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

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Multiply-Baking on a Budget

Baking on a Budget” is an 11-hour course carefully created to equip students with essential baking skills while making it affordabile. Students will master the art of creating delightful baked goods using cost-effective ingredients and simple techniques. The curriculum covers fundamental baking principles, including ingredient substitutions, portion management, and efficient kitchen organisation, ensuring the best and most efficient way to bake. Through hands-on demonstrations and practical exercises, students will learn to prepare a variety of treats, such as cookies, cupcakes, and brownies, perfect for school fair stalls. By course end, students will possess the expertise and confidence to bake for school events and friends on a budget.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 18/09/2024 -
Wed 09/10/2024
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Mount Pleasant School (Southampton)
Mount Pleasant Road
Newtown
Southampton
SO14 0WZ
Tutor:
Tracey Sweetman
Course code:
Q00017110
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Schools, Parenting and Child Development: Help Your Child with English and Maths

As a parent or carer, you want the best for your children and you want to help them get the most out of their time at school. Join other parents like you, to discover more about what is taught in UK schools. During this course, you will learn how to support your child’s education in the UK. You will learn what you can do at home to help improve your child’s skills in maths and English. Find out more about how you can join the school community and meet other parents.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 18/09/2024 -
Wed 23/10/2024
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00009422
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Budget Planning & Saving on Bills

Effective budget planning can make you feel like you’ve had a pay rise. Organising your personal budget and understanding your outgoings is the first step towards healthy financial well-being. And the good news is - budgeting is a skill anyone can learn. This budgeting course is right for you if you want to improve your financial well-being. Whether you’re trying to cope with the cost of living crisis or just want to plan your finances better, this course can help you. You do not need advanced maths skills to take this course. It is appropriate for complete beginners, so don’t worry if this is new to you.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 19/09/2024 -
Thu 19/09/2024
Times:
9:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Shama Women's Centre (Leicester)
Shama Womens Centre
39 Sparkenhoe Street
Leicester
LE2 0TD
Tutor:
Tasneem Ali
Course code:
Q00017249
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Confidence to Learn

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:
Thu 19/09/2024 -
Thu 12/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
13 sessions
Location:
Aspire
2A Global House
Crofton Close
Lincoln
Midlands
LN3 4NT
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00017389
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

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:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Fitness and Exercise: Movement to Music

A fun and friendly exercise class to get you moving and having fun. This course is for adults who use a wheelchair or with limited mobility, but all abilities are welcome to join in at your own pace. Blow away the cobwebs with a workout to your favourite feel good music; a great mixture of oldies and new songs too. Join in with a gentle warm up, then an upper body work out based on dance moves including pom poms, tambourines, and ribbons. Have fun with ball games with your friends and finish with a relaxing cool down and stretch.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 19/09/2024 -
Thu 26/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
41 sessions
Location:
Ashley Place (Bognor Regis)
Kings Parade
Bognor Regis
PO21 2QP
Tutor:
Suzanne Swain
Course code:
Q00010879
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £189.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Confidence to Learn

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:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 13/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
13 sessions
Location:
Involve Wellbeing (Lincoln)
12 Mint Lane
Lincoln
LN1 1UD
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00017392
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.80

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Fitness and Exercise: Movement and Music

Discover the wonders of your body as you'll get the chance to learn about its functions and capabilities. Embrace the joy of dance tailored to each individual, catering to personal needs and preferences. Unleash the power of movement and music on this course whilst having fun along the way.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 04/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
42 sessions
Location:
Chestnuts (Bognor Regis)
London Road
Bognor Regis
PO21 1AZ
Tutor:
Fiona James
Course code:
Q00010881
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £189.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Fitness and Exercise: Movement and Music

Discover the wonders of your body as you'll get the chance to learn about its functions and capabilities. Embrace the joy of dance tailored to each individual, catering to personal needs and preferences. Unleash the power of movement and music on this course whilst having fun along the way.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 04/07/2025
Times:
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Duration:
37 sessions
Location:
Hammonds (Bognor Regis)
210 Hawthorn Road
Bognor Regis
PO21 2UP
Tutor:
Fiona James
Course code:
Q00010903
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £233.10

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Fitness and Exercise: Movement and Music

Discover the wonders of your body as you'll get the chance to learn about its functions and capabilities. Embrace the joy of dance tailored to each individual, catering to personal needs and preferences. Unleash the power of movement and music on this course whilst having fun along the way.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 04/07/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
35 sessions
Location:
Judith Adams Day Opportunity Centre (Chi
58A St. Pancras
Chichester
PO19 7LS
Tutor:
Fiona James
Course code:
Q00010892
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £220.50

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Beginners British Sign Language (BSL)

If you have contact with deaf people in your day-to-day life, you may want to take a British Sign Language course. Knowing how to sign can make your communication more inclusive for everyone you interact with. This BSL course is suitable for you if you need to communicate with deaf people in a voluntary or community role, or simply through social interactions. This course is aimed at complete beginners. You will start from scratch to learn foundational BSL skills.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 23/09/2024 -
Mon 02/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Helen Watson
Course code:
Q00010735
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00