At Effinger, another learning enterprise emerged from personal initiative alongside the mushroom farm: the Barista Corner. The 18-year-old Joscha had the idea to set up a small, staffed coffee bar within the coworking area – as a project by teenagers for the community. The project grows into a permanent barista team of children and teenagers (10–22 years). The Barista Corner is today part of the break culture and anchored in the tribe of the coworking and colearning community.
The Hunt
Joscha faced the task of setting up everything that belongs to a small coffee business. He acquires startup capital and organizes a 50 kg heavy coffee machine. With the help of experts from the community, he writes a business plan; he uses AI as a design partner to create flyers. In the doing, he learns piece by piece the craft of entrepreneurship, such as the Pareto principle or how to master stubborn hurdles like phone acquisition with local roasters. Bit by bit, he builds a team of younger colleagues. Joscha learns to lead, takes on responsibility, and after a few months is already preparing for his succession. This phase of the "hunt" is marked by real pressure (Does the coffee taste good? Is enough revenue coming in? Who covers the shifts?). Exactly through this, intensive learning takes place – not only for Joscha, but for everyone who happens to be nearby.
The Campfire
In the campfire sense, the bounty is shared – in a double sense. First, the entire community now enjoys fine coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. The material bounty thus flows directly back to all. Second, the sales revenue sustains the project financially itself – the economic bounty ensures that learning can continue sustainably.
Impact
Joscha documents his experiences on his Lilo.page in blog entries, and the team regularly reports on progress at treasure sharing meetings of the community. This gives learning social resonance and appreciation. Particularly nice: Teenagers who are new to Colearning are attracted by the Barista Corner, observe and sign up to help. They are welcomed into the team and practice latte art and hospitality. This way, they quickly find their way into the community and are proud that they get to contribute something. After a short time, they bring their own ideas or suggest new offerings. Leona (11) regularly bakes cakes and Lisa (12) introduces matcha lattes and shows the older teenagers and adults how to properly prepare high-quality matchas. The Barista Corner exemplarily shows how teenagers grow through real responsibility and at the same time do something for the community.