WEA courses

Leading a busy life leaves little room for calm and relaxation. This can make it hard for us to wind down and enjoy the present. But finding these moments of calm is essential for our emotional well-being and mental health. This meditation and mindfulness course is ideal if you want to learn to relax, be present, and alleviate stress in your life. Meditation courses teach us to recognise the importance of conscious thought in our everyday lives. Develop concentration strategies to help focus your mind. Understand the principles of mindfulness. Learn to block out intrusive thoughts and enjoy the present moment.

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. Leading a busy life leaves little room for calm and relaxation. This can make it hard for us to wind down and enjoy the present. But finding these moments of calm is essential for our emotional well-being and mental health. This short course will introduce you to a range of simple and accessible relaxation techniques that will help you to learn to slow down and relive tension. The session is practice based; you will be guided to participate in a series of relaxation practices that will support you to progressively relax. We will focus on calming breathing techniques, gentle mindful movements to relieve tension and guided Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation of both mind and body).

Starting a blog is easier than you think. If you have ideas, tips, or recommendations to share, this short blogging course can teach you the essentials to get your blog online. This beginner’s blogging course covers essential lessons in both writing and setting up your blog. You’ll learn creative writing techniques to make your blogs engaging, and digital skills to make sure you can set up and maintain your site. This course is aimed at beginners, so don’t worry if this is new to you.

Social media is one of the biggest marketing channels today. Whether you’re a small business owner, charity worker, community service operator, or local performer, having a presence online can help you get in front of your target audience. Social media courses give you essential digital training to be able to set up and run social media accounts. They also help you learn to market yourself online. This social media marketing course is aimed at beginners, so don’t worry if this is new to you! We will cover five main platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Understand how these channels work and learn to set up your profile. Understand how to define your target audience and create content that they want to see. Learn how to schedule posts and plan a content calendar.

If you are thinking about a career in teaching, this introductory course is for you. Teaching assistants are an integral part of the classroom. Not only do they provide vital support for pupils, but they also support the teaching that takes place. This course is ideal if you would like to know more about working as a teaching assistant. The role varies widely with some specialising in certain areas of education such as literacy, numeracy, music, specific learning needs and other disability support, English as a second language or behaviour. Teaching assistants can be found in schools for Early Years right through to secondary schools, and the number of TAs in one school can vary widely depending on necessity and amount of funding provided. This course will give you information about working as a teaching assistant (also known as a classroom assistant, a pupil support assistant, a teacher's aide, or abbreviated as a TA) and how you can provide support to teachers by providing teaching and learning support in whatever way possible.

In a stunning location overlooking Brunel’s famous Tamar Bridge to Cornwall, this workshop will be a feast for the creative senses. You’ll be encouraged to write what you can see, hear, feel, smell, touch – and taste! - in this ever-changing landscape. The workshop is open to everyone who likes to write, from beginners to published, and all genres from poetry to prose. This is a unique and wonderful opportunity to spend a day in the company of other writers, exploring the immediate natural and human-made environment. It’s also a chance to share your written work, if you wish, at a local festival.

Build your confidence using digital skills in your personal life and in the workplace. Understand how digital programmes and services can enhance your everyday life and simplify common tasks. Learn skills employers look for and improve your job prospects. If you’d like to learn digital skills for a better life, this course will teach you everything you need to know. This Level 1 digital skills course is suitable for improvers, as you will build upon your current digital device knowledge. Learn how to use the Microsoft Office programmes: create and edit text documents in Word, create spreadsheets and use number calculations in Excel, and use PowerPoint to create presentations. These are universal digital skills employers look for and can help you in a variety of job roles.

This course is perfect for absolute beginners who are new to sewing or have limited experience. It is also suitable for those who want to learn how to use an overlocker and follow paper patterns confidently and explore their sewing skills. Learn how to read, interpret, and use paper patterns for various projects. By the end of this course, you will have completed several practical projects and gained a solid understanding of how to use paper patterns and an overlocker. You’ll leave with the confidence to tackle more advanced sewing projects, equipped with essential skills and a creative mindset to explore further sewing endeavours.

Elevate your sewing skills and get into the festive spirit with our intermediate to advanced sewing course. This hands-on sewing course is designed for experienced students who want to create beautiful and practical sewing projects for Autumn, Halloween, Christmas, and everything in between. You will explore advanced techniques and creative ideas to make unique seasonal decorations, gifts, and accessories that showcase your sewing prowess. Gain expertise in creating your own patterns or modifying existing ones to suit your creative vision. Master skills such as quilting, piping, and working with challenging fabrics like velvet and faux fur or any other fabric of your choice.

Develop your own style of landscape drawing and painting in this welcoming safe space.