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

Multiply: Maths for Support workers in School

This Multiply: Maths for Support Workers in Schools course provides essential maths skills tailored for support staff in school settings. Across six sessions, learners will gain confidence in practical numeracy areas like basic maths, fractions, percentages, measurement, and data interpretation. Each session connects mathematical concepts to real-life tasks, enabling participants to support children's learning effectively and enhance classroom engagement.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 14/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
9:00am - 11:00am
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andy Dowd
Course code:
Q00019677
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Multiply: Maths for the Care Workers

This Multiply Maths for Care Workers course introduces key numeracy skills needed in the care sector. Over six 2-hour sessions, learners will cover practical applications, including medication dosages, unit conversions, reading charts, and managing time effectively, helping participants apply maths confidently in routine care tasks.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 14/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andy Dowd
Course code:
Q00019678
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Multiply: Maths for Construction Workers

This Multiply Maths for Construction Workers course builds essential numeracy skills tailored for those in or aspiring to join the construction sector. Spanning six 2-hour sessions, this course covers practical applications such as measurement conversions, area and perimeter calculations, and mixing ratios, all within a construction context. By focusing on real-world examples, learners gain confidence using maths to enhance accuracy and efficiency in their work.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 14/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
2:30pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andy Dowd
Course code:
Q00019679
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Regaining Confidence and Self-esteem

Do you ever feel unsure of yourself? Perhaps around new people or at job interviews? If so, this self-esteem course can help you build tools to face these situations with confidence. Low self-esteem can hold you back in all areas of life. Whether you’d like to build confidence to step back into education, meet new people, or change jobs, confidence-building courses can teach you essential tools to change your mindset. Learn how to build self-esteem and overcome obstacles that are holding you back. The first step in your journey is believing you can successfully complete this course!

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 18/11/2024 -
Thu 21/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 2:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Seetec Pluss Poole
Poole
BH12 1ED
Tutor:
Dulcie Allan
Course code:
Q00012365
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

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

Step into Care

Begin your journey into the care sector with our Step into Care course. Learn essential skills and knowledge required to provide high-quality care to clients. Ideal for individuals considering a career in care or looking to enhance their caregiving skills.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 18/11/2024 -
Fri 22/11/2024
Location:
The Priory 1101 (Great Yarmouth)
The Priory Centre
Priory Plain
Great Yarmouth
NR30 1NW
Course code:
Q00018612
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.00

Step into Care

Begin your journey into the care sector with our Step into Care course. Learn essential skills and knowledge required to provide high-quality care to clients. Ideal for individuals considering a career in care or looking to enhance their caregiving skills.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 18/11/2024 -
Fri 22/11/2024
Location:
Norwich Central Baptist Church (Norwich)
Duke Street
Norwich
NR3 3AP
Course code:
Q00018613
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.00

Healthy Living: Pamper Yourself -Effective Face and Body massage techniques to release pain & stress

✨ Would you like to learn how to release stress through facial and body massage ? ✨ Do you want to learn how to use a Gua Sha and do facial lymphatic drainage properly? ✨ Then this course is for you ✨

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 19/11/2024 -
Tue 17/12/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Lisa Richards
Course code:
Q00019839
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Care 2: Try relaxation techniques for stress management

All our Care2 courses are completely free for unpaid carers (or those who have previously been carers). You do not need to receive a carer's allowance to qualify. If you are unsure, please contact our call centre advisors who will be able to assist you. Modern society is often fast - paced causing many of us to feel overwhelmed and stressed, learning to relax is an effective tool to support stress management. This course is suitable for anyone - if you want to learn how to really relax, this course is ideal for you, and you are encouraged to join. You will learn to recognise how simple relaxation techniques can help you to relieve your own symptoms of stress. You will be guided through the practice of calming breathing techniques and gentle movements that ease tension in the body. Each session will end with a guided Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation practice) that will encourage deep rest of both mind and body.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 28/11/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Bailey
Course code:
Q00018563
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Healthy Living: Introduction to Map Reading

During this online course you will undertake practical exercises at home and participate in online virtual walks where you will need to make some map reading choices. You need no prior knowledge to take part in this course, just a love of the outdoors and a willingness to have a go. This will sharpen your awareness of details on the map and may also improve your observation skills while out in the countryside.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 12/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Alastair Clark
Course code:
Q00019833
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Healthy Living: Aromatherapy at Christmas – the gift of time

Give the gift of time to your loved ones this Christmas. This course is designed to show you how to blend a collection of beautiful essential oils using the classic scents of the season. Not only do essential oils smell divine, they also have a huge range of therapeutic effects on the human body. If you are looking for muscle pain relief, anti-stress or something to help sleep and relaxation you will learn a wide range of techniques on this short course. We will cover safe blending, learn the properties of the most popular essential oils and also a range of classic Swedish massage techniques that you can apply as part of your Christmas gift.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Georgia Daniel
Course code:
Q00019834
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60