Courses to build life skills

Learn life skills with the largest charitable provider of adult education in England and Scotland. Adult learning isn’t like school. Everyone belongs at the WEA. You’ll get meaningful, and tailored support, so you can reach your full potential. Our classes are friendly and fun, designed for adults like you. We won’t talk down to you and you’ll learn skills that you’ll use in everyday life.

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What are life skills?

Simply put, they are skills that make everyday life easier. Life skills include cooking, budgeting, communicating with others, health, well-being and managing emotions. Sometimes this means learning new things, and sometimes it means building on things you already know.

Sometimes adulting can be hard. These courses can help make it feel just that bit easier, make you feel more independent and empower you to face the future ahead.

Small steps to larger goals

You don’t have to have big goals in mind. Just take small steps towards boosting your skills and improving your wellbeing. Whether it is learning to budget better or cook healthier food. Building your confidence or gaining independence. There is a course for you.

When you study with us, you will:

  • Build your confidence
  • Learn new life skills
  • Improve your everyday life and wellbeing

Take a look at our great range of courses and start making a positive change today.

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Personal Development:Understanding Credit and Borrowing Money

This course has been designed in partnership with St Petrocs charity to support their service users to successfully manage the transition from supported housing into maintaining their own tenancy agreement in either the private or public sector housing market.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 27/06/2025 -
Fri 27/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Petroc's Parish Centre (Bodmin)
Church Square
Bodmin
PL31 2DP
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017727
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

Care2: Drawing for Mindfulness

This course is for carers, former carers and the cared for. Drawing for Mindfulness ; taking some moments in your day to connect with your creativity and your sense of play. A key part of this session is tuning in to how you’re feeling, connecting with the breath and taking notice of what you’re doing. By letting go of pre-conceived ideas, you can start to see things as they truly are and gives you the opportunity to draw what you see, not what you think you see. Through this curiosity, you can stay engaged and turn drawing into an adventure, letting go of judgement, and creating a sense of 'flow' in the moment.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 30/06/2025 -
Mon 30/06/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Debra Collis
Course code:
Q00021476
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Personal Development: BSL Beginners

This is a Basic BSL course that will cover a range of different topics to help to build the learners sign vocabulary, and perhaps evoke a desire to learn more sign, to enable more communication, with the deaf community!

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 30/06/2025 -
Mon 21/07/2025
Times:
9:30am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Cleghorn
Course code:
Q00021988
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

BOLT-ON Digital Skills

This course equips learners with fundamental digital skills to support their education and lifelong learning. Designed for learners at all stages of their digital journey, it builds confidence in using technology for research, communication, and organisation. Key topics may include: • how to navigate devices: using computers, tablets, and smartphones for learning • online research: using search engines effectively and assessing reliable sources • digital communication: setting up and managing email, using educational platforms, and engaging in online discussions • document creation: writing, saving, and sharing documents using word processing tools • online safety: protecting personal information, recognising scams, and practicing responsible digital behaviour • accessing online learning resources: using e-books, videos, and virtual classrooms Through guided practice, where appropriate, and real-life learning tasks, participants will develop and demonstrate their digital confidence and independence. By the end of the course, learners will be able to effectively use technology to enhance their education and continue their personal development.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/07/2025 -
Tue 01/07/2025
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00021808
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Healthy Lifestyle: Introduction to Stress Awareness

On this course you will be invited to think about the implications and affects that stress can have on both mental and physical health. Stress can lead to serious health problems if not recognised and dealt with in time. This course will offer you the opportunity to become more aware of what causes stress, the different types of stress and how to recognise the signs and symptoms associated with each type. You will learn about ways to prevent or reduce stress for yourself and others, considering diet, exercise and other simple preventative measures that you can put in place to help keep stress at bay!

