WEA courses

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.

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.

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.

The portrait has flourished as an art form from the ancient world to the present day and this innovative course will explore its continuing popularity. We shall study not only the painted face and figure but a variety of formats and formulae, from statuary to pendant medals and miniatures, and study artists as diverse as Holbein, Titian, Gainsborough, Singer Sargent and Francis Bacon. We include a reflection on the place of the photograph in this history of portraiture.

The role of the community interpreter is an integral part of our changing communities and increasingly important. The interpreter acts as a bridge between communities and enables people to access the services they need and approach situations which otherwise would not be possible. The Level 2 Certificate in Preparing for the Community Interpreting Role enables learners who are speakers of other languages to develop the language and skills necessary to go on and train as Community Interpreters at Level 3 and Level 4. This is the ideal qualification for anyone who wants to enter the interpreting profession and become a paid interpreter or volunteer in the UK.

The role of the community interpreter is an integral part of our changing communities and increasingly important. The interpreter acts as a bridge between communities and enables people to access the services they need and approach situations which otherwise would not be possible. The Level 2 Certificate in Preparing for the Community Interpreting Role enables learners who are speakers of other languages to develop the language and skills necessary to go on and train as Community Interpreters at Level 3 and Level 4. This is the ideal qualification for anyone who wants to enter the interpreting profession and become a paid interpreter or volunteer in the UK. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

This course is designed to ignite your creativity and equip you with the knowledge and skills to craft stunning, personalised greeting cards to delight friends and family over the festive season. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience in card making you'll learn a variety of techniques and fold styles to create unique professional looking cards that will wow your recipients. On this course we will look at: · design principles · Bought or made card bases? · different crafting techniques · the use of various materials and tools · Dimension and bling. We will use a variety of fun folds, including pop-up and diorama, to create our stunning showstopper cards. Crafting is known to enhance your mental well-being, helping to manage the stress we often feel at this time of year so come and join our friendly supportive group of like minded crafters and make something gorgeous!

Learning to plan your time more effectively can help you increase your personal productivity and perform better in various aspects of your life. If you feel like you’re constantly behind and rushing from one thing to the next, this time management training course can help you take the reins on your schedule. Learn techniques to help you enhance your productivity without burning out. Improving your time management skills can help you perform better in voluntary roles, work, or as a parent. It can also help you find ways to juggle all of these responsibilities without generating stress.

Interested in children's fantasy novels? This day school delves into classics like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Ursula K. LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea, and J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. No need to read the entire novels; we'll focus on specific chapters. Explore the literary significance and themes of these works, and discuss their lasting legacy. Resources will be available on Canvas for pre- and post-session reflection. The day combines tutor presentations with group discussions, connecting the novels to broader cultural contexts and examining how fiction relates to the real world.

A chance to ask historical questions about the most famous individual in history. Did Jesus even exist? What historical sources do we have about him? Are the gospels reliable? What was Jesus’ attitude to the Roman Empire? Why was he crucified? On this introductory course, you will find out what historians say about Jesus – from the issues on which most scholars agree to those on which they are bitterly divided. You will have chance to apply historical scrutiny to some early texts about Jesus – including from the New Testament – and to draw your own conclusions about what we can know and whether it matters. This course is open to people of any religion and none.