A wide range of events and activities are being held across Wales as people of all ages are encouraged to get involved in this year’s Adult Learners’ Week from September 15 to 21.
Free online and in-person courses, taster sessions, advice and information to boost people’s career prospects, skills, confidence and wellbeing are available throughout September.
Co-ordinated by Learning and Work Institute in partnership with the Welsh Government, Adult Learners’ Week seeks to connect people with a wide range of lifelong learning opportunities nationwide. The campaign message is Never stop learning.
Adult Learners’ Week aims to inspire more people to discover learning opportunities and to get advice and support about the options available to them.
In North Wales, Working Denbighshire is holding a jobs fair at 1891 Restaurant and Bar, Pavilion Theatre, East Parade, Rhyl on September 10 from 10am to 2pm. The event is open to all and no appointment is needed.
On September 19, from 11am to 1pm, Caia Park Partnership in Wrexham is holding a Step Into Independence – Life Skills Taster Session to support young adults in who are not in education, employment or training.
Adult Learning Wales is running a series of courses, including a felting taster at Ysgol Bodorgan, Bodorgan on September 11 from 10am to 1pm.
A creative writing course will run for four weeks in Colwyn Bay Library, with lessons from 11am to 1pm, starting in September 11 and gardening skills will be the topic for a four month course at Pengwern Community Centre, Llangollen, with weekly lessons from 10am to 1pm, starting on September 12.
The Little Learning Company is also busy with courses, including an introduction to macrame on September 15, from 1pm to 3pm, an introduction to wooden block printing on September 16 from 1pm to 3pm, chair exercise on September 18 and chair yoga on September 19 from 10:30am to 11:30am. All the activities will be held at Wrexham Wellbeing Hub, Chester Road, Wrexham.
Groundwork North Wales is holding a ‘Coffee, Cake and Collaboration’ networking event at the Wellbeing Hub, 31 Chester Street, Wrexham on September 16 from 1pm to 3pm for third sector organisations to meet, share ideas and explore opportunities to work together.
The same organisation aims to boost people’s interview skills at Wrexham Library on September 17 from 1pm to 3pm and will be running an Essential Skills Workshop at Refurbs, Buckley on September 18 from 10am to 12pm to enhance digital, numeracy and literacy skills.
Elsewhere, Wrexham University is holding open days and online events, including an undergraduate event on September 20 from 10am to 2pm, allowing people to speak to staff and students and discover facilities and support services.
Coleg Cambria is running online classes for English and Maths to improve skills and confidence and open up further education and job opportunities.
Adult Community Learning at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai is running a machine sewing for beginners course from September 11 to October 9 from 9:30am to 12pm.
Family Learning Workshops are being held by Cardiff and Vale College at various schools across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan between September 15 and 19 from 9am to 3pm.
The workshops will cover maths, English, science, Welsh and explore next steps and further opportunities to support routes into work, volunteering or for personal interest.
Cardiff and Vale College is also joining Oasis, Cardiff community hub to deliver English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) sessions on September 15 from 9am to 4pm.
Swansea Lifelong Learning Service is holding a series of free taster courses during Adult Learning Week and the rest of September.
One of them is ‘IT for the Terrified’ on September 19 at The ARC, Portmead from 11.30am to 1.30pm for adults aged over 19. It’s designed for complete beginners who want to build confidence using computers, smartphones, or tablets.
Other courses include creative writing at Killay Library on September 15 from 10.30am to 12pm Killay Library, jewellery making for wellbeing at The ARC, Portmead on September 15 from 11am to 1pm, ‘Walk & Create’ at Swansea Beach on September 16 from 11am to 2pm, gardening and soup making at Bonymaen Communities for Work on September 17 from 11.30am to 1pm and mental health first aid at The ARC, Portmead on September 17 from 1pm to 3pm.
Swansea University is holding an NHS Careers Open Day on September 12 from 9am to 3.30pm, providing an opportunity to gather information about courses, to meet academics and to see teaching facilities.
Gower College Swansea also has a busy programme of learning events lined up during September, starting with an open evening on September 9 from 5pm to 7pm to explore the range of courses for adult learners to suit most interests.
A free taster introduction to sashiko – a traditional Japanese mending and decorative embroidery technique – will be held at Llwyn y Bryn Campus on September 12 from 10:30am to 12:30pm.
The fundamentals of secure online shopping will be covered in a free taster session at Gorseinon Library on September 15 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, The Collaboration Centre on September 16 from 10am to 12pm, Gowerton Library on September 17 from 10.30am to 12.30pm, Killay Library on September 18 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and Llwyn y Bryn Campus from 1pm to 3pm.
Other taster courses cover budgeting, essential skills for completing both online and paper forms, online safety and getting to know your tablet or mobile phone.
Adults are being invited to drop-in to Swansea MAD on September 17 from 10am to 2pm to try a range of taster activities and find out more about learning opportunities, while Neath Port Talbot Adult Learning is providing support for digital skills at Neath YMCA on September 17 from 10am – 3pm.
The Menopause Team is running online sessions themed ‘Managing menopause on a tight budget’ on September 16 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm and on September 19 from 11am to 2pm The sessions are designed to make menopause information clear, practical and accessible.
A taster introduction to Egyptology and Seven Wonders of the World is being held by Torfaen Adult Community Learning on September 12 from 10am to 12pm.
Aneurin Leisure is encouraging people to try something new during Adult Leaners’ Week at Ebbw Vale Adult Community Learning Centre on September 13 from 11am to 3pm. Pottery, Welsh, digital skills, cooking and other opportunities will be offered.
A session learning new skills to improve health and fitness, which is suitable for learners with a learning difficult or disability, is being held by Aneurin Leisure at the same venue on September 15 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
An activities taster event for local residents and families, highlighting the wide range of adult learning opportunities available, is being held at Dove Workshop, Banwen Community Centre on September 23 from 10am to 3pm. This event is a collaboration between NPTC Group of Colleges, Dove Workshop, Adult Learning Wales and Powys and Neath Port Talbot Adult Learning.
On September 10, NPTC Group of Colleges is holding twilight enrolment and information sessions at Neath College, Brecon College and Afan College from 5pm to 7.30pm.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David is holding a four-week creative wellness painting course – two hours per week – form September 4 to October 20, from 10am to 12pm in the Dove Workshop, Banwen.
The Adult Learners’ Week website features hundreds of free online and in-person events, courses and resources. It also features inspirational stories of individuals who have taken up adult learning and includes links to specialist advice and guidance from Working Wales on retraining, Personal Learning Accounts, childcare and support for redundancy.
Participants are being asked to join the national celebration and conversation around lifelong learning on social media by tagging activities using the hashtags #neverstoplearning and #adultlearnersweek on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Campaign partners are organising a programme of outreach events and taster courses to reach out to adults who want to build their confidence to start learning. The programme will also showcase opportunities to develop skills for employment or career change, to connect in the community and support health and wellbeing. All of this activity is supported by advice and guidance to help get started.
Digital skills, arts and crafts, health and wellbeing, numeracy and literacy, life skills, the environment, languages, social sciences are just of few of the topics set to be covered.
The Adult Learners Week Wales website contains information on events: https://adultlearnersweek.wales/ .
From free taster sessions to expert advice, there's something for everyone. For personalised guidance on your learning journey, contact Working Wales on 0800 028 4844 or search https://workingwales.gