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: Understanding How to Look After a New Home

In this course you will cover the following : Understand how to deal with health and safety issues in the home Understand how to secure a new home Know how to clean different areas of a new home. Know how to maintain a garden area Know how to maintain the decoration of a new home.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 20/09/2024
Times:
11:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Petroc's Parish Centre (Bodmin)
Church Square
Bodmin
PL31 2DP
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017486
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

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:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Fitness and Exercise: Dance for Health and Wellbeing

Dancing for health and wellbeing classes with Katie are a fun and gentle way of getting your body moving. Enjoyable exercise for every type of body aimed at all abilities, with no dance experience necessary. Based on contemporary dance, the style is smooth and safe, low impact and low intensity. Come along whether you are a beginner or someone who has more experience as this course is designed for everybody to get the maximum benefit for health and wellbeing.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 23/09/2024 -
Mon 02/12/2024
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Nottingham Womens Centre (NOTTINGHAM)
30 Chaucer Street
NOTTINGHAM
NG1 5LP
Tutor:
Katie Kelsey
Course code:
Q00016228
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £63.00

Multiply: Managing Money

Empower yourself with practical skills to manage your money, make savvy shopping decisions, and master the art of budgeting with our Money Management Essentials course. Explore everyday scenarios like comparing prices, optimizing transportation costs, and meal planning, gaining insights to navigate personal finance confidently. With interactive lessons, practical exercises, and flexible learning, this short course is tailored for beginners and those seeking to refine their financial literacy. Join us on the path to financial empowerment and take control of your financial future today!

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 24/09/2024 -
Fri 25/10/2024
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
15 sessions
Location:
St Pauls Learning Centre (Bristol)
94 Grosvenor Road
St Pauls
Bristol
BS2 8XJ
Tutor:
Taona Makunde
Course code:
Q00015463
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

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: Confidence to Learn: Study Skills

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.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 16/10/2024
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00017548
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Personal Development: Confidence to Learn: Study Skills

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.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 16/10/2024
Location:
Ann Tayler Children's Centre (Hackney)
1-13 Triangle Road
Off Westgate Street
Hackney
E8 3RP
Course code:
Q00017549
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Cooking Practical: Introduction to Cookery

Cooking homemade food doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Learn how to feed the whole family with tasty and affordable meals in this cooking on a budget course. This is an introduction session to cooking simple foods that are both healthy, nutritious and cost effective. This course is ideal for you if you’d like to learn how to cook homemade meals on a reduced budget. Join our friendly tutor at the Keyham Green Places in Plymouth for a course aimed at all levels. All equipment is supplied.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 11/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Keyham Green Places (Plymouth)
163 Renown Street
Plymouth
PL2 2DT
Tutor:
Paul Keller
Course code:
Q00017369
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £126.00

Trade Union Education: Gaslighting – Family & Friends

Do you know what ‘gaslighting’ is? Most people have heard of the term, but many do not understand what it really means. This workshop will delve into the issue of gaslighting in the context of the workplace. We will explore what the word actually means (its use and misuse), how to recognise the signs, and what can be done about it.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 25/09/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Matthew Pointon
Course code:
Q00018670
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Trade Union Education: Gaslighting – The Workplace

Do you know what ‘gaslighting’ is? Most people have heard of the term, but many do not understand what it really means. This workshop will delve into the issue of gaslighting in the context of the workplace. We will explore what the word actually means (its use and misuse), how to recognise the signs, and what can be done about it.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 30/09/2024 -
Mon 30/09/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Matthew Pointon
Course code:
Q00018671
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

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 01/10/2024 -
Tue 22/10/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016540
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60