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Inclusive Engagement Techniques and Approaches

Community Cafés

San Diego police officers speaking to community members inside of a cafe. The cafe walls are patterned and red and a chandelier hangs above the group.

San Diego Police Department's Coffee With a Cop event

What is it?

Community cafés are in-person events held in casual settings such as cafés, community centers or parks. They bring community members together over meals or refreshments to engage in conversations. Community cafés create a welcoming space where community members can discuss project ideas or share input with staff and other community members.

When to use it

Community cafés work particularly well for community-building. By creating a casual setting where people might feel more comfortable sharing their perspectives, community cafés can help gather public insights about complex issues.

How to do it

Before

  • Find a venue that is familiar and accessible to community members, such as a local café or community center.
    • Community members may be able to help identify suggestions for where to host the event.
    • Choose venues that are fully accessible, including parking, entrances and restrooms. Choose venues near transit and that have adequate parking.
    • If choosing a restaurant, café or other business, be mindful of the City's A.R. 95.65 regarding endorsements.
    • Check that food/refreshments are available for purchase or can be served at the chosen location.
  • Extend the invitation through multiple channels such as social media or partnerships with community-based organizations. Tailor the invitation to the intended audience and note whether meals/refreshments are being offered by the City or are self-host.
  • Identify several staff able to participate and support the event.
  • Plan open-ended conversation topics related to the project. 

During

  • Arrange food/refreshments at a single table or area.
  • Consider arranging seating in small groups of two to four people to encourage conversation.
  • Greet participants and provide an optional sign-in sheet to collect names and contact information for ongoing project updates.
  • The event may start with a brief introduction. However, as participants can come in and out freely, another option is to hand out simple flyers about the project and orient them to the space and how the event works.
  • Ask open-ended questions or prompts to guide the conversation and document input as needed.
  • Note any next steps in the project and future opportunities for engagement.

After

  • Digitize any notes from discussions as well as sign-ups for project contact lists as needed.

Resource considerations

Cost: Minimal

Community cafés can cost up to $1000 when providing food for participants.

Time: Moderate

Planning a community café may take several weeks, depending on the level of outreach needed. The event itself usually lasts between one to three hours.

Capacity: Moderate to High

Community cafés are typically hosted by a team of at least three or more staff so that there are enough staff available to answer questions and facilitate community discussions.

How to make it more inclusive

  • Identify any language access needs in advance.
  • Consider hosting the event at a locally owned businesses and providing participation support.
  • Consider hosting community cafés at different times of day/days of the week to accommodate different schedules.
  • Offer multiple ways for people to share their perspectives (e.g. verbally in small groups or writing on comment cards).
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