Chatty Café Host, Auckland CBD (1 hour a week, weekday lunchtime)

Perfect for city workers, students and anyone in town during the week

Chatty Café NZ is a nationwide initiative of GrandFriends NZ that aims to reduce loneliness and strengthen community connection.

Our participating venues host designated Chatty Tables, welcoming spaces where people can sit down, enjoy a conversation and connect with others in their community. Friendly volunteers help create a warm, inclusive atmosphere and make it easy for people to join in.

Following successful programmes in the UK, the US and Australia, Chatty Café NZ launched here in June and now has venues running nationwide.

About these roles

Three cafés in the Auckland CBD are opening Chatty Tables, and we're looking for a volunteer host for each:

• The Coffee Club Victoria Street, 62 Victoria Street West — Tuesdays from 1pm
• The Coffee Club Wyndham Street, 16 Wyndham Street — Wednesdays from 1pm
• The Coffee Club Customs Street, Achilles House, Commerce Street — Tuesdays from 1pm

One hour a week, same time each week. That's the whole commitment.

As a Chatty Café Host you will:

• Welcome people to the Chatty Table
• Help start and guide friendly conversations
• Make sure nobody who turns up is left sitting on their own
• Create a safe and inclusive environment
• Encourage connection between people of different backgrounds and generations
• Send us a short note after each session on how it went

Why a lunchtime slot in the city works

These are weekday 1pm tables, which makes them genuinely doable in a lunch break if you work in town. The city is also exactly where a Chatty Table is needed: thousands of people surrounded by others all day who still don't have a proper conversation — new arrivals to Auckland, people working from home nearby, international students, retirees in the city apartments.

If you work for a company with a volunteering or community hours programme, this fits perfectly — one hour a week, five minutes' walk from your desk, and we can confirm your volunteer hours in writing.

Who we're looking for

No previous experience is required. We're looking for people who are:

• Friendly and approachable
• Good listeners
• Reliable and community-minded
• Comfortable talking with people from all walks of life
• Passionate about helping others feel connected and included

Important information

• This is a volunteer (unpaid) role, one hour per week
• Weekday lunchtimes, at one of three CBD cafés (pick the one that suits)
• Training, resources, a lanyard and ongoing support are provided
• All volunteers are police vetted as part of onboarding
• Two people are welcome to share a table between them

Ready to get involved?

To register your interest, visit the Chatty Café NZ website and complete the Volunteer Sign-Up form. Simply search "Chatty Café NZ" online and click Volunteer Sign Up from the menu, and mention Auckland CBD (and which café suits you best) in your application.

Once you've submitted the form, you'll receive further information about the role, training, onboarding and next steps.

Thank you for helping us create more connected communities across New Zealand.

The Chatty Café NZ Team

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