Keeping Safe – Café Conversations Southwark
The Coffeehouse Challenge initiative was launched by the
RSA, in
partnership with
Starbucks, to bring local people together in
cafes, to talk about issues that were important to their
communities and to find solutions. In 2007 Choice Support developed
‘Keep Safe’, an award-winning
pilot project for a Southwark Coffeehouse Challenge, in
partnership with Southwark Council, Values Into Action, Speaking
Up and Julia Honess.
This innovative pilot Cafe Conversation in a local Starbucks focused on community safety, engaging people with learning disabilities from the immediate local area, the Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhoods teams, Community Warden teams, support staff, community organisations and other local people.
Following the success of the pilot project, Choice Support
launched ‘Keeping Safe - Café Conversations, Southwark’, with
funding and support from Southwark Council. Sixteen more
conversation events, looking art crime and safety, were hosted
across the borough, focusing particularly on the experiences of
people with learning disabilities. Each of the conversations was
jointly planned, facilitated and hosted by people with learning
disabilities.
The conversations culminated in ‘Keeping Safe - A Community Conversation’ – a café-style event at Millwall Conference Centre.
Café Conversations developed a model of community engagement
which provided opportunities to listen to people’s views,
concerns and ideas and which placed importance on enabling
statutory authorities, community agencies and local people to
work together.
Thank you to: Speaking Up, Southwark Disability Forum,
Southwark Community Involvement and Development Unit, Values
Into Action,
Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhoods teams, Community Warden
Service,
Nan Carle, Toucan Employment, Keyring, People in Partnership,
Bede Centre,
Victim Support Southwark, Southwark SMART team, Starbucks,
Bellenden Brasserie, The Surrey Docks, and Castle Brasserie.
For further information contact:
Choice Support choicesupport@choicesupport.org.uk
Nuala Conlan nuala.conlan@southwark.gov.uk
Julia Honess juliahoness@hotmail.com
