What We Are About
The Recovery Café Network (RCN) is committed to training and nurturing groups seeking to start recovery communities based on the Recovery Café model. Through a cohort learning model, Cafés are provided with mentorship, materials, expertise, and facilitated learning experiences to create a recovery community in their area. The RCN team is committed to helping those who join the Network as an Emerging Member Café succeed in starting their program, in building recovery capital in their communities, and in becoming certified as Full Member Cafés of the Network.
The Network creates the structure for us to learn from each other about what does and does not work. It also creates a platform to generate greater resources. Recovery Café Network is built upon a foundation that incorporates best practices informed by lived experience and research. With this groundwork, the RCN brand is one from which every member of the Network benefits.
Every Emerging Member and Full Member Café of the Recovery Café Network is dedicated to these Core Commitments:
- Create a community space that is drug- and alcohol-free, embracing, and healing
- Nurture structures of loving accountability called Recovery Circles
- Empower every Member to be a contributor
- Raise up Member leaders
- Ensure responsible stewardship
- Work to end systemic racism and socioeconomic inequality so every person can thrive
Recovery Café Network uses a social licensing model in our replication efforts. Every Café receives a license to open and run a Recovery Café in their community. We seek to partner with groups or organizations with a minimum of 2-3 people that believe in our Core Commitments, support multiple pathways to recovery, have experience in recovery, and can devote the time and resources necessary to bring a Recovery Café to life.
Brief History
Recovery Café Network grew out of an increasing number of requests from nonprofit organizations and faith communities for support and guidance in their desire to create a recovery support center in their community based on the Recovery Café model.
After investing much time and energy sharing with these groups everything we had learned since we began, we concluded it would be more effective if we gathered committed groups together in a “learning cohort” to learn not only from us in Seattle, but from each other.
In 2016 we launched the first official cohort of the Recovery Café Network with five groups called “Emerging Member Cafés.” Since then, we have deepened the design and systematized the structure for sharing our model with the help of the International Center for Social Franchising. We use a social licensing model where every Emerging Member and Full Member Café receives a license to operate the Recovery Café model.
We launch our learning cohorts each April/May and October.
How It Works
To begin the journey of bringing the Recovery Café model to your community, please fill out the inquiry form under Become a Network Member. Submitting that inquiry begins the conversation with the RCN team. Through this conversation your group will learn more about our recovery model, determine next steps, and discern if and when applying to join the Network as an Emerging Member is right for your group. It is our hope that the application process will be helpful in the development of your business and strategic plans.
As an Emerging Member organization of the RCN, your team will benefit from trainings and resources over the ensuing two years. Furthermore, Emerging Members are able to use the Recovery Café Network branding on their website and in fundraising efforts.
The cost of becoming an Emerging Member Café is $10,000 per group. Payment is accepted in two installments: $5,000 at the beginning of your first year and $5,000 at the beginning of your second year. In collaboration with the Recovery Café Network staff, your group can use your member benefits at a schedule that makes the most sense for your organization’s development during your two years as an Emerging Member.
At the end of the two years, each Emerging Member Café is evaluated on how they have implemented the RCN model and adhered to the Core Commitments. At the end of that process, it is our hope that an Emerging Member will be certified as a Full Member Café. Full Members are granted a Recovery Café Network license which entitles them to continued support and use of the RCN brand. Full Member licenses are reevaluated every three years.
