Rebuilding lives through adult education

As an adult education charity, we are keen to work with organisations that support recovery and help people rebuild their lives.

Our courses help recovering addicts manage stress and mental health issues, improve employability and re-enter their local community.  

The WEA offer a wide range of courses, from dedicated recovery programmes to courses to rebuild confidence.

We go to places other providers cannot. We deliver our courses on the doorstep of local communities or online. Our tutors are dedicated to providing personalised teaching, in a supportive and non-judgmental way. Learners build their self-esteem, find new interests and even support others in their recovery journey.  

Whether you are looking to refer people to our courses, or want to co-design a bespoke programme, we want to hear from you.  

Our team also offer training courses that are beneficial for staff and volunteers. This includes mental health awareness, counselling skills and volunteering courses.  

If you wish to discuss your needs further, complete the webform below and one of our partnerships team will be back in touch.

Building confidence and improving wellbeing

We work in partnership with a variety of organisations that support people with disabilities.

Through learning with us, our learners build confidence, reduce isolation and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

We deliver engaging and accessible adult education courses. From art and cookery, from fitness to employability.  

We’re looking for delivery partners to help us reach the people who need us the most. Whether it’s referring people to us or co-designing a programme that meets the needs of people with disabilities.

If you wish to discuss your needs further, complete the webform below and one of our partnerships team will be back in touch.

Building essential skills to live independently

We work with people with learning difficulties and disabilities, care leavers and other adults to help them build the skills and confidence to live independently.

Around 5% of our learners have a learning difficulty or disability. We have a proven track record of delivering adult education courses that are supportive and engaging to learners of all abilities. 

If you wish to discuss your needs further, complete the webform below and one of our partnerships team will be back in touch.

What makes WEA different?

We teach the skills people need in ways that other providers can't.

Our tutors are passionate about inclusion and designed learning around individual needs.

Everyone has a place at the WEA. Support workers and families of our learners report improved communication, better moods and behaviours after our courses.

Making a difference together

As an adult education charity, we are really keen to work with partners across the country to develop opportunities and progression routes for all adults facing disadvantage in your communities.

We can offer a wide range of other courses for service-users, including arts and crafts, tenant’s rights and responsibilities, cookery, storytelling and confidence building.     

Additional support 

Learners with identified additional learning needs should request support on their enrolment form and/or speak to their tutor about the support they may need whilst studying.

For more information, please visit our help and support section or contact our friendly learner services team through our contact us page.

Helping the most vulnerable

At the WEA we have a special mission to help those who need it most in the country.

We work closely with voluntary and community organisations that help refugees to give people the best start in this country.

We offer free courses for refugees and displaced people, both online and in the classroom.   

From offering ESOL courses for refugees to family learning that improves well-being. Talk to us about what classes we can offer to meet the needs of the people you are supporting.    

Our adult education classes can help improve mental health, build a new life in the UK and improve English skills.

We offer courses to help people develop the language skills and qualifications to work in the UK.

If you wish to discuss your needs further, complete the webform below and one of our partnerships team will be back in touch.

As do illnesses, loneliness and the gradual fraying of communities. We believe that adult education forms part of the cure. We work with such conviction because each day we hear how important our courses are from our learners. Their stories are inspiring: you can read them here. 

But sometimes individual learner stories are not enough. 

The priorities of our funders are changing. The UK Government is committed to lifelong learning and investing in education, but its focus is significantly on higher-level skills for jobs, or future generations.

We also know we need to seek and secure funding for the important courses we deliver that fall outside those priorities.  

The critical role of more basic skills training, or the role other subjects play in building confidence, supporting mental health and enticing adults back into education, is not well understood. 

In our Impact report we share with you: 

• Why we do what we do 

• How we do it

• Demonstrate the impact we have 

We invite you to meet our learners and their employers to understand the ripple effect that WEA learning has on them, their work and their communities where they live. 

It’s the small class, highly tailored way we teach that makes the difference. It equips them for life and work. And, it connects them with their communities, so everyone benefits. 

See the difference for yourself

Browse and book a course and see first-hand the impact that learning with us has on your personal life and the ripple effect it has on the community around you.

Join us in our ambition to make this life-changing learning available to those that need it

We are committed to removing any barriers, so that individuals can improve their own life chances and have a positive impact on their communities and society as a whole.  

We engage with those who make education policy and funding decisions across England and Scotland, so they understand the importance of education to our learners – be that getting into work, progressing into good work, or keeping their minds active and their connection with their communities live. 

If you want to help, read our manifesto, and engage with those who make, or can influence, education policy and funding decisions. Our Advocacy resources may be useful to you.