Trends pop up like wildflowers in the spring.  One of the latest to blossom during this downturn is camps, cafes, and parties at which unemployed people gather to sow seeds for the future.  Some of them even host a happy hour + cash bar!  (Hey, drinking is one activity that also booms during bust times…)

Churches, community centers, and even restaurants provide the space for folks to network and mingle.  And often, a speaker or career counselor offers advice and consolation.  The cost?  Usually free.  Nice! 

Good stuff, these gatherings.  After all, when you’re jobless and anxious, you need ideas and support.  And the most likely candidates for sincerely supplying those essentials are people stuck in the same swamp.  Compassion loves company.