TOAST — 9 months to impact the way you drink coffee

Let us tell you, we love a good coffee talk ☕️

They bring something within us that sparks joy, connection, even new thoughts.

This coffee can be done with yourself or with a person — even with a group of people.

That's why, after 9 months, we asked our first training group what has changed in the way they share coffees.

At the end, we will give you the recipe for spice-coffee.

And by saying “we”, we mean Jorge, Agata and Nevena (members of YPAN) who implemented a TOAST training by Wonderers Collective.

Ok, but, from where did you come from?

9 months ago, in the remote aldea of Madelos (Galicia, Spain) we invited 28 people that work with young people, to experience our first training: TOAST — a trainer for a senior trainer in communication.

• 5 days in the rural
• +20 workshops on communication
• one 🚜 working around

We invited guest speakers from the communication world (like Javier Cebreiros), created a new platform to share Communication Canvas, and gave away a set of Deep Questions Cards to each of the participants.

These are some of our favourite reflections after nine months:

It opened a window of possibilities, inspiring me to keep exploring communication as both a learner and a facilitator

Even when asked how did it improved their communication skills in their day to day, people wrote us things such as:

The training sparked deeper conversations with colleagues, volunteers, friends, and family.

To finally realise, that the true essence of this experience, is within our differences:

I learned that effective communication begins with understanding that we all perceive the world differently — and embracing those differences can guide us in connecting better.

Beyond the words — what people did after

• Several people used the DQM question cards in over 5 projects, colivings, family gatherings, and even developed new games inspired by them.
• Nonviolent Communication (NVC) was the most applied tool, transforming daily interactions, relationships, and coaching sessions.
• The question “Who do you call when you feel bad and why?” is now used in other trainings to highlight the power of active listening.
• Participants shared tools like listening and looping, the Johari Window, and the 4 communication styles in classrooms and workshops.

Now it's your time to have a coffee

So, are you ready to make a change or impact in your day to day communication?

You can start by using the Communication Canvas — the tool we designed with Mery, one of the participants.

It has everything you need to implement a workshop.

And the best: we know professional communicators who are using them!

The promise: Your ☕️ recipe

1. Call a friend, familiar or your own neighbour.
2. Prepare coffee, use a expresso or a mocca. If you do not have them, add coffee to a boiling pot.
3. In the coffee add these spices: 1/2 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon), 1–2 whole cloves, a tiny pinch of nutmeg or cardamom
4. Let it boil a bit in water, and then add the coffee.
5. Now, invite the person (or yourself) and start asking the questions you are ready to find an answer for.

If you are more into reading, then we suggest TOAST. A word by Yasi — an article by one person who decided to take this quest.

Do you want to connect with us?
We are ready for so: wonderers.collective@gmail.com

TOAST was a project founded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union — if you want to learn more about this programe, check here.

The content of the page represents the views of the author only and is their sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.