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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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

Gardening Practical: Basic Gardening

This course is funded by South Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 18/11/2024 -
Mon 10/02/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Barnsley Mencap (Barnsley)
122 Pontefract Road
Barnsley
S71 1JA
Tutor:
Juliana Gilmartin
Course code:
Q00019747
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £92.40

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

Fitness and Exercise: Exercise to Music

This course is funded by South Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 20/11/2024 -
Wed 12/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Barnsley Mencap (Barnsley)
122 Pontefract Road
Barnsley
S71 1JA
Tutor:
Juliana Gilmartin
Course code:
Q00019750
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £92.40

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

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

Healthy Living: Seated yoga and self-massage at Christmas

Getting stressed at the thought of Christmas? Start your day with a lovely, relaxed stretch session with Georgia. Chair yoga is a wonderful practice that adapts traditional yoga poses to be done while seated in a chair. It’s perfect for people who may have limited mobility or chronic disease such as long Covid, knee and back problems. Also excellent for people who find it challenging to transition between standing and seated positions, or simply want a quick break from office work. In general, yoga can help manage stress, symptoms of depression, and relieves anxiety. It can also boost your mood, and quality of sleep. Seated yoga helps strengthen and lengthen muscles, ease pain and increase mobility. We will cool down and ensure this results in both uplifting and deeply restful practice by including meditation for the latter part of the session. A wonderful to start the day.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Georgia Daniel
Course code:
Q00019835
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Healthy Living: Yoga Nidra with seated yoga for the run up to Christmas with Georgia

If you find the run up the Christmas stressful, join me for this yoga nidra session. Yoga Nidra translates to Yogic Sleep. It’s a deeply restful Yoga practice, and a very effective way to rest and restore at the end of the day. If you want to manage stress and anxiety and reduce fatigue, we’ve got you covered! Yoga Nidra with Georgia offers you the tools, time and space you need to manage stress and open yourself up to a place of stillness, calm and deep relaxation. Yoga Nidra helps you to easily drift into a clam and meditative state from a place of comfort and ease.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 19/12/2024
Times:
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Georgia Daniel
Course code:
Q00019838
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours. This course is funded by North East Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 21/11/2024 -
Thu 06/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Heart on the Terrace
8 Woods Terrace
Murton
North East
SR7 9AA
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00019871
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free