WEA courses

This ten-week course will present and explore classical mythology and other traditions of myth by exploring their magical, more transformative aspects. Over the course of these sessions we will consider how the subject matter, style and context of texts and writers from a range of diverse backgrounds contain and harness these ideas in ways that continue to powerfully impact on us in the modern world. We will examine the historical and literary specifics of each text and writer individually and as part of a collective tradition, along with reference to quality critical resources on the role, meaning and purpose of myth more widely. The sessions will combine close reading and audio-visual materials with lively, inclusive and hopefully invigorating discussion. Whether you are just coming into the world of classical and other mythologies or have been interested in these worlds for some time you will be welcome along to these sessions.

Progress your teaching assistant career with a Level 3 teaching assistant qualification. Experience the buzz of working with young people and get a more detailed view into the profession. Learn essential teaching assistant skills and open doors to working in a school with this course. This course prepares you for teaching assistant jobs working in a variety of school settings with children and young people from the age of 5 years old. These can include roles as a playground assistant, learning assistant, teaching assistant, and other related roles. You will need to work in a suitable placement of your choice as part of this course. This Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning is a further step towards a fulfilling support career in a school setting. It is a great course if you already have a Level 2 qualification in supporting teaching and learning or in related subjects.

Can't afford a massage but know you feel so much better after a treatment? Join me on this friendly self-help course that takes you week by week through how to massage the key areas of the body. You will learn Swedish massage techniques commonly used to support your self-help techniques within your own home. This friendly informative course. Will also cover some of the most popular aromatherapy oils that will support muscle aches and pains, congested tissues, lymph oedema, plantar fasciitis, frozen shoulder and a range of other health problems. Learn the key ingredients of Swedish massage that you apply to yourself. Each week we will cover a different part of the body, massage mediums, safe working practice and some basic anatomy and physiology. Open to all levels of learning.

This course will show initial practical skills and methods used in Drawing and Painting. Taking a calm and relaxed approach to exploring ways of seeing and expressing with a range of materials. It explores colour theory in Art and exploration of painting techniques to develop your observational skill levels. Simple exercises are followed to make connections between mark making and painting from observation. Reflective practice is encouraged to document and develop your ideas tracked through sketchbook notes. Development of these skills will enable your confidence to produce imaginative and creative work.

During and after WW2 America left the troubled 1930s behind to become one of two Super Powers and a military and economic behemoth. How did this happen? What compromises were made en route? We will examine the period from 1930 to 1980 with particular emphasis on America’s place in the world. In doing so we will ask to what extent America is an Empire in denial. No previous knowledge is required though the latter decades are ones most of us will have lived through. How do our memories of that period compare with the longer perspective that the passage of time now allows.

This practical and engaging art course gives you the opportunity to explore different painting approaches, techniques and subjects, and begin to find your own style. Learn in a supportive environment where you can learn at your own pace, with an experience tutor who is ready to inspire you and help you reach your potential.

Work towards GCSE-level maths skills with this functional skills level 1 course. Progress your maths skills to help you access work and study opportunities. Functional maths improves your numeracy skills through real-life situations. Learn maths in context. Develop practical maths skills to help you in everyday situations such as organising your personal budget or applying discounts when shopping. This level 1 functional skills maths course can help you get a GCSE-equivalent qualification in maths. You’ll learn practical maths skills employers look for. Functional Skills qualifications are free if you don't already have a GCSE in English or Maths at grades A*-C, or 4-9. We'll check your level and any previous qualifications before you start. This ensures you are on the correct course.

Practice techniques for creating short stories, true or untrue. We'll apply the principles of short fiction to our writing, with the focus this term on character creation. There will be writing exercises, discussions, an optional weekly homework task and feedback. Guidance on feedback techniques will be provided. The course content has flexibility, and will be adapted to suit the needs of the group. Suitable for improvers.

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. When you are constantly busy, stressed, overwhelmed, emotionally and energetically drained, yoga is quite possibly the last thing you feel like doing! But did you know that rather than taking more energy, the practice of yoga actually gives you more? It’s a great way to rest and revive, relieve the feeling of overwhelm, and work out the tension from your body that’s keeping you in a state of stress? Just a few minutes of gentle movement coordinated with your breath helps to calm the nervous system, quieten the mind, and allows all the systems of your body to work more efficiently. Most people don’t realise there are over one hundred different styles of yoga, so if you’ve tried a class before but felt it wasn’t for you, here’s your chance to try another! Chair yoga is a great way to enjoy many of the benefits of a mat-based practice without the need for equipment and props, or the ability to get up and down from the floor. It is a safe way for anyone living with a disability, or managing an injury or condition such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or arthritis to improve balance, mobility, circulation, and energy, without putting strain on joints or vulnerable areas of the body

During this course, we will begin our discussion with a Russian classic, Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. This 1957 novel was first published in Italy. It was not published in Russia until 1988. We will be thinking about the way Boris Paternak presents the political and societal events of his lifetime. Do these scenes and ideas resonate in only a historical sense? Later on in the course we willmove on to Zennor in Darkness, Helen Dunmore’s 1996 Orange Prize winning novel to think about her portrayal of World War one Cornwall and DH Lawrence, as we continue our discussion about the way fiction translates the past.