We recently came across Walk and Talk sessions, a wonderfully simple idea created by Grapevine where people and staff are invited together on walks around the city. Grapevine is an organisation based in Coventry that works with people facing tough times.

Walk and Talk sessions are organised as part of an initiative which “brings together people who want to make changes in their lives and communities”. The sessions are held every month and they each have a different theme. The walks are about doing things differently and getting people out of their offices and homes. There are breaks on the walks with speakers and a chance to chat to everyone. The walks nurture connections from which may emerge new collaborations and they humanise working together.

We were struck by a comment by one of the Walk and Talk participants Christina Walding, a Council Programme Manager;

“It’s very easy to get caught up in everyday working life and forget that this is what it’s about. It’s about real life people and their real life stories… So [the walk] really helps me, it really humbles me to understand the user’s experience and to be able to talk to people. And to be able to take away the shackles of formal city council life”.

We think this is an experience that is shared by many people working in the public sector. We love that these Walk and Talk sessions help move people beyond structured conversation. They create a new, easy space for people to connect, share their stories, ideas and explore their local area as they stroll around.

Check out their fab video to see the walks in action and hear from the people who take part.

If you want to know more about Grapevine, follow them on Twitter and check out their Facebook page which includes details of their next Walk and Talk sessions.

Photo by Karsten Würth