UP Cafe

Up Cafe helps the local church to provide a safe attractive place for young people to gather in the heart of the community.

The main idea of the Up Cafe is to provide a positive environment in the neighbourhood - an alternative space for young people to hangout. By positioning the cafe in an easily accessible place in the community, they are not calling the community to come to a church building, rather bringing God's love into the heart of the neighbourhood.

In Albania the economy is not very strong and often youth may go out with just one euro in their pocket. Even if a young person has no money they are still welcome to come and sit and make use of the wifi and socialise.

In the city of Shkodër there are not a lot of parks or playing grounds, so what most young people like to do is to go to a coffee place. Of course there are different kinds of coffee places - they can go to a place where a lot of people are smoking, or drinking and having drugs so many don’t want their youth to go there. Up Cafe provides a safe alternative.

The idea is that they can feel free and relaxed in the environment and those running the cafe can meet them, start conversations and possibly build some friendships..

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INGREDIENTS

To replicate this project your church will need:

• Young people and students who like to socialise over coffee;
• a project leader with a charismatic personality and a drive to make it work ;
• an available space well positioned in the local community;
• to raise sufficient funds to cover start up and running costs for the first year;
• sufficient volunteers to help run the operation in the days and hours decided;

METHOD

Steps to run this project:

1. Identify the Project Leader / Cafe Manager who is excited about the idea;
2. Find a suitable attractive venue in the community;
3. Draw up a budget and raise the necessary funds;
4. Recruit volunteers and run several days training;
5. Acquire all the furniture, fittings and equipment  needed;
6. Determine hours of operation and create a roster system for volunteers & staff;
7. Church to provide ongoing pastoral support for both the business and spiritual side of the operation;

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