About the European Family Conference
What, where, and when is the EFC, and who can register?
Please read the information on this page to find out more about the European Family Conference (EFC) and who can register.
If members of your family also intend to join the European Young People’s Conference (EYPC), then please see About the EYPC.
For more information about what to expect at both the EYPC and EFC, please see What To Expect at the Conference.
What is the EFC?
The European Family Conference is an opportunity for families from across Europe to come together and open to the Lord regarding how to go on in our families and in the church life. The conference is intended for parents and their children. In order to have the best atmosphere, we want to tell you what to expect at the conference.
The burden of the conference is that the Lord would raise up families for the church life. The schedule includes family activities such as singing, stories, talks, crafts, games, and workshops during the day. Our hope is that we can learn together how to carry out these activities once we return home.
The conference also provides a good opportunity to get to know other families in the church life and share with them our experiences, struggles, and difficulties.
In the evenings, we will have times of fellowship for parents and burdened saints. Parents are encouraged to make private arrangements to share child care duties.
There will be three special meetings for children aged 11-12, where we have the burden that the gospel would be announced to them in a clear way. A parent or guardian must be with their child during these meetings.
The daily workshops, corporate activities, and evening fellowships are part of the conference. By registering for the conference, we are registering to take part in all of these scheduled activities. All these aspects of the conference are designed for families to do together, and there will be no organised child-care.
There will be an activities tent and a playing field where families can go throughout the day to play games and build crafts together informally.
There will not be creche facilities; however, there should be toys and sports equipment available for children of all ages.
Children under 18 are not allowed to use electronics, including phones or tablets, at any time during the conference. This is a safeguarding issue and also applies to those attending the young people’s conference.
Our goal is that through all the workshops, activities, and fellowship times, we would make progress in learning how to shepherd all the members of our families. We look to the Lord for His rich blessing on this time.
Updated 1 May 2025
Where is the EFC held?
The EFC takes place at the same time as the EYPC in Małe Ciche, a small mountain village near the Tatra Mountains in the southern part of Poland. Specific parts of the village are designated for EFC activities, and the family conference schedule during the week differs from the EYPC schedule.
When does the EFC take place?
Both the EYPC and EFC take place in the summer, typically during the last week of July leading into August. Please see the home page for the specific dates for this year.
Who Can Register: Families
The EFC is open to any family with children from 0-12 years old. Children age 13+ must be registered in the EYPC.
Children
The EFC schedule will include workshops for the whole family to participate in together. There will not be separate meetings only for children.
There will not be creche facilities; however, there should be toys and sports equipment for children of all ages.
Children may be registered for full-sized meals, half-sized meals, or no meals. Children up to age 3 with no meals also have the option of having no bed. See the Conference Costs and Fees 2025 for more details.
An EFC T-shirt is included in the registration fee only for children who are paying full price (i.e. for full-sized meals). For other children, T-shirts will need to be purchased separately through the registration form.
Children are the responsibility of their parents/guardians at all times.
Guidelines for Children (Ages 0–12)
To help everyone enjoy the conference and care for one another, here are some simple guidelines for all children:
- Be kind and caring
Help others, share, and look out for younger ones. - Be respectful
Listen to your parents, helpers, and those leading the sessions. Speak with kindness and take turns. - Look after your things
Keep your belongings tidy and bring what you need to each session. - No electronic devices
Phones, tablets, and other electronic devices are not allowed for the duration of the entire conference. - Stick together
Always stay with your parent or group. Don’t wander off without letting a responsible adult know.
Additional Guidelines for Children Ages 11–12
- Children aged 11–12 are part of the European Family Conference (EFC).
- During the EFC, we will have several sessions just for the children in this age group.
- We are burdened that all the older children, aged 11-12, would have the gospel announced to them in a clear way.
- A parent must remain with their child in these sessions at all times.
- The 11-12-year-olds will be on the EFC schedule for the entirety of the conference.
- This includes participating in workshops and family times.
- In the event that there is opportunity to visit the Junior EYPC meetings, this should not be at a time when it conflicts with the EFC schedule.
Visiting the EYPC
(this is not a guaranteed option)
- If EFC children (ages 11-12) do visit the EYPC tents, they must be accompanied by a designated adult, sit in the Visitors section, and not cause disruption during the meetings.
- Visiting the EYPC would be limited to 1-2 meetings during the week; these would be announced at the beginning of the week.
- You would need to take care of your own translation needs (with an FM radio and earphones, or side-by-side translation).
- There are evening EFC meetings for the parents. These are an important part of the EFC, and, as much as possible, we would like parents to not miss these because of going to the EYPC meetings.
Adult Family Members
Adult family members are those who have young children attending the conference, so they are attending as a family unit. This includes parents, grandparents, etc.
