Variations on Conversation Cafe
NEW--Conversation Cafe Modified for Youth!
Inspired by Leslie Schneider's article about hosting a Conversation Cafe for a 7th grade Sunday School, the Conversation Cafe team has developed a guide for using Conversation Cafe with youth. Our adaptation uses Leslie's innovative idea of giving each participant a specific role to perform during the course of the conversation. Click on these titles for three handouts that explain this process: Convener's Directions, The Roles, Process & Agreements.
The Three Basic Variations
Conversation Café hosts have adapted the basic method to unique circumstances. Three varieties are: Café Lite, Instant Café and Super Café. Use:
Lite when
you have less than forty-five minutes for the conversation,
Instant when you initiate a Conversation Café spontaneously,
Super when you have a big conversation event. More varieties surely exist,
but these three will give you a way to think about using the method
for your own purposes.
Real Life Examples of Variations
We've included a variety of materials to give you an idea of the possibilities for using Conversation Cafe. Click on the links at right to explore its use in festivals, trade shows, conferences, hostels, film events, churches, and to get ideas for adapting the method for your needs.
National & Global Conversations
The variation expressed here is in the size and scale of the conversation.
Conversation Week is a way to answer the question: What if everyone in the world asked the same question at the same time and shared what they learned? Click here for more information and resources for Conversation Week. This annual event is next scheduled for Spring of 2011. We hope you will choose to be a part of this global conversation!
Let's Talk America took place when Conversation Cafe teamed up with World Cafe for a project designed to facilitate dialogue across the political divides in the United States in 2004. Please note that the Let's Talk America website referenced in these documents no longer exists.
On the Menu:
Variations on Conversation Cafe
Click on the following titles for printable PDF articles:
Cafe Lite, Instant Cafe, and Super Cafe
Real Life Examples of Variations
Click on the following underlined titles for printable PDF articles and/or more information:
Green Festivals, Trade Shows, Conferences - Short Sample Planner for a Green Festival
Hostels—A pilot program hosting cafes in hostels.
Film Events—A how-to for post-film dialogue
Sunday School—A creative adaptation for young teens
Global Events: