Let’s have a coffee
and talk about it
together!
It all started with a cup of coffee.
In Italy, coffee break is a way to talk about everything and we, a group of friends, used this time to meet young people around Basilicata: a region of southern Italy, where we live. We chose to use that moment in a political way: to asked ourselves and others if Basilicata, the region in southern Italy where we live, is a youth-friendly region. The answer to this question has often been ”no, it isn’t”: and from these answers, we have developed informal debates to find creative and original solutions. From a simple question, we developed debates to create original and creative solutions together.
Coffee with GL then becomes a format, a methodology: ‘’GL’S Cafè’’
GL Café is a methodology to brainstorm solutions to a challenge; it is an informal way to create a safe space (both off-line and online) where everyone can express themselves.
We used this approach for cultivating self-awareness, understanding the community, and creating engagement. It also helps to:
Reflect on your performance as a community leader, keep track of your own development within your community, assess the value of your community, celebrates the wins, strengths, and new ideas which originate from your community members.
Why GL’ s Cafè?
GL Café stimulates teamwork, promotes divergent and critical thinking, and gives to the participants different ways of looking at the same problem.
The methodology also offers the opportunity to develop creative problem-solving as a less structured innovation processes and encourage exploring open-ended solutions.
How to build an ”handmade GL’s Cafè”?
Start from creating an informal open environment: this will help you to create a ‘’safe space’’, where everybody can share their point of view.
The trainer asks the group one simple question: “Which are the main challenges which prevent your city from becoming a youth friendly city?’’ and from this point on, the debate begins!
Participants will share their experiences, views and problems; and the facilitators can do the same. Youths are facilitated by the trainers to debate and analyze the origins of the main problems and encouraged to explore solutions that combine the resources of each participant. The role of the facilitator is very important because he or she guides participants in using a resource they already have to a current problem.
This methodology is part of the training offered by GL in several programs.
Ready to test it? Find the GL event nearest you, we are waiting for you!
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