk about ‘ten tastes’ on the way to active engagement, possibly seeing an advert or TV programme, receiving a free information pack, conversation with a local Quaker or attending worship. How can we help these happen over a matter of months rather than decades?
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