Every Wednesday morning, the 'Kaffispaus' (coffee break in English) project sees people come together for a coffee morning, organised by a team of social workers and educators. Over the summer the event has been held at the Boules Pétanque club Clair-Chêne. Club president, Jean-Paul Tintinger, said he was pleased to make the space available as mornings were generally quiet at the venue, and considers himself a part of the group already.
At first glance, it looks as though people attend the event to drink coffee and eat pastries together. However, Artur Cardoso Pereira, an educator who regularly leads the events, says that's not all it is.
"We don't just bring people together for the sake of it. There's more to it than just drinking coffee." The coffee mornings offer a welcoming environment in which to have conversations and to express concerns, or propose improvements for different neighbourhoods around the city. The Inter-Action staff then take these ideas to the right people or institutions. It allows intervention before the issues deteriorate further.
The focus here is on prevention, with the goal of strengthening cohesion and showing people that it is possible to effect change.
Isolation is a key concern, not just for older people, but also for newcomers to the city, says Artur. It's even worse when one lives alone, says one of the women attending the coffee morning.
"When you've spent 20 years living alone, you really need these people", Gritty says, pointing at the people at the next table. This week, she has "dragged" her good friend Karin along, as she lives alone currently while her husband is severely ill. In difficult times such as these, it's important to have uncomplicated options like the coffee morning to socialise. And if a person is struggling to write a letter or undertake administrative tasks, the Inter-Action team are always on hand to help out.
Odette, another attendee, agrees. She found out about the coffee mornings through the charity's cooking evening, showing how easy it is to move from one activity to another. She says the events help to get to know more people and to feel more connected to the neighbourhood. The Ensemble Quartiers Esch team works alongside other services and associations, such as the APEMH's Centre for Self-Determined Living. Sabrina Hoor, a qualified educator on the team, says this enriches the event as it helps different groups to blend, and it changes everyday life.
"Social life is reducing more and more", laments Fabienne, a visitor to the event. She says it's lovely when she notices newcomers feeling comfortable enough to join in conversations. The coffee morning helps people feel heard, regardless of how they found their way there, and more importantly, it helps them realise how they can make changes in their hometown.
Inter-Action is now launching a local community group for the residents of the Brill district. Artur explains that three workshops have been held already, creating a completely different scope. Municipal representatives can also approach these groups, as has been the case in other districts, says the young educator. In general, district work is always evolving, never static. New people arrive, interests change, and the offer has to adapt. The coffee mornings help to keep an overview for Ensemble Quartiers Esch and Inter-Action.
The three services in Dudelange, Esch, and Bonnevoie are conducting analysis in order to determine the public's needs and to respond to current social problems. People can respond to a questionnaire on the matter, the answers to which will form the basis of social work for the next three years. But insights can also be drawn from personal conversations.
Coming together for a coffee can therefore result in something much bigger. But it can also make a simple difference to those sitting at the tables. "At your age I wouldn't have thought this would be so important", admits Karin. She says she is happy to have people "dragging her along to things", like her friend Gritty. The two friends walk home with their dogs after the coffee morning.
