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"Caffè sospeso" is a "pending coffee" or a "Café suspendu". This concept allows people to pay for an extra coffee or meal that will be given to a person who cannot afford it. Nyon's La Roulotte implemented this in 2016 and allows for this wonderful initiative to grow in our area. For La Roulotte just behind the station, implementation of the concept met with some hurdles. Initially it was difficult to get the word out. Their efforts eventually paid off with a board outside the café informing the passers-by, sharing the information on social media pages such as Facebook and Instagram and simply mentioning it to those they were in contact with generated awareness. Another challenge lay in the fact that those in need, and who the "hanging" coffees and meals were meant FOR, felt uncomfortable to make use of the charitable concept. As Marine from la Roulotte states: "There are so many reasons a person may be in that situation, ranging from prolonged hardship, being temporarily down on their luck or maybe just a forgotten wallet at home. Making people feel comfortable to accept the support was not an easy feat. Nevertheless through persistence, and a friendly and open attitude we managed to get there." The fact that the café is located in open-air, and there is no door to have to walk through, helps. They are able to see when it's quiet and discreetly pass by which now happens frequently. The hanging coffee bank fills up and empties out frequently, meaning it can be considered a success. There are now more locations in Nyon offering the same service, you don't even need to leave your home to contribute! Have a look at the Suspend'us website that has brought the options together on their site. Hopefully, there will be more added to this list over time. This year has been difficult for so many people, with the winter months coming up, loneliness and isolation are heightened. We all have a part to play in our community whether it's supporting another person down on their luck, or maybe even daring to speak up when we ourselves need help.

Do you have some time to spare? would you like to meet new people and learn a few new skills? Have you considered volunteering? Many of us will easily donate to charities or support them financially, but becoming an active member of an organisation's committee or freely volunteering our time and energy is a different thing, and one less common. One of the main struggles associations face, is to find volunteers. From my experience the issue is not so much that people are not ready to volunteer, it's that it can be complicated to find where to do so. There is of course an added complication linked to the fact that if you don't speak French at all, it can make it harder still. So for those of you interested in lending a helping hand, or even also in creating a network in a specific field as well as learning some new skills, it's a fantastic option. Here are some ideas to get you started: benevoljobs.ch is website is the go-to website to see what opportunities are out there, simply select your region. Associations put the help they need on the site for free and you can apply to the ones you feel interested in. You can select English as the language but some posts will still appear in French as they have not been translated. Cartons du coeur is a wonderful Swiss-wide initiative that requires no specific language, simply your help. They deliver meals to those in need and always need more hands on deck, there is more than enough work to do. Find out all about them here , their website is clear, user-friendly and fully in English as well as many other languages. The commune of Nyon has an impressive list of associations that exist in the area and that you can access here . Most will probably be happy with extra hands people, it's always worth asking if you find one or two in your field of interest. The downside is that you see the name of the association but not much more. You will need to do some extra research to increase your knowledge of your selected options. Benevolat Vaud is an organisation that supports associations and facilitates the finding of volunteers for them amongst many other services. Have a look at their French website here . If you are unsure where your skills are best put to use, simply give them a call on 021 313 24 00 and ask for a meeting to discuss volunteering opportunities for yourself. Several of their staff speak English and they will meet you in order to discuss your specific context, and connect you with the most relevant associations directly. Wishing you all a wonderful start to the winter season heading our way!

