Cafe Groups
The Freegle website provides ChitChat, a facility for all members to chat, share local information and make recommendations. You can get email notifications of ChitChat activity via ModTools > Settings > Personal > "Email me about ChitChat?".
Before ChitChat existed, when Freegle mainly communicated using Yahoo Groups, moderators could set up a separate local cafe group for their own community, or join with neighbouring moderators to run a combined area cafe group. This page and its related pages describe that older arrangement, and will be reviewed for obsolescence.
Setting up a cafe
A separate cafe group can be useful for redirecting issues and items that aren't suitable for the main Freegle platform, although it takes extra work to moderate.
Link to your cafe group from your main group's guidelines and from your homepage - that should be enough to make members aware it exists.
It's also worth sending an admin message to your main Freegle group once the cafe has been set up. If you have an automatic signature on outgoing emails to members, you could add a link to the cafe group there too, and include it in your welcome message.
What can cafes be used for?
Cafe groups suit topics that don't fit ChitChat or the main message board.
Requesting information, services or help
Members may want to request information about local services, ask for recommendations for tradespeople, advertise local community events, ask for volunteers, ask for help (for example moving a large or bulky item), or find out where to buy or get a particular item or service.
Advertising businesses and services
Decide whether to allow members to offer their own services or advertise businesses directly on your cafe. You may prefer to ask them to use a links section or database instead, if your group offers that facility.
Borrowing and swapping
You can allow borrowing and swapping if you wish, but make it clear to members when they join that you won't get involved if a problem arises. There are also potential liability issues for lenders (see Lending Liability), so you might decide it's safer not to allow borrowing via your group.
Pets
If your main Freegle community allows pet offers or requests, make sure your pet moderator (if you have one) is also a cafe member.
If your community doesn't allow pets, be aware the topic may still come up in the cafe. Provide a list of animal rehoming links and local animal charities - a list of national links is on this page.
Vouchers and coupons
Vouchers and coupons aren't technically saved from landfill, and may require further spending to use, so you may want to let members offer or request them on your cafe group rather than your main group.
Technical stuff
Cafe groups are chat groups, so choose whatever settings work best for your community.
Templates for setting up your own cafe group:
- Cafe Group Guidelines - send on joining, then monthly
- Cafe Group Disclaimer - send on joining, then as often as you prefer
- Cafe Group Leaving Letter - send when a member leaves
List of cafes
An old list of Freegle cafe groups is held on this spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhDLE82mEn2jdG9WVmMzamhZd2pIcGxCaWV0Mnotbnc&usp=sharing
See also
- Local Community
- Running Your Group
- Freegle Cafe, the current national group on Discourse for informal topics
