The Conversation Cafe began from feedback from some of the Castlemilk Park Volunteers.
As New Scots they were learning English at online college classes and through a translator told us that they found it difficult to learn online because it was hard to have conversations on Zoom and also because they felt that what they were learning “wasn’t actually how people speak in Castlemilk”.
We co-designed with them ‘Conversation Cafe’ whereby local Castlemillk people who signed up as volunteers and people with English as a second language from across Castlemilk met in a hired local cafe to practise conversational English over a shared meal.
Facilitated by a freelance ESOL tutor and all learning themes participant led, this was a hugely successful initial 3 month pilot which then successfully received another years funding, ending on the 27th of March 2023.
All participants have linked in to other opportunities whether that be signing up as Castlemilk Park Volunteers, attending community lunches and art classes, or their children becoming Youth Advisory Panel members.
We want to continue this project and expand on it, as do the participants and partner organisations.