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.

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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.

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Personal Development: Public speaking

Unleash your inner speaker. On this 7-Week Public Speaking Journey This course will empower you to conquer your public speaking fears and deliver impactful presentations with confidence. You'll master the fundamentals of public speaking, gain practical experience through peer feedback sessions, and develop the skills to captivate any audience.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 26/02/2025 -
Wed 02/04/2025
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:
Q00016745
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80

Personal Development: Budgeting skills

Feeling overwhelmed by household finances? Tired of wondering where your money goes? This 4-week course will empower you to take control with basic budgeting skills. We'll unravel the mystery of household budgeting, making it manageable and clear. Explore smart supermarket schemes and discover if they truly benefit you or the stores.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 22/04/2025 -
Tue 20/05/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016753
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Personal Development: Food allergens

During this 8 week introduction to food allergens course, we will covering what a food allergy and a food intolerance is, what the difference is between a food allergy and a food intolerance and why it is important you know the difference, why these food allergies and intolerances are on the increase. We will also look at what the 14 recognised food allergies are and why there are only 14 at the present time. And finally, we will look at how the law is helping making the food industry more accountable to label and keep foods safe for all consumers.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 21/05/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016755
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Personal Development: Build your resilience

Feeling overwhelmed by life's constant challenges? This 7-week emotional resilience course equips you with powerful tools to navigate uncertainty and build inner strength. Explore how your thoughts, emotions, and experiences influence your mental wellbeing and overall resilience. Discover effective coping strategies to manage stress, stay positive, and communicate effectively in your social circles. By examining your life perspective and approach, you'll gain the confidence to recharge your batteries and cultivate a more positive outlook.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 03/06/2025 -
Tue 15/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
14 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016764
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80

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:
£15

Personal Development: Gratitude journaling

This 7-week course is your gateway to a more fulfilling life! Discover the transformative power of gratitude journaling, a practice that combines mindfulness and writing to boost your wellbeing. Explore how expressing gratitude can shift your perspective and cultivate a more positive outlook. Learn practical journaling techniques to track your everyday blessings and witness the uplifting impact on your mood.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 03/06/2025 -
Tue 15/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
14 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016769
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80

Personal Development: Managing Your Wellbeing for Work, Life and Study

During this 6-week course, you will look at a variety of techniques that could help you to manage your wellbeing. Each week we will have a theme, that builds your knowledge around mental health wellbeing’s, for example, the NHS 5 steps the wellbeing, mindfulness, healthy lifestyles and work life balance. At the end of the course, you will have created a poster all the wellbeing techniques you like.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 04/06/2025 -
Wed 16/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
14 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016768
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80

Personal Development: Health and safety at home

During this 6 week introduction to health and safety within the home, will covering all the main health and safety risks within the home, for example, manual handling, trips and falls, COSHH, food safety and food allergens.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 04/06/2025 -
Wed 16/07/2025
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Course code:
Q00016770
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80



The courses below have already started, but are still available to book.

Textiles and Fashion: Advanced Sewing Projects. (Multiply)

Discover the wonderful world of numeracy through sewing and advanced sewing projects. It will help you to develop you numeracy skills in textile and advanced sewing. This course is suitable for those who have completed intermediate sewing courses and are familiar with existing sewing skills. Develop your skills further to advanced level by sewing, measuring and adjustment skills needed to make advanced sewing projects, and deepen your knowledge of calculations and textiles. You do not need any special tools to attend, just yourself and some enthusiasm. Start your advanced sewing journey today by registering for this course and discover where your sewing journey takes you!

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 19/06/2024 -
Wed 17/07/2024
Times:
9:00am - 11:45am
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Gayton House (London)
Chiltern Road
London
E3 4BX
Tutor:
Mona Nashed
Course code:
Q00014930
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee:
Free

Improve Your Maths in Everyday Activities (Multiply)

Learn maths in a fun and engaging way to open doors to work and study opportunities. This course teaches you essential maths skills through practical examples and will support you in everyday situations. It will help you to develop practical maths skills such helping your child with maths in primary school, helping you to save money with your utility bills, shopping calculations. It’s ideal for you if you would like to progress onto other maths courses GCSE-equivalent maths qualification. Whether you have studied basic Maths before or you are completely new to it, you will find value in this Maths course. You do not need any special tools to attend, just yourself and some enthusiasm. Start your Maths journey by registering for this course today! This course is free for anyone who hasn’t achieved a GCSE maths grade 4.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 19/06/2024 -
Wed 17/07/2024
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Cayley Primary School (London)
Aston St
London
E14 7NG
Tutor:
Elena Hawkins
Course code:
Q00014174
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee:
Free