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/07/2025 -
Tue 15/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
NST Hub (North Somerset Training Communi
31 Alexandra Parade
Weston-super-Mare
BS23 1QZ
Tutor:
Katie Dexter
Course code:
Q00017196
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Personal Development: Understand How to Look After Personal Health

"Moving into a new home is a busy time and for some it can be the first time they have lived independently. How to maintain our own health and personal hygiene during this busy time can be a challenge, the outcome of this course is to give you an understanding of the tasks that need to be completed to maintain ourselves whilst we are also busy maintaining our homes and busy lives. On completion of this course learners will be able to Understand the importance of personal hygiene. Understand the importance of caring for clothes and other laundry. Understand the importance of a balanced diet to a healthy lifestyle. Understand the importance of exercise to a healthy lifestyle.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 04/07/2025 -
Fri 04/07/2025
Times:
11:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Petroc's Parish Centre (Bodmin)
Church Square
Bodmin
PL31 2DP
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017729
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

Personal Development: Moving on and Creating a Plan

"In the previous short courses learners have learnt how to Manage their personal finances Plan a move to a new home Maintain a new home understand credit and borrowing money take care of personal health and hygiene This final course is about bringing all the learning together to support learners to create a realistic plan of when and how they may be able to progress into independent living and successfully their own tenancy. Ultimately the aim of the course is to help the service users of St Petrocs move onto the next stage of their lives after experiencing homelessness.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 11/07/2025 -
Fri 11/07/2025
Times:
11:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Petroc's Parish Centre (Bodmin)
Church Square
Bodmin
PL31 2DP
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017730
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

Digital Skills

This course equips learners with fundamental digital skills to support their education and lifelong learning. Designed for learners at all stages of their digital journey, it builds confidence in using technology for research, communication, and organisation. Key topics may include: • how to navigate devices: using computers, tablets, and smartphones for learning • online research: using search engines effectively and assessing reliable sources • digital communication: setting up and managing email, using educational platforms, and engaging in online discussions • document creation: writing, saving, and sharing documents using word processing tools • online safety: protecting personal information, recognising scams, and practicing responsible digital behaviour • accessing online learning resources: using e-books, videos, and virtual classrooms Through guided practice, where appropriate, and real-life learning tasks, participants will develop and demonstrate their digital confidence and independence. By the end of the course, learners will be able to effectively use technology to enhance their education and continue their personal development.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 14/07/2025 -
Mon 14/07/2025
Times:
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Abbie Cairns
Course code:
Q00021830
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available

Digital Skills

This course equips learners with fundamental digital skills to support their education and lifelong learning. Designed for learners at all stages of their digital journey, it builds confidence in using technology for research, communication, and organisation. Key topics may include: • how to navigate devices: using computers, tablets, and smartphones for learning • online research: using search engines effectively and assessing reliable sources • digital communication: setting up and managing email, using educational platforms, and engaging in online discussions • document creation: writing, saving, and sharing documents using word processing tools • online safety: protecting personal information, recognising scams, and practicing responsible digital behaviour • accessing online learning resources: using e-books, videos, and virtual classrooms Through guided practice, where appropriate, and real-life learning tasks, participants will develop and demonstrate their digital confidence and independence. By the end of the course, learners will be able to effectively use technology to enhance their education and continue their personal development.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 15/07/2025 -
Tue 15/07/2025
Times:
12:45pm - 2:45pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
ADHAR PROJECT at Our Lady of Good Counse
Gleneagles Avenue
Leicester
LE4 7YL
Tutor:
Nicola Tarlton-Weatherall
Course code:
Q00021862
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available

Digital Skills

This course equips learners with fundamental digital skills to support their education and lifelong learning. Designed for learners at all stages of their digital journey, it builds confidence in using technology for research, communication, and organisation. Key topics may include: • how to navigate devices: using computers, tablets, and smartphones for learning • online research: using search engines effectively and assessing reliable sources • digital communication: setting up and managing email, using educational platforms, and engaging in online discussions • document creation: writing, saving, and sharing documents using word processing tools • online safety: protecting personal information, recognising scams, and practicing responsible digital behaviour • accessing online learning resources: using e-books, videos, and virtual classrooms Through guided practice, where appropriate, and real-life learning tasks, participants will develop and demonstrate their digital confidence and independence. By the end of the course, learners will be able to effectively use technology to enhance their education and continue their personal development.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 15/07/2025 -
Tue 15/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Peters Centre (Mansfield)
Church Side
Mansfield
NG18 1AP
Tutor:
Kay Parker
Course code:
Q00021987
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available