Cafe Blog Autumn 2010: Challenge Apathy!

What a summer! Since launching in June with 10 volunteers, we have run a second training session and now have enough volunteers to peer coach each other, to build their skills in active listening and their confidence for what is, after all, a very new venture for us all! This month, too, mega-listening practice sessions are planned, when volunteers will introduce friends as a ‘guinea pig’ to be listened to by different Listeners, in quiet corners of local cafes as we are always about being in normal meeting places, not tucked away behind closed doors. Even though the training is serious, the experience should be enjoyable! That way, not only do we increase the numbers of people being heard and the range of issues being heard about, but everyone feels all the better for having some precious ‘me time’ to talk through something concerning them.

As we speak , colourful new posters are going up in local cafes, pubs and halls letting people know how to get hold of us.

Challenge Apathy!

Sometimes it is small things that make a big difference. A reassuring thought when times are hard and wallets shrunken. We know there are so many caring people here in St Neots and there is energy to make things happen but if the sheer weight of the world’s problems induces apathy in you and you don’t know where to direct your energy, just come to our website! Each month we will highlight a FUN AND INEXPENSIVE way of making a real difference.

This month is Challenging Apathy – just one of the challenges in the 365 Ways to Change the World written by Michael Norton, an amazing social entrepreneur who just spills over with creative ways of inspiring yourself and others. Surprisingly there is a website dedicated to challenging apathy:

www.antiapathy.org

whose members will be known to you: Amnesty International, The Big Issue, Fair Trade, Friends of the Earth and many others. Their Worn Again products are amazing - practical clothing made from recycled unwanted materials that would otherwise go to landfill! Check out the trainers made from recycled prison blankets, towels, parachutes and suit jackets! Amazing stuff – and how nice not to just be further lining the pockets of all the usual trainer manufacturers!!

Exciting news too, as we are delighted that Cambridge Community Foundation has awarded us a grant to run a series of art events for parents and children, for adults who think they can’t paint, and for those who do already - across St Neots and the villages over the coming months. We’ve named it Market Art Experiences since it was born out of the launch on a windy market day, which was a real learning curve! More of this soon….

Of course, all the behind-the-scenes stuff is moving ahead too, as we need to be CRBed and adopt child protection and vulnerable adult care policies so we are able to befriend and support even the most disadvantaged people who may have the greatest need to talk to us. We are now on the CambNet register so libraries and public services can find us, And we’ve joined Voices, a forum run by Young Lives for groups who support young people, and become members of Hunts Forum - so I can talk to other local groups to tell them about what we do, and get some mutual referrals going between us. For more information about anything we’re doing please email me at Christine@communitycoachingcafe.org.uk or call me on 0845 5826224.

Christine