How do we welcome people?

If I was to invite you into my home, what might you expect as you entered?
Hopefully my home would be warm, I might offer to take your coat, greet you with a smile, I might let you know that it was fine to keep your shoes on if you wanted to, that I wasn’t immediately putting expectations on you, I might offer you a drink, something to eat, in fact, I’d have probably got out the posh biscuits…

In creating a welcoming space, we are creating Homes Away from Home. We put effort into making our homes feel hospitable, and it is this kind of welcome that our Warm Spaces can offer. 

Here are four areas of welcome we’d love to see Warm Spaces across the country prioritise:

Safety

Our spaces need to be as safe as they can be, in all expressions of the word. This means we need to have our Child Protection Policies in place, our Risk Assessments thoughtfully completed, and our volunteers safely recruited and given any relevant training.
We all know this needs to be done and can easily tick it off mentally before we are properly there - prioritise the safety of those who come into the space by being thorough and diligent with safety.

Radical Hospitality

The space we welcome people into and what it communicates about what we value, matters. We consider how to configure our Warm Spaces, how we approach layout, decor and the flow of the space, within our budget and resources. We are opening our doors and anticipating  that those that enter feel at home, so our spaces need to reflect that!
We all know how spaces can make us feel as we enter - prioritise the welcome of the space itself, it communicates value to those you welcome into it.

Relational Welcome

What we communicate through our behaviour and our words matters. Our Warm Spaces should be places where those that come know they are valued and accepted, just as they are. This means coming alongside people, being careful not to question or interrogate them, being friendly and modelling healthy family dynamics amongst the Team.
We all know how a person can help us to feel welcome - prioritise being intentional with the human welcome being a warm one too. 

Relational Culture

The way an environment feels to be in will affect how someone might experience their time with us. Setting a Relational Culture means providing opportunity for relaxed conversation and interaction. There is an informality that encourages fluid participation and puts people at ease. We create this culture in our spaces when we model it and give the opportunity for it. This means steering away from front-led large group activity, and gearing more towards activities that share a space and build relationships.
We all know what it’s like to come into a space and just have to comply - prioritise creating a relational culture where fluid participation and choice is encouraged.

Time in Warm Spaces

Getting the welcome right is one (very important) thing, but what happens once there are people in the room? How do we ensure that what happens during our sessions is worthwhile, builds trust and grows positive relationships?

Here are three elements of time in the space that we’d love to see Warm Welcome Spaces across the country prioritise:

Round the Table 

From our experience, some of the best youth work happens around a table. When we consider family and those of varying ages, we think the same applies. Whether that’s eating together, playing games, doing something creative or having a discussion over a hot chocolate, the table mimics a healthy family practice and this is something we can utilise in our spaces. There are loads of options of how to do this and we will pop some suggestions at the end of the blog, but the principle of the table - in fact, tables! - is one not to be ignored.
Are there ways of creating opportunities for people to sit around tables together in your Warm Welcome Space?

Choice

For a place to truly feel like home, we need to create spaces where there is the least amount of ‘conforming’ needed. The freedom to choose is a powerful thing - We heard this directly from young people as part of our ‘Feels like home’ research project. This means not providing things that must have the participation of everyone. Having enough things to do for the size of your space and how many people you can accommodate is key to this. Having relevant and varied activities is also important.

• Will there be children using the space? Put out some age appropriate toys.

• Might there be teenagers coming along? Provide quiet spaces for homework and fun options for games.

• Will seniors be using the space? Are there games available and current newspapers to read?

Any activity on offer is a tool to build relationships and can help unlock positive conversations. Activities are mutually helpful for those using the space and the Team that are caring for it, they help to break the ice and provide shared positive experiences

Consider how the activities you offer provide a flow and freedom to choose, as well as catering to different interests, learning styles, and comfort level of interaction with others, how could you value people’s choice in your Warm Welcome Space?

Consistency

A huge value of ours at Relational Hub is the consistency of relationship. This transfers over into how Warm Spaces can be as positively effective as possible. Regular opportunity to build relationships and come alongside people is a vital part of the work we do. As you consider what the purpose of your warm space is, I wonder whether you see an end point? If relationships are important now, what is your hope for them long-term? How could you consider the next steps for your Warm Welcome Space?

At Relational Hub we support organisations and churches to offer thriving, multi-day a week provisions for young people, offering them radical hospitality. If you are thinking longer-term about opening your doors, we would love to chat with you and see if we can support you to do just that. You can get in touch and arrange a call here: www.relationalhub.org 

Be Inspired

Check out these welcoming spaces: www.relationhub.org/#gallery

Head to https://thirtyoneeight.org/ for advice on creating safe spaces.

Check out these games like One Night Werewolf, Dobble, Fanfir and Taco Cat Goats Cheese Pizza to have available in your spaces. 

What about activities such as Loom Bands, Embroidery, Colouring and Puzzle Books.

Take a look at what young people say about after school drop-in’s from our ‘Feels like Home’ Research Project