This article reviews the changes that were made for the coworkers in the space and what is new at Atelier 9. Thank you to Roland and Jean-Marc for providing us with this article and insight on how the pandemic is affecting working trends. While the COVID-19 pandemic situation forced most companies to promote home-office, this situation is not ideal for those who need to separate personal and work environments. As a result, the concept of a coworking space has been increasingly used this year. Despite the current unstable situation, ATELIER 9 managed to successfully celebrate its second birthday on October 9th with some of their coworkers, partners, and friends! 2020 has been a special year for all of us. Here are some of the major changes ATELIER 9 went through to ensure a proper working environment to its coworkers. We are a member of Coworking Switzerland Association and regularly discuss essential topics such as the COVID-19 safety measures. 1. Social Distance : Coworking desks have been reduced from 15 to 8 with a Plexiglass separating the desks. Furthermore, one desk is left free between coworkers. 2. Tracking : Social Pass app is available at ATELIER 9 and you can check-in and out to ensure proper tracking and information flow. 3. Disinfectant : At every door of the coworking space, you will find all the supplies you need to ensure clean hands. 4. Fresh Air/door cleaning : Jean-Marc makes sure there is enough fresh air in the office by regularly opening the doors. He also and takes time to clean the doors. 5. Masks : Every individual now needs to wear a mask when moving around the working space and at each desk. New at ATELIER 9 The coworking has opened its offices to students! Offers packages for those interested in studying in Nyon instead of staying at home are now available. For them, special packages exist for weekdays as well as week-ends. What is ATELIER 9 For those who don’t know ATELIER 9 yet, it is a coworking space housed in an old building and within a stone’s throw of the Roman museum. It is completely modern and has a stylish working environment. Right in the heart of town, it is located close to the railway station, central car park and the CGN port. It provides fast Wi-Fi and comfortable desks that can be elevated to stand up while working. Projectors, screens, keyboards, computer mouses, flip charts, a laser printer, scanner, private lockers and more are available to those who need it. A lovely kitchenette area is there for those who want to take a break or catch up. For non-coworkers such as individuals, groups or organisations, the meeting room (up to 6 people in a pandemic situation) can also be rented with different pricing (half-day, full day and after 18.00). Interested in having a look around our working space? Feel free to walk in for a tour with the manager and one of the co-founders Roland Schaller. Who knows what this space will inspire you to create… The reception desk is open every day except from 12.00-13.30 and on Saturdays. Working spaces are open for business from Monday to Friday from 07:00 to midnight and on Saturdays from 08:00 – 18:00. For more information, feel free to visit the website , reach out by mail (info@atelier9.work) or phone (+41 (0)22 565 3355).

The initiative "Run for Nyon" is a sponsored run that all runners - and non-runners - can join. Sponsors pay CHF2.- per km that goes to the hospital staff as a thank you in the form of nice breakfasts or meals by local producers.What is it about? Two Nyon locals decided to support the hospital staff by launching an initiative that allows for a combination of sports and solidarity to come together. Guillaume Golay, 29 years old, is a teacher at the Nyon-Marens college . He and his friend Benoît Bryand, 28 and co-founder of Paleta Loca , are football buddies. With the pandemic putting an end to training sessions, they turned to running instead. This activity gave way to the idea of running for a cause, and so their idea for the sponsored run was born, allowing anybody that wishes to participate to join in. How does it work? If you are motivated to join in the efforts there are 2 simple ways you can participate: Sign up as a runner here . Choose how far you will run and find a few sponsors ready to pay you CHF2.- for every km you run. Sponsor a runner. Either sponsor a friend who will run or have a look on the website to sponsor one of the listed runners. Registrations for the run are possible until the 15th of December. Guillaume and Benoît themselves will run 42km on December 12th around the lake..... dressed as doctors! Anybody can sign up and you can also follow their activity on Instagram or Facebook . Good luck Guillaume and Benoît and thanks for this initiative!

Tech Spark Academy sparks children's curiosity about the digital world. It prepares them for a future reliant on computer science, and jobs that do not yet exist. This is not because they will all be computer scientists, but because they will have plenty of computer science in their lives. Learn programming, digital storytelling, or how to create apps! The fact that we are all dependant on IT and only 0.5% of the world's population knows how to code is mind-blowing. This highlights how reliant the other 99.5% of us are, on that small fraction of the population that does know how to code. Our digital lives are in their hands! With children, there is a fine line between how much exposure to computers/screens/IT to give them. We want to equip them for the future without losing them to the digital world (at least that's how I feel). Tech Spark demystifies coding and computer language. It offers children between the ages of 8-18 an opportunity to learn in an open and friendly environment . Instructors have small groups, allowing for lots of 1:1 interaction with the instructors. The skills they learn will remain useful throughout their lives. Holiday camps are available, as well as after school private lessons for up to 2 children. Why not partner with another family and enroll both children in the lesson? Our readers benefit from a CHF50.- discount with the LIN code to use upon reservation. Here are some of the types of programming TechSpark offers and a short definition of each. Python is a programming language that has a clear and easy to use code. It is a widely supported language easily adaptable to large and small scale projects. It is mostly used for web applications and web content. YouTube, Instagram and Google search are all written in Python, as are many AI applications. Fun fact: the language was named after Monty Python! Swift is a programming language developed by Apple to encourage young programmers. It is a more complex language than Python but is still simpler than traditional coding languages. Learning Swift is ideal for those that already have some knowledge of Python. This is the one that is mainly used to develop apps. Adobe digital storytelling is what those aspiring YouTubers want to learn. This class allows it's students to use and combine various elements like video, photography, editing, and storytelling skills. Instructors are students from Lausanne's prestigious engineering university EPFL (or the ETHZ if you are in eastern Switzerland). They are bilingual in English and French. Students focus on building their own projects , these are presented to the parents at the end of the course or the camp. Currently, many of the lessons are virtual due to the COVID pandemic. You can contact Tech Spark directly for any questions or for more information. The link leads you to Marta Gehring who is one of the co-founders and passionate about the topic. She will gladly provide more insight. You can also follow TechSpark on Twitter and on Instagram .

