Knowledge Cafe
If only we knew what we know!
Celebrating and making better use of wisdom and skills in our communities.
A Knowledge Cafe brings people together to share ideas and gain a deeper collective understanding of a topic and the issues involved. It can help us to understand more fully, and make better use of, all kinds of wisdom and skills which already exist in our communities.
The Dudley Creates Knowledge Cafe celebrates local knowledge and skills relating to current action we’re taking around nature connection, climate justice, community-led creative and collaborative action, and ways that local artists, designers and creatives are helping to unlock our imaginations and think in new ways about possible futures. Which could be summed up as earth care, people care and care for our futures.
Examples of knowledge or skills people might share:
Knowledge of a particular place or space; it’s history, it’s people, it’s natural habitats, resident and visiting species (this could be a park, a stretch of canal, a neighbourhood…)
How to identify different kinds of local animals/birds/insects/plants/water life and what they tell us about where they live
Ways to reduce waste, or upcycle unwanted items
How to create and care for a wildlife friendly balcony, garden, street…
How to grow your own food
Stories, learning and knowledge from creative community projects and experiments
How to nurture your imagination
Ways to think longer-term
Co-creation sessions in September 2024 are an invitation to:
Share your knowledge about something you do or love
Connect with other local people and discuss your topic, hearing a range of perspectives
Contribute to a network of knowledge-holders
A seasonal programme of Knowledge Cafe sessions will be co-created. Each session will last for 60-90 minutes and can take place anywhere in Dudley borough. We hope that they will offer new ways of seeing things, spark ideas, and perhaps even catalyse action.
Dudley Creates Knowledge Cafes are being hosted by CoLab Dudley team members Lorna Prescott and Kerry O’Coy, and Dudley CVS Volunteering Development Officer, Grace Wood. Each session will be led by a local knowledge-holder.
The Knowledge Cafe is a project across Dudley People’s School for Climate Justice and Dudley People’s School for Creative Possibilities.
How you can join in
We’ll be co-creating an Autumn/Winter season of Knowledge Cafe sessions in September.
If you have knowledge to share and would like to lead a session, come along to one of our co-design activities in September. Click on a date and time to get through to the sign up page.
Wed 18 Sept 1pm-2pm at CoLab Dudley, 201a High Street in Dudley
Thur 19 Sept 2.30-3.30pm at CoLab Dudley, 201a High Street in Dudley
Thur 19 Sept 6.30pm-7.30pm at CoLab Dudley, 201a High Street in Dudley - this session will take place during the Dudley Creates Autumn Gathering, which you are welcome to join all of, from 6pm-8pm.
If you’d like to attend Knowledge Cafe sessions, look out for the programme that will be added here later in September 2024.
We want to make activities as inclusive and accessible as possible so please let Lorna know how you can be made to feel welcome. Unfortunately, our space on the High Street only has a toilet accessible by stairs. However, if this would make it difficult for you to join in, please let Lorna know and we will do our best to find another venue.
