The following links are to MS Word and PDF documents that you can use to help start or publicize your Café. You can modify MS Word documents to fit your own needs, but you may not see the formatting exactly as it was intended if you don't have the necessary fonts. PDF documents (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) cannot be modified, but the fonts are embedded and the page should look as it was intended.

Host Kit

Host Manual—Everything you need to know about starting and hosting your own Café. Download the host manual as a Word document.

Process and Agreements—You need to review the process and agreements at each gathering of a Conversation Café, so download a PDF of Wallet cards to print and cut. The two sided, two-color folded wallet card is actually a micro brochure and manual, complete with process and agreements and suggested questions for going deeper with your conversations! One page prints 6 cards. You can print double-sided, in color or b/w, then cut and fold. You can also contact us to get printed cards. We would appreciate a donation to at least cover our costs of 10 cents per card plus $2-3 for postage and handling.

Or, if a PDF is too much to handle, download a MS Word page of small table cards with four sets of the process and agreements formatted into two columns. For larger print and a longer description of the process, download these two MS Word docs and print back to back: (4 up): side 1 (Conv. Café process) and side 2 (Conv. Café agreements).

Identification— It's very helpful to have something at your table that announces you as a Conversation Café. Download the Table Tent as a PDF and print on an 8.5 x 11 card stock (so that it stays standing up when you fold it in half and set it in the middle of the table).

Another idea is to bring your own red checked table cloth (such as the pattern you see in the wallet cards) or at least a small version of one to function as a centerpiece. People will associate the red checked pattern with Conversation Cafés and find you quickly.

Other stuff— OK, you can't download these, but your cafe will be more successful if you can round them up: a talking object (something symbolic such as a polished stone, or just handy, like a salt shaker!), name tags, a pen to write the name tags, and index cards and pencils or other small note taking paper to distribute so that people can jot down what they are thinking and then get back to listening.

Promotion Resources

Successful long-term hosts have found that promotion is what keeps their cafe gong month after month, and keeps it interesting because new people continually drop in. Read Kat's article for some great promotion ideas, and here are some downloadable resources.

Press Release — When you start a new Conversation Café, you want as much media attention as you can get to let your community know that you exist. This generic press release can be quickly customized and sent to your local media contacts and community calendars. And if you do get press, we would love to hear about it and maybe even post a link on this web site. Download the press release as a Microsoft Word document.

Half Sheet Flier— packed with information about Conversation Cafés: what they are, why and how to join or start one, process & agreements, tips, quotes from enthusiastic participants. Print single or double sided depending on your needs and hand out at public events everywhere! Download the half-sheet flier as a pdf file.

Handbill— Leave a stack of these 1/4 page fliers at the cash register where you hold your Conversation Café, to promote your gathering to all customers. Many thanks to Fred Gardiner, a participant at Michael Kerman's café in Toronto, for designing this handbill. Print in color or black and white and cut each page in quarters. Download the handbill as a Microsoft Word document.

Posters in MS Word docs— Original posters, Café Meets Here

Brochures— If you want to promote Conversation Cafés to an organization, trade fair, or presentation event in order to include a conversation circle element, here are some brochures to download: 3-fold dbl-sided,and Full-pg Flier.