The "Corona Diaries" is a series of articles on how local people from different industries and businesses experience the pandemic. Thank you to Eden Grace for the initiative, writing the articles, and for the insight. "How has 2020 changed you?"  This year was a collective shock and a very personal experience at the same time. Social, economic and political magnitudes of this year are amply debated. But we cannot deny the emotional impacts too. This "Corona diaries" series is about how real people, living and working on La Côte, have adapted to Covid. I also wanted to know how they have allowed this period to reshape them. Thank you to Uli Van Neyghem , our first guest for her participation. As an artist, she has been fortunate enough to continue working in her field. She has found comfort in documenting the small pleasures of this strange time we are all experiencing. Uli created a Lockdown Collection called 'Here and Now'. Q: Uli, What inspired you for the collection, and what is it about? A: We have all been confronted with unprecedented times by the pandemic. Being locked down for a considerable time of the year has taken the speed out of our lives. How did that affect us? Rather than concentrating on the fear, news headlines and infection rate statistics, I needed to find upsides to keep my sanity. I asked myself whether it was possible that 2020 taught us to be more present and to live more in the moment? That we don't always have to look far and wide to find contentment? I think we can answer this question with a definite yes. Never before have there been so many people out and about in nature, rediscovering simple outdoor pleasures. Picnics and lighting a fire to roast sausages in the Jura is replacing pre-pandemic city trips or shopping sprees. Pastimes are being rediscovered. Taking the time to read a good book, the comforting pleasures of baking and cooking, or a relaxing soak in the bathtub are making a comeback. My 'Here and Now' collection explores these quiet moments. Q: How much of yourself is present in this collection? I use art to find inner peace and balance. That is visible in the serene atmospheres I create in all my paintings. The still lifes with reflections, the calm lake scenes, or the 'Here and Now' collection, for that matter. My art has also always helped me to adapt to new realities or environments. When we moved here in 2011, I started painting Switzerland-inspired themes like the surrounding landscapes or my signature collection of Swiss cows for example. It was my way of growing roots in a new place. Painting a Lockdown collection to reflect on our changing world in these unprecedented times, is my way of getting to terms with it and coping. Q: You create from a place of inner peace. How have you managed to maintain that space for yourself given the tumultuous nature of these times? I will not lie, it has not always been easy or even possible to drown out the noise of the media coverage or shake the feeling of being paralyzed. It would be easier if I was one of those artists who work off their anger or frustration by slapping paint on a canvas! We can't be positive about what is happening all of the time, I try to be kind to myself and trust my creative nature to resurface again after momentary dips. Q: What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of being an artist during the coronavirus? Not being able to physically exhibit my paintings is very difficult and requires spending a lot of time on social media to find electronic ways of presenting my art. But it does not replace the inspiring exchanges taking place during art fairs or exhibitions. I am also a co-founder of Collaborative Art ™ , offering creative team building and event experiences worldwide. Needless to say, the pandemic brought our activities in this field to a full-stop. Q: With social, cultural events and exhibitions on the back burner, do you think we value creativity and art differently? That is difficult to say. In times of crisis, culture is more important than ever. Millions of us are (semi) confined in our homes. Music, films, satire, books, and online performances represent a source of consolation and hope. Artists and museums all over the world are working hard to adapt and deliver art in more creative ways than ever. But the economic pressure is enormous. Let's not forget, a large number of people are already working with a high level of commitment but a very low level of security, especially in economic terms. There is a real danger of losing much of the richness and diversity of the regional and global cultural scene. We might not be able to recover from this 'culture shock' for many years. Initiatives to support the arts and culture sector on a governmental and political level give some cause for optimism. Whether our life remains 'colourful' and our 'spiritual food' diverse is up to our society now. Have a look at Uli's website or follow her activity on Instagram to see more of her beautiful artwork! Or contact er directly with any questions you may have:  Uli Van Neyghem