Family workshops will take place throughout the day, including evenings. The EFC will have a full schedule.
An EFC T-shirt is included in the registration fee.
A parents’ handbook containing information and stories will be provided. If you would also like an EYPC handbook, then you will need to purchase it separately on the registration form.
All adults, as much as possible, are expected to participate in the service in this conference. See the Practical Service Needs for more details.
Parent Policy (Ages 0-12)
We are so glad you and your family are joining us for the conference. To help keep everyone safe and supported, please take note of the following:
- Your children are your responsibility
While we are in a shared and caring environment, each child remains under the full care of their parent or guardian throughout the entire conference. - Stay alert to potential hazards
Please be aware of your child’s safety around the road, river, fire (e.g., bonfire and BBQs), and any other outdoor spaces. - Participate and serve
Parents are encouraged to take part in workshops and be ready to help as needed.
Registrants from North America
All registrants from North America for both the EYPC and EFC are required to pre-register and be pre-approved by the SCYP Office.
Once registration opens on this website, you will also need to complete the registration form and pay before the deadline (or be subject to late fees). More information to help registrants from North America complete the Conference registration form can be found here.
Registrants from outside of Europe or North America
If you are from a country outside of Europe or North America and would like to participate in the EFC this year, please get in touch with the Country Coordinator for the ‘Other’ region in order to fellowship concerning your request.
Please note that there is a limit to the number of saints we can receive from other parts of the world, and a separate conference fee applies. Please initiate fellowship with your local and/or regional leading ones early if you have an interest in joining the EFC this year and include them in your communications with us. The approval of your registration is subject to receiving a letter of recommendation from your elders or responsible ones.
Please refrain from buying a plane ticket before being approved.
Who Can Register: Practical (EFC) Serving Saints
Practical serving saints are those who join the EFC without their own children, i.e. they are not coming to the conference as part of a family unit.
There are many practical needs for the EFC to be carried out. Therefore, any brother or sister who is burdened for the children and families can register to attend. No prior experience of serving with children is required; the ability to coordinate with others is necessary.
See the Practical Service Needs and particularly those marked with an asterisk.
Practical Service Needs
To care for all the families, we need many hands. Therefore, all adult registrants, including family members and practical serving saints, are needed to serve at this conference. Most of the services are not for the entirety of the conference but only for one or two sessions. Please indicate your service preference in the registration form.
*The practical service areas marked with an asterisk below are for those registering in the ‘practical serving saints’ status so that family members can be released to be in the workshops and meetings together. The other practical service areas are open to all adult registrants in the EFC, both family members and practical serving saints.
Below are descriptions of the practical service areas that take care of both the EYPC and the EFC.
Audio*
This is a full-time service for the duration of the conference. Those who serve on the Audio Team will be assigned to serve on one of three dedicated teams for the Junior Conference, Senior Conference, or Family Conference. The responsibility of the Audio Team is to manage and record the audio during the conference meetings. Experience is recommended but not totally necessary.
Check-in/Arrivals (Registration and Ushering) - arrival day(s) only
If you are planning to arrive early to the conference, please feel free to sign up for this additional service. It involves welcoming the saints when they arrive, giving them their conference materials (handbooks/T-shirts), and directing them to their accommodations. This service will take up the majority of the arrival day(s). You will need to be available to participate in some coordination and training over Zoom in the week or two before the conference.
Facilities* - brothers only
We ask brothers only to sign up for this service. This service has both day-shifts and night-shifts. When you register, you can indicate if you are only able to do one or the other.
The Facilities day-shift involves:
- Working in teams of three to keep watch over the conference tent and equipment to which you are assigned during the day
- Helping with chair arrangement and securing additional seating if needed
- Maintaining a comfortable environment by monitoring and adjusting air conditioning units as needed
- Supporting cleanliness by managing waste disposal and keeping trash bins in order
The Facilities night-shift involves:
- Serving alongside another brother for one or two nights in one of the conference tents to watch over the equipment (a mattress, sleeping bag, and flashlight/torch will be provided)
- Securing the tents and activating the alarm system for the night
First Aid
If you are a doctor, nurse, health care professional, or have been trained in first aid, you may want to join the First-Aid Team. The First-Aid Team will provide care for those who become unwell and those who sustain any injury (not for routine medical check-up) during the camp. The First-Aid Station will be open and staffed at scheduled times in coordination with the other saints you are serving with.
Hike
The Hike Team will coordinate together to select and confirm the hike route for the young people’s conference as well as suggest and provide information about a family-friendly hike/walk suitable for those with buggies/prams/strollers as well as older children. The Hike Team will also help to coordinate for the bus loading and transportation to and from the hike location, provide ushering and check-in at the entrance, and oversee the checkpoints en route.
