Interest Groups at Annual Session – Pacific Yearly Meeting

Interest Groups at the Annual Session of Pacific Yearly Meeting are 90-minute sessions that focus on a particular topic, concern, or area of interest. They are usually offered concurrently during three or four time slots at Annual Session.

Interest Groups are sponsored by a PacYM committee, Friends organization, or Monthly Meeting. Individuals with an idea for an Interest Group are welcome to contact an appropriate sponsoring body, or to talk with the Assistant to the Clerk for help exploring possible sponsorship.

2027 Annual Session: August 4-9
[placeholder for theme]
Interest Group proposals must be received by May 1st, 2027

Interest Group proposals should grow out of the work, concerns, or responsibilities of the sponsoring committee, organization, or Monthly Meeting. The sponsoring body should have a real connection to the topic being offered. If the topic overlaps with the work of another PacYM committee or group, connect with those Friends before submitting the proposal; collaboration or shared sponsorship may make sense.

Interest Group proposals should relate in some meaningful way to the theme for Annual Session. The connection does not need to be narrow or literal, but the proposal should help Friends engage with, explore, or reflect on some aspect of the theme.

Planning the Interest Group schedule

Proposals are considered together as the Interest Group schedule is developed, taking into account the range of topics being offered, onsite and online capacity, overlap between proposals, presenter availability, and the overall Annual Session program.

If a proposal might work better in a different time slot, format, or in collaboration with another Interest Group, the Assistant to the Clerk will discuss the possibilities with the contact person before any changes are made. Submitting a proposal does not guarantee a particular time slot or format.

If an Interest Group is not yet fully seasoned, or the requested arrangement cannot be accommodated, there are other ways to offer the session. Online Interest Groups are strongly encouraged throughout the year through the Workshops, Interest Groups & similar events during the year process. During Annual Session, a Topic-Based Conversation may also be an option.

Submit your proposal

Use the form below to submit your proposal. The form will ask for the information needed to understand the session, its connection to the Annual Session theme, scheduling needs, preferred format, and any onsite or online support required.

Interest Group Proposal Submission Form

Facebook

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your Name(Required)

First Last

Your Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Your Role(Required)

Interest Group Title(Required)

Description(Required)

This description will be used as submitted in Annual Session materials, including the website, handbook, and Quaker Parrot. Write it for Friends deciding whether to attend your Interest Group, not for the organizers. Please do not include planning notes.
Keep the description to 75 words or fewer. Consider how the session connects with the Annual Session theme and, if a similar Interest Group has been offered before, what will make this one fresh or different.

Sponsoring committee, organization or Monthly Meeting(Required)

Presenters(Required)

List everyone who will be presenting or facilitating the Interest Group.
The first person listed will be our primary contact for the Interest Group unless you tell us otherwise in the comments at the end of the form. Please be sure to include an email address for that person.

Name

Role or Title

Affiliation

Anticipated number of participants

This information will help the Assistant to the Clerk to assign an appropriate space.

Please enter a number from 10 to 100.

Preferred format(Required)

Please consider carefully how this Interest Group will be offered. Hybrid spaces are extremely limited. Onsite only sessions can usually be accommodated in a variety of spaces, and online only sessions are strongly encouraged.

Onsite (in person) only

Online (virtual) only

Hybrid (onsite + online)

No preference

If a hybrid space is not available, which format would you prefer?(Required)

Onsite (in person) only

Online (virtual) only

No preference

Time or date restrictions

Tell us about any times or days when the presenter(s) cannot offer this Interest Group.

Scheduling conflicts to avoid

Let us know if there is another Interest Group that should not be scheduled at the same time as this one.

Onsite Requests

All indoor spaces have WiFi, but not all spaces are equipped for hybrid sessions. A tech support person will be provided for hybrid sessions.
Check everything you expect to need for the onsite session. Select all that apply.

Projector + screen

Poster pad or whiteboard

Translation (Spanish/English)

Translation (other language)

Other

Please elaborate

Online Requests

Advance planning is especially important because Zoom hosts may be supporting several Interest Groups at the same time. Clear information ahead of time helps them prepare each session and provide support without disrupting other groups. Select all that apply.

Breakout rooms

Screen sharing

Polling / survey option

Translation (any language)

Tech support person

Other

Please elaborate

Please provide details

At approximately what point in the session will breakout rooms be needed? How will the groups be divided? (e.g. 5 people in each group or divide the group into 3 breakout rooms)
If you do not yet know these details, please give your best estimate now and follow up with the final breakout room plan before Annual Session. It’s the presenter’s responsibility to make sure this information is provided in advance.
Tech support is available to move people into and out of breakout rooms — make sure you check Tech Support person in the Online Requests list above.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

Use this space for anything that does not fit elsewhere on the form, including special circumstances, additional context, or a different primary contact for the Interest Group.

Questions about Interest Groups at Annual Session?
Contact assistanttotheclerk@pacificyearlymeeting.org