Nyon's police force covers Nyon, Prangins and Crans. How are they structured and what are the typical interventions? And who are Buffy and Quenzi that form a brigade of their own? Thank you very much to Laurence Dufour, in charge of communication at Nyon Police for answering the questions so openly and providing interesting insights into the workings of the local police! The Police of the Nyon region's (PNR) general mission is to ensure the security, tranquility and maintenance of order in its territory. They ensure a continuous presence in the field, which revolves around traffic control (speed, vehicle compliance, traffic rules), management of problems related to incivility (noise pollution, littering, breaches of the Police Regulations, damage to property, etc.), and offenses committed in the territory (burglaries, theft, domestic violence, cybercrime, etc.). Due to the current pandemic, the police station regularly provides clarifications on the health measures implemented by the Canton and the Federation. When it comes to road development matters, the PNR has only an advisory opinion. This task is the responsibility of the "Service Travaux, environnement et mobilité" of the City of Nyon. The Nyon police force has six brigades. The brigades are made up of teams with highly complementary skills in terms of background, training, experience etc. This allows for combined knowledge and strengths that can be used when analysing a problem they may be faced with. The chefs of the brigade independently manage their brigade's performance and motivation. Operational decisions are taken by the head of the police. The canine brigade - Meet Buffy and Quenzi The PNR has a canine brigade (called K9) made up of two dog handlers and two Belgian Shepard dogs, Buffy and Quenzi! This is a brigade affiliated with the Police-Secours division of the PNR. A police dog typically has a career of nine to ten years. Dogs specializing in the field of narcotics often continue to "work" even after their retirement. Their experience remains very useful to the police. Defense dogs differ from dogs specialized in narcotics. Defense dogs have missions such as searching for and neutralising fugitives or suspects. They also help search for people on the location of an offense, join in patrols and surveillance, and help search for objects or weapons. The drug dog, on the other hand, is trained to look for narcotics. The training lasts about a year and covers all drugs and their derivatives commonly found on the market. The dog is never in direct contact with drugs, it warns his handler when it detects the smell of narcotics by freezing at the location of the find. The dogs are also trained to find banknotes! These are closely linked to the trade in narcotic products. A new police station is underway The construction notice for the new police station has been submitted to the Municipal Council. This will be determined at the start of 2021. The construction loan needs to be validated and a referendum period of 14 days held. Once this is done, the work can begin and last approximately 2 years. The new police station will be located next to the fire station, on the Route de Divonne. Police Nyon Région 24h/24h 10, place du Château 1260 Nyon Tél: 022 799 17 17 or 117 www.police-nyon-region.ch

The Swiss are polite, punctual and very attached to privacy. What lies beneath these values so strongly ingrained? This informative series of short articles: "Inside Switzerland" is brought to Living in Nyon thanks to Jon Wyler. It gives us some insight into our wonderfully complex and highly efficient country. We've covered the history , and the rostigraben . t's time to take a closer look at the values that span across the country, regardless of the countless differences. Values Certain values are common throughout Switzerland, like punctuality and politeness or an expectation to comply with local customs and language. Some can be associated with “farmer values” - strong work ethic, responsibility, or independence. There are differences between rural and urban areas, best not to tell your colleague in Geneva you admire his/her “farmer values”. What these mean: Politeness: Saying hello and good-bye in shops, doctor’s offices, to neighbours, etc. Being polite is not simply the result of not being distant or cold. Punctuality: This is a sign of respect, showing that the other person’s time is as valuable as yours. It also shows you are organised and reliable. Privacy: You are entitled to privacy, and it’s expected that you will not be intrusive. Personal questions are reserved for close friends and family. Environment: Swiss understand their environment is their biggest asset and need to protect it. This starts with small gestures like recycling and not littering. Patriotism: Swiss love their country and are proud of it, but identify with their cantons. Independence: From other countries, international unions, and as much as possible the federal government. The independence provided through direct democracy is considered one of the key reasons Switzerland voted against joining the EU on several occasions. Next up in this series is integration. What efforts are useful to make? The good news is; liking local wine and cheese counts! Yes! Jon Wyler is a Swiss/Luxembourg bi-national, who grew up between Geneva, Hawaii and Beijing. Hospitality-trained, he has for most of his life followed his passion working in live music production, which took him around the world. Jon recently settled on the shores of lake Neuchâtel with his German wife who’s trying to figure out the in’s & out’s of her adopted country.

