Courses to build life skills

Learn life skills with the largest charitable provider of adult education in England and Scotland. Adult learning isn’t like school. Everyone belongs at the WEA. You’ll get meaningful, and tailored support, so you can reach your full potential. Our classes are friendly and fun, designed for adults like you. We won’t talk down to you and you’ll learn skills that you’ll use in everyday life.

Skip to courses

What are life skills?

Simply put, they are skills that make everyday life easier. Life skills include cooking, budgeting, communicating with others, health, well-being and managing emotions. Sometimes this means learning new things, and sometimes it means building on things you already know.

Sometimes adulting can be hard. These courses can help make it feel just that bit easier, make you feel more independent and empower you to face the future ahead.

Small steps to larger goals

You don’t have to have big goals in mind. Just take small steps towards boosting your skills and improving your wellbeing. Whether it is learning to budget better or cook healthier food. Building your confidence or gaining independence. There is a course for you.

When you study with us, you will:

  • Build your confidence
  • Learn new life skills
  • Improve your everyday life and wellbeing

Take a look at our great range of courses and start making a positive change today.

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode or town for your search in the boxes below.

We have defaulted the search to ten miles, but you can change this number in the box as you wish.

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Results per page

Days

Other Filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

Personal Development: Everyday Life Skills - Practical Skills

This supportive course offers you the opportunity to explore adaptive and positive behaviour to help you deal more effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. The course will cover 3 main areas, including knowledge, attitude, and skills. It will enable you to consider ways to expand your confidence and personal development, including life skills to help promote mental well-being and competence when managing and coping with the realities of life. It will help you to identify available opportunities and prepare to face possible threats. The course will cover the context of health and social events, including coping without the use of unhealthy props; communicating with others in the public sphere; and how to promote healthy relationships.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 07/01/2025 -
Tue 11/02/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
NST Hub (North Somerset Training Communi
31 Alexandra Parade
Weston-super-Mare
BS23 1QZ
Tutor:
Karen Johnson
Course code:
Q00017749
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £126.00

Healthy Living: Meditation and Mindfulness to support a positive mindset

Enhance your mindset with our Meditation and Mindfulness to Support a Positive Mindset course. This course focuses on practices that cultivate positivity, resilience, and inner peace. Through guided meditations and mindfulness techniques, you will learn to anchor yourself in the present moment, manage negative thoughts, and foster a more optimistic outlook on life. Suitable for all levels, this course encourages self-awareness and personal growth in a supportive environment.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 07/01/2025 -
Tue 11/02/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Bailey
Course code:
Q00018250
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

Fitness and Exercise: Seated Aerobics

Get Moving and Feel Empowered! It is said that sitting for long, uninterrupted periods of time may leave you more prone to cardiovascular problems. So come along to this Seated Aerobics course to get those limbs moving, and those hearts pumping! In this 6-week seated aerobics course, you'll experience the benefits of exercise in a comfortable and supportive environment. This low-impact, chair-based program is specifically designed for individuals who may have mobility limitations or prefer a seated workout. Our expert instructor will guide you through a series of exercises that will get your heart rate up, improve your flexibility, balance, and strength, all while seated in a chair.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 07/01/2025 -
Tue 11/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Ralph Jessop Court
Wyvern Close,
Parkstone
Dorset
BH12 4HE
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00016948
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.80

Personal Development: Budgeting

Learn how to manage your finances with our Personal Development: Budgeting course. Develop essential budgeting skills and learn how to plan and track your expenses. Ideal for individuals looking to improve their financial literacy and achieve financial stability.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 07/01/2025 -
Tue 25/03/2025
Location:
Tricuro -Parkstone Connect Day Centre (P
Croft Road
Poole
BH12 3LD
Course code:
Q00017714
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £151.20

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Confidence to Learn: Study Skills

Would you like to learn new skills or change jobs? It can be hard to get back into learning after a long break. This confidence training will prepare you to feel comfortable stepping back into the classroom. This short course can help you bridge the gaps in your confidence and overcome the obstacles standing in your way to get back into learning. The objective of this course is to get you into a positive mindset to achieve your goals. You will practise a variety of confidence-building exercises to help that mindset shift come from within.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 07/01/2025 -
Tue 13/05/2025
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00018527
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £8.40

Professional Development: Assertiveness and Imposter Syndrome

Do you sometimes feel frustrated that you are not communicating to others effectively and your views are not taken into account? Why is acting assertively so difficult, and what are the barriers for us? We will be looking at what we mean by assertive behaviour and how we can recognise and celebrate this. Investigating our own personal barriers to assertive behaviour will allow us to start to identify personal barriers, and considering ‘imposter syndrome’ allow us to start to counter any feelings of this type that we experience. How can we put our point of view making clear our own views while still respecting the views and needs of others. If you would like to find out more this course is for you.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 08/01/2025
Times:
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Antoniou
Course code:
Q00012171
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Confidence to Learn

Confidence to Learn Are you currently studying? On this Confidence to Learn course, you will develop study skills that will help direct you to a more focused way of studying. If you have not studied for a long time, or worried about how to start an assignment, or manage your time, this is the course for you. You will have the opportunity to personalise your approach to study and learning. Over the course you will find out what works best for you. General study skills are not for a specific subject, they are skills that cover all subject areas. The study skills you will develop at this level will help as you go through each topic on the course. To develop your study skills, you will practise a variety of tasks such as time management, active listening skills, note taking and many more. This will help you become more confident in the way you study. Study skills are not just for this course, they can be used in a variety of ways, for example solving problems in everyday life and managing your time successfully and learning to remain focused on a task. This course will run alongside the main course you are studying and provide you with the tools to successfully complete your studies with confidence. The main topics that will be covered in this course will be: • Time management– create a study timetable to help manage your course material more effectively and how best to break up your study time. • Note Taking – learn proved methods of creating notes from your sessions that are clear and precise, which will help you remember and understand what is necessary for a better understanding of your course. • Mind Maps – show you how to create a visual map of ideas and put together the information learned on your course. • Teach others – you will get the opportunity to explain what you have learned to others and discover areas that need improving. • Goal setting – you will learn how to create your own study goals after each session to help you stay o

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 09/04/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
16 sessions
Location:
Daubeney Children's Centre/ Primary Scho
103 Daubeney Road
Hackney
London
E5 0EG
Tutor:
Allison McClean
Course code:
Q00017619
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Cooking for Wellbeing

Explore how cooking can improve your mental and physical health with this course. Learn nutritious recipes, meal planning, prepping techniques, and smart shopping tips. Discover how to make healthy, budget-friendly choices that enhance your wellbeing. Understand the connection between food and mood, and enjoy making healthy choices in a supportive environment.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 26/02/2025
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Mount Pleasant School (Southampton)
Mount Pleasant Road
Newtown
Southampton
SO14 0WZ
Tutor:
Tracey Sweetman
Course code:
Q00016927
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £88.20

Personal Development: Understanding Common Mental Health Conditions

This 6-week course equips you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the world of mental health. You'll explore the mental health continuum, identify common conditions like stress, anxiety, depression, and OCD, and learn how to support yourself and others.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 12/02/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016664
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

Personal Development: Intermediate "What Makes You You?"

This transformative 6-week course will help you understand yourself better and unlock your full potential. You'll explore self-esteem, learning how to boost your confidence and inner strength. By reflecting on your life experiences, you'll discover valuable lessons and growth opportunities to shape a brighter future. Additionally, you'll explore different personality traits to understand your strengths and weaknesses, embrace your individuality, and become more adaptable.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 12/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016665
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40