In-person

Arrive at the venue at any time during the event - no pre-registration is necessary. You will be met by our team who will show you a list of available titles for the day and explain some of the logistics and what you can expect. You can then choose a topic at an available timeslot. The last session usually starts an hour before the event ends.

Online

You can register for an online event to get access to reserve a topic and time slot. You will receive a link to the virtual event space and can join the main event room 5 minutes before your reserved session where you will be welcomed by one of our team members. After discussing logistics and what you can expect, you will be sent out to your breakout room with your selected topic for a conversation.

In conversation...

These sessions are 45mins long, and our volunteers will start the conversation with a brief introduction about their topic. Therafter you will have the opportunity to ask ANY questions or even just share your experience about this topic. These conversations are one-on-one, so it is a great place to ask even those unconventional or even very obvious questions without an audience. Our volunteers will be around if you have any questions or need some help and you are welcome to end the session earlier if you would like.

What if...

You are welcome to ask those questions here – our volunteers have been trained how to respond if they wish not to answer your question for whatever reason. Most of they time this is some of their favourite questions since they understand what we are trying to achieve by creating these opportunities to rather be curious than make assumptions.

Disagreeing is absolutely allowed. We do expect both participants to remain respectful throughout the conversation. Bullying, dismissing someone’s lived experience and aggressive behaviour will however not be tolerated and our team members might intervene if we feel necessary. If at any point either of the participants feel unsure or uncomfortable in a conversation they can end their session.

Our volunteers are not trained councillors or psychologists and these conversations were not designed with that in mind. Even if some volunteers might be experts in their fields they will not be able or allowed to advise you. If you do feel vulnerable after a conversation – we do try to always have an experienced councillor at an event to debrief about your experience if needed.

We prioritise one-on-one conversations since we find the dynamics allow for a better connection and more honest questions. We do however accommodate either larger crowds or someone that would like to share their session – but it is then stil up to the volunteer if they want to accommodate more than one person in their session.

Who can volunteer as a Stranger?

We have yet to meet someone that is not a stranger to someone else, whether it is because of who, how or where you are, what you do or what you have been through. Anyone and any topics are welcome, and you can find out more at one of our training events.

What type of topics can I currently expect to see at an event?

Our list of volunteers are ever growing and we really hope to deliver a variety of diverse topics to chose from at any event. These are only an indication of the variety we offer at the moment and in no way a complete list. Please also know that topics will vary from one event to another – depending on the availability of our volunteers that have signed up for that specific event.

  • Autism
  • Ex-Addict
  • Organ Donor
  • Depression
  • Single Mom
  • Domestic Abuse Survivor
  • Sterilised
  • Childless
  • Bisexual Boerseun
  • Lupus
  • Anti-apartheid Activists
  • Grief
  • Traveler
  • Brain Tumor Survivor
  • Gay Christian
  • Pro Rats
  • HIV+
  • Ex-Gangster
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Menopause
  • Alternative Afrikaans
  • Radio Personality
  • Environmentalist
  • Transgenerational Guilt
  • Special Needs Teacher
  • Pastor Amongst Gangs
  • Aspergers
  • Couchsurfer
  • Burnout
  • Serial Social Entrepreneur
  • Cochlear Implant
  • Growing up in a Sect
  • Male Rape Survivor
  • Young Cancer Survivor
  • Lesbian
  • Mental Health Millennial
  • Major Depressive Disorder
  • Miscarriage
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Widow
  • Rape Survivor
  • Mental health + parenting
  • Undertaker
  • Stockholm Syndrome
  • Interfaith Marriage
  • Black Male Ballet Dancer
  • Artist
  • Army Veteran

Still not sure?

If you are still unsure about how it works, you are welcome to reach out to us, or come and attend an event – even if you don’t participate in a conversation.

Get in touch...