WEA courses

Course Outline Come and join our enthusiastic tutor and a group of likeminded crafters as we immerse ourselves in the rewarding world of festive card making. If you’ve made Christmas cards previously you will know that it is never too early to start! Craft in general is known to have a positive effect on the mental health of those that do it, and card-making is fun, productive and very rewarding: you create lovely, personalised cards to delight the special people in your life. We will cover all aspects of card making from cutting the bases to adding the final elements of bling. We will try various fun folds, different techniques and a range of materials to create our stunning cards. This course is suitable for those with some experience of card making and a well-stocked craft room. Come and join us and build on your existing craft skills and add some new ones to your crafting library!

Ranging from the satirical, even salacious, scenes of William Hogarth, through the often shocking socio-political criticism of Georg Grosz's work during the Weimar Republic, to the state-controlled art of Soviet Socialist Realism, this course explores the power of art to criticize and/or celebrate the social and political developments of their times No previous experience is necessary  - just a lively, open-minded interest in art! Topics to be covered will include the works of William Hogarth, Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, Georg Grosz and Otto Dix; the works of the American Ashcan School (c1890-1914) and Soviet Socialist Realism (1930-); and the social, cultural and political context in which these works were produced.

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.

Ranging from the satirical, even salacious, scenes of William Hogarth, through the often shocking socio-political criticism of Georg Grosz's work during the Weimar Republic, to the state-controlled art of Soviet Socialist Realism, this course explores the power of art to criticize and/or celebrate the social and political developments of their times. No previous experience is necessary  - just a lively, open-minded interest in art! On this seven week course, topics to be covered will include the work of William Hogarth, Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, Georg Grosz and Otto Dix; and also the works of the American Ashcan School (c1890-1914) and Soviet Socialist Realism (1930-); and the social, cultural and political context in which these works were produced.

Cooking homemade food doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Learn how to feed the whole family with tasty and affordable meals in this cooking on a budget course. This is an introduction session to cooking simple foods that are both healthy, nutritious and cost effective. This course is ideal for you if you’d like to learn how to cook homemade meals on a reduced budget. Join our friendly tutor at the Keyham Green Places in Plymouth for a course aimed at all levels. All equipment is supplied.

Are you currently studying? On this Confidence to Learn course, you will develop study skills that will help direct you to a more focused way of studying. If you have not studied for a long time, or worried about how to start an assignment, or manage your time, this is the course for you. You will have the opportunity to personalise your approach to study and learning. Over the course you will find out what works best for you. General study skills are not for a specific subject, they are skills that cover all subject areas. The study skills you will develop at this level will help as you go through each topic on the course. To develop your study skills, you will practise a variety of tasks such as time management, active listening skills, note taking and many more. This will help you become more confident in the way you study. Study skills are not just for this course, they can be used in a variety of ways, for example solving problems in everyday life and managing your time successfully and learning to remain focused on a task.

Join our 10-week culinary adventure, designed to deepen your understanding of Persian spices and ingredients, master essential cooking techniques, and explore a variety of recipes. Under the expert guidance of our experienced tutor, you'll gain confidence in the kitchen, discover the health benefits of various ingredients, and build a strong foundation for further culinary pursuits. This course offers a perfect blend of theory and practical sessions, providing a comprehensive learning experience that will leave you equipped to create delicious and nutritious meals for yourself, family and friends. Connect with like-minded food enthusiasts and take your cooking skills to the next level.

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.

Join like-minded crafters and our enthusiastic tutor and create a range of beautiful gift bags and boxes, along with gorgeous personalised tags and decorative bows. This course is all about the gift wrapping and we will be making lovely gift boxes in a range of sizes – and with the formula I will share with you you can make them any size you wish! We will also be making gift bags in a variety of sizes all with matching gift tags and finished off with a handmade bow. Utilising the skills you already have and hopefully adding some new ones we will make our own festive wrapping, all matching and looking fabulous under the tree. Crafting is a fun and rewarding way to enhance your mental well-being, helping to manage the stress we often feel at this time of year. Come and join our friendly fun group and get crafting! This course is for beginners to paper-crafting and for those who are creating gift bags and boxes for the first time. More experienced crafters are of course welcome too.

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