House Coordinators
During the conference, there is a need for one person in each house to help coordinate and facilitate practical matters that may arise throughout the week. This service is usually not too heavy, but it is invaluable for the shepherding care of the saints and maintaining good communication between each house and the Conference Office.
The main responsibilities of a HC are as follows:
- Regularly check the WhatsApp HC Announcement group for messages that may require your attention.Please let the saints in the Conference Office know if you are asked to be a HC and do not have WhatsApp or mobile data during your stay as this may limit our ability to communicate with you.
- When needed, pass on announcements to those staying in your house or to specific individuals.Meal-times are often the best time to make announcements or find the saints in your house.
- Act as a liaison between those in your house and the EYPC/EFC Office.If there are concerns from either the host or the saints regarding the accommodations, please fellowship with the saints serving in the Conference Office.
- If instructed, take care of practical needs such as disinfecting surfaces, passing out meal tickets, coordinating meal times/ushers (to avoid congestion in larger houses), posting departure lists, etc.
If you are asked to serve in this way and feel that you are not able to, please fellowship with the Conference Office so that another saint in your house can be assigned.
Street Stewards
This service would be for saints to be stationed at particular points in the village with safety gear to help guide the saints to their homes at night after the meetings finish, especially the ones staying in Lichajówki. It would be wonderful if some of the dads in the EFC are able to join this service.
Transport
The Transport Team is responsible for assigning the pickup and drop-off transport between Krakow Airport and Małe Ciche based on the travel information supplied by the registrants. This includes determining when and how many coaches are needed. On arrival days, this team is responsible for receiving the saints at the airport and guiding them onto their pickup transport. During the week, the team will make sure the proper arrangements are made for everyone who booked departure transport and will help to ensure the saints board their correct departure transport (with their passports!) after the conference.
Below are descriptions of the EFC-specific practical service areas.
ADMIN
1. Announcements*
We need a team of saints to help ensure that all the families receive important announcements and are aware of when the next activities are happening.
ACTIVITIES
2. Afternoon Activities
3. Free Activities (including crafts)
4. Verse Memorization / Rewards
We love having encouragement. This team will come together to consider ways to encourage the families to learn the verses together and to be a good pattern for others.
PRACTICAL
5. Baptisms
There is the need for some brothers to take care of both the spiritual and practical aspects of the baptisms in the young people’s conference. This will include having a fellowship meeting with those who have a desire to know more about baptism and setting up the baptismal and a suitable area around it so that other conference attendees can participate by seeing and praying during the baptisms.
6. Bonfire Preparation
Bonfire preparation involves setting up the designated fire site by gathering firewood, building the bonfire, building Swedish torches (log candles) using a drill or an auger, securing the area with caution tape, and setting up garbage bags for waste collection. The entire service takes approximately five hours.
7. Playground Setup
This service will require you to arrive a day early (Saturday) and to be in a team to consider how we can provide a playground for the families.
8. Playground Monitor
This service is to check (twice a day) to ensure that everything in the playground is suitable (equipment and persons in attendance), and to keep the key to open and close the gate.
9. Snacks
Snacks will be provided for the families during the afternoon. This team will coordinate together with the Conference Office to consider the type, the amount, the time, and how to distribute the snacks.
DURING THE MEETING
10. EFC Tent Ushers
Part of this team will help to usher the families from the playground to the workshops 10-15 minutes before the workshop starts and others will help to ensure all the adults have their badges on when entering the EFC tents.
11. Singing
There will be singing time at the beginning of each workshop. This team will coordinate how to have a joyful singing time to welcome all the families and how they can involve the different language groups.
12. Live Translation
There is a need for translation during the meetings. (Please indicate which language you can translate from English under the “Further Information” section.)
13. Guitar
If you have some experience in playing the guitar, please feel free to sign up for this service. You will be added to a guitar schedule for the week to play guitar with others at the beginning of each meeting.
14. Clean-up
This service takes place when the families are in the workshop. There is a need to help cover up the stations and to clean up the area. Toilets will need to be cleaned/restocked regularly, and the trash bins will need to be emptied.
FULL-TIME SERVICE
15. Ages 11-12s Team
You will coordinate how to take care of the children aged 11-12 during the conference with others on the team.
16. EFC Office*
The Office Team will coordinate with the various service groups to help ensure the conference is running smoothly both prior and during the conference. (Please indicate your interest in the service even if you won’t be available prior to the conference and make a comment under the “Further Information” section.)
Who Can Register: Day Visitors from Poland
Saints from Poland have the option of attending the EFC as Day Visitors. The saints in this category must also register. The registration deadline is the same for Day Visitors as for all other registrants.
The registration fee for Visitors increases slightly after 1 June 2025 to encourage early registration. We ask those registering in this category to complete their registration as early as possible to support the arrangements for the conference, including printing materials, allocating tent space, and managing other administrative needs.
Please be reminded that for those registering as Visitors:
- Accommodation and meals are NOT arranged by the Conference. If you register in this category, please do NOT expect the Conference to help with your accommodation in any way, including communicating with your host.
- It is NOT possible for someone of YP age (13 to 18) to attend the conference in this way; all young people in the village must be fully registered in the EYPC.
- You will need to purchase your handbooks and T-shirts on page 4 of the registration form as they are NOT included in the Visitor fee.
- You may request transport as part of your registration; however, please remember you are subject to the same transport deadlines as every other registrant.
Guidelines for Visitors
To maintain a safe and orderly environment, the following guidelines apply to all Visitors within the conference:
- Badges must be worn at all times while within the conference village.
- Entry to any conference meeting requires a valid badge.
- Visitors must sit in the designated Visitor sections within EYPC tents. Seating is limited and subject to availability, as priority is given to full conference registrants.
- Visitors are only permitted in public areas such as dining and fellowship spaces of Conference-designated houses.
- Visitors are not permitted in sleeping areas or accommodations of Conference-designated houses in order to respect the privacy and security of those staying onsite.
Who Can Register: Other Visitors
In the rare event that you would like to participate in the EFC but make private accommodation arrangements, you would need to follow these steps:
- Email your Country Coordinator to enquire about registering as an ‘Other Visitor,’ along with an explanation of why you are requesting to participate in the EFC in this way.
- If your Country Coordinator feels good about this, then you will need to complete page 1 of the registration form for each member of your family, and let your Country Coordinator know when you have done so.
- Your Country Coordinator will contact the Registration Team on your behalf with your request to participate in the conference as a Visitor from a country outside of Poland.
- The coordinating team will fellowship about your request.
- If the response is to approve your request, then:
- The Registration Team will change your attendee category to be a Visitor.
- Your Country Coordinator will be informed and let you know when this is done.
- You will then need to return to your registration form and continue to register from page 2 onwards.
- If the response is to decline your request, then:
- Your Country Coordinator will be informed.
- You will need to decide whether to register as a full-time attendee or to cancel the registration you started (if you started it) and plan to attend the EFC another year when you are able to participate fully.
The availability of registering in this attendee category is not guaranteed and would still be subject to the same registration procedures and deadlines. The registration deadline for Visitors is the same as for all other registrants.
The registration fee for Visitors increases slightly after 1 June 2025 to encourage early registration. We ask those registering in this category to complete their registration as early as possible to support the arrangements for the conference, including printing materials, allocating tent space, and managing other administrative needs.
Please be reminded that for those registering as Visitors:
- Accommodation and meals are NOT arranged by the Conference. If you register in this category, please do NOT expect the Conference to help with your accommodation in any way, including communicating with your host.
- It is NOT possible for someone of YP age (13 to 18) to attend the conference in this way; all young people in the village must be fully registered in the EYPC except for special cases that have been fellowshipped with the EYPC Office,
- You will need to purchase your handbooks and T-shirts on page 4 of the registration form as they are NOT included in the Visitor fee.
- You may request transport as part of your registration; however, please remember you are subject to the same transport deadlines as every other registrant.
Guidelines for Visitors
To maintain a safe and orderly environment, the following guidelines apply to all Visitors within the conference:
- Badges must be worn at all times while within the conference village.
- Entry to any conference meeting requires a valid badge.
- Visitors must sit in the designated Visitor sections within EYPC tents. Seating is limited and subject to availability, as priority is given to full conference registrants.
- Visitors are only permitted in public areas such as dining and fellowship spaces of Conference-designated houses.
- Visitors are not permitted in sleeping areas or accommodations of Conference-designated houses in order to respect the privacy and security of those staying onsite.
Who Cannot Register for the EFC?
EYPFC 2026 – Save the date!
26 July – 1 August 2026
EYPC & EFC
26 July – 1 August 2026
Registration will open soon!
EYPC & EFC
26 July – 1 August 2026
Registration is now open!
The registration deadline is 1 June 2026.
EYPC & EFC
27 July – 2 August 2025
The registration deadline has now passed.
The registration deadline was 1 June 2025.
You may continue to update and confirm your travel information until 22 June 2025.
Please complete the second travel confirmation to ensure that we have accurate travel information. If you need any help, please contact your Country Coordinator.
All registrants are requested to confirm their travel details one more time in the week before 8 June, to ensure that we have accurate travel information.
To complete, update, or confirm your travel information, please log in and do this before the deadline. If you need any help, please contact your Country Coordinator.
After this point, changes must be emailed to transport@ypconference.eu.