The estimated rate of failure for expatriation missions revolves around 40-50%. One of the main reasons is difficulty to adapt to the new country. This can be the person's own feeling, or that of his/her family. Thank you to Laurine Chiarini from International Link , an initiative of the Vaud chamber of commerce and industry (CVCI). They provide a wealth of information regarding Vaud, its culture, the opportunities that exist and the support you can find. Vaud is home to more than 50 international sports federations, 7 technology parks, dozens of multinational companies and several universities and specialized schools. It is also the main centre for research and innovation in Switzerland. These organizations provide jobs, develop partnerships with local institutions and work with local providers. Such companies usually employ a high number of foreign staff which brings a fair share of challenges. For example, integration can be an issue for the employees and their families. In fact, several studies point out that family challenges and a spouse’s career are the main barriers to mobility. This is a problem that comes at a high cost for companies. International Link is an initiative of the Vaud chamber of commerce and industry (CVCI), that aims to support the local integration of foreign organizations and their employees. It offers services and events in English designed for an audience with no prior knowledge of the local economic or political fabric. What are the specifics of the Swiss employment law? How to start up a business? How does the Swiss system of apprenticeship work? These are some of the topics typically addressed by International Link. Since family and spouses play a vital part in successful integration, some events are dedicated specifically to them. These include local company visits, a welcome day where children can join and a series of “Reloc’coffees”. These are all created to support the professional and personal integration of expat partners. Spouses frequently represent a highly skilled and experienced potential for the workforce. Participants get to learn useful information while networking with other international people. The local culinary scene is an essential part of integration too! After all, tasting a bright green carac (a typical Vaudois pastry filled with chocolate ganache), or debating on whether Cenovis can measure up to Marmite is also part of the expat experience. For more information have a look at their site here . Join one of their events or contact them for any support you may be looking for. Local specialties: For cheese lovers, but not only

Yesterday the federal Council gave an update on the measures to respect in an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus further. They hope no further restrictions will be necessary after these. So do we! The Federal Office of Public Health reported 3001 additional cases of the virus in 24 hours on Wednesday (13th of February) as well as unfortunately another 58 deceased. 10.32% of the tests come back positive and there are currently 147 patients hospitalized. Currently, we are at a rate of 477.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This is an overview of the new measures: As of Monday all non-essential shops will be closed. Supermarkets and other "essential" shops selling everyday consumer goods will remain open. Working from home is now once again mandatory where possible Private gatherings are restricted to 5 people Restaurants, sports and leisure facilities and cultural centres will remain closed until the 28th of February An extension of financial government aid has been announced Masks should be worn in proximity of others Read up on some more information on Swissinfo here .

Spending more time at home, also means we have more time to tend to our gardens, growing our own vegetables and enjoying the plants and trees in general. Join the webinar on the 25th of January, 18:00 by the Ecole club Migros on gardening and nature. Gardening retail is one of the industries that has spiked during the COVID lockdowns and "slowdowns". We take to our own gardens but also to nature in general as a way of relaxing and coping with the pandemic through the beauty of nature. If that is you too, then this might be perfect you: The Ecole club Migros now has a course specially developed find ways to reconnect in a meaningful manner with the world outside our front door. It's aimed at learning how to grow environmentally sound and abundant gardens, taking walks in local forests and reclaiming our innate desire to better understand the earth's cycles. Meetings will be held throughout the year to explore applications of Permaculture, soil science and nature deficit disorder. We will also meet for hands-on classes in family gardens to build compost, create raised beds and learn by doing. These meetings will be a mix between in-person and virtual depending on the sanitary situation. The Webinar is held on the 25th of January at 18:00 in English, and will walk you through the information and the outline of the course . Find out more about it during the webinar. Seats are free but limited at 20 people. Happy gardening!

The current times of uncertainty have brought with it a lot of professional development questions. Whether wanted or unwanted -> what next step to take in my career? is playing on a lot of minds. A recent Deloitte study found almost 2/3 of the Swiss labour market has experienced a negative impact on their careers since the arrival of COVID-19. The pandemic has created a shift in career development expectations across the world. Loss of jobs, burn-out linked to uncertainty and/or isolation are common occurrences these past few months. Workplace social-distancing or working with protective gear has impacted many. Not only are the working conditions altered, but the slowing down in the pace of life has also made way for reflection on a personal level. Being specialised in career development, I hear these questions over and over: Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life? Where are my talents best put to use? How do I align my work-life more harmoniously.  If these questions are playing on your mind too, sign up for the Get Unstuck Professionally workshop I'm holding on Thursday at 11:00 (28th of January). It's a free and live workshop held in English and I'm full of tips and tricks you can use to get a handle on those elusive questions! You can find more information and a sign up for here . I would love to see you there if the topic is for you! Mandy