What is a Youth Café?

Youth Cafés are youth-driven. This means youth are trained to facilitate the Youth Café experience with their peers. The philosophy of Youth Cafés is to help youth understand that they can, must, and do acknowledge their own personal experiences to strengthen their journey through adolescence.

Youth Cafés allow youth to learn about and build their Protective Factors through guided conversations with their peers.

What are Protective Factors?

Protective Factors are characteristics at a biological, psychological, family, or community (including peers and culture) level that reduces the negative impact of trauma and stress. Youth Cafés focus on the Protective Factor Framework, which is research-informed and uses a strength-based approach. Youth Cafés address the well-being of youth by helping youth identify and apply Protective Factors in their lives.

The Five Protective Factors

1)  Resilience: Youth bounce back when life gives them challenges

2)  Social Connections: Youth have genuine connections with others

3)  Knowledge of Adolescent Development: Youth understand the science of their development

4)  Concrete Support: Youth find resources and support in their community that helps them

5)  Cognitive and Social-Emotional Competency: Youth know how to communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively

What are the Benefits of Youth Cafés?

Build Relationships: Youth build connections with each other and learn about healthy relationships. This benefits youth as they are building the Social Connection Protective Factor.

Increase Resilience: Youth learn how to increase their Resiliency through the conversation rounds. This benefits youth as they are building the Resiliency Protective Factor.

Build Protective Factors to Decrease the Impact of Trauma and Stress: Youth learn how to identify and apply each Protective Factor in their lives, which helps them to navigate difficult life experiences and reduces stress.

Youth-Driven and are a Safe Environment to Share Experiences: The youth leaders plan the Youth Cafés which increase their confidence and leadership skills. Participants feel safe sharing experiences and feelings with their peers.

Youth Cafés at a Glance

Participants review and confirm agreement to the Youth Café Agreements.

Participants learn about Protective Factors through a short lesson, activity, and conversation rounds.

Conversation rounds are centered around preselected questions on Protective Factors. The Youth Table Host helps facilitate these conversations.

Café Agreements

1)  Self-Awareness: I will be aware of how I speak to others

2)  Strength-Based: I will recognize my strengths and others’ strengths through active listening

3)  Relationships: I will keep conversations private unless there is a statement of threat to self or others

4)  Race, Privilege, & Power: I will be aware of how race, privilege, and power affect myself and others

5)  Trauma-Informed: I will not give advice to others

6)  Culturally-Responsive: I will respect others’ views and experiences