Hosting & Facilitating a Climate Café

It is essential to have attended a climate café before undertaking this training. More detail below.

What is a Climate Café?

A Climate Café is a simple, hospitable, empathetic process that offers a space where fears and uncertainties about our climate crisis can be safely expressed, leading over time to greater emotional resilience and understanding.

We need the kind of exploration that Climate Cafés provide as it becomes more evident that climate change is not a far-away problem but a clear and present danger to our own safety and wellbeing. People increasingly need to talk about what our changing climate means for them in terms of impacts at personal, family and societal level. We need to imagine it in some detail so as to be able to think about it constructively and clear-sightedly, and to explore some complex feelings and thoughts which may often be taboo and hard to talk about.

The focus of discussion is participants’ thoughts and feelings about the climate crisis. There are no guest speakers and no talks, and it is an advice-free zone. This is psychologically important, helping to create the supportive atmosphere.

What is the purpose of this workshop?

Climate Psychology Alliance members are establishing climate cafés in communities across the UK, and we want to see them taking place in every location.

This workshop will support participants to develop the confidence to set up their own Climate Café. It will include a short taster climate café, the psycho-social principles on which Climate Cafés are based, building a toolkit of practical resources, and a discussion of the organisation and facilitation of Climate Cafés.

Are there any requirements to attend?

Yes. You do not need a therapeutic background to take this workshop but it is essential that you have attended a climate café as a participant before doing this training.

This will need to be a climate café that:

• focuses on feelings rather than action
• is clear that it is not a space for discussing or debating climate policy, climate science or climate action.

If you cannot get a place on one of ours, an internet search or a browse on Eventbrite should produce some. You can check with the organiser if it meets the criteria above or get in touch with us. Please do join our waiting lists as spaces regularly become available at short notice.

All our climate cafés are listed here.

Who is running it?

Rebecca Nestor, doctoral researcher at the Tavistock Centre, who has been facilitating Climate Cafés in Oxford for two years

Gillian Broad, professor of social work at the University of Sussex and an experienced facilitator of reflective groups including Climate Cafés.

When is it and how much does it cost?

Sat 11th Mar 14.00 – 17.00 GMT

Cost: £20 standard rate & £5 concessionary rate (for students and those on low income).

A reminder will be sent to registered participants leading up to the workshop and the Zoom link will be shared the day beforehand. Please check spam/junk folders.

If you have any problems please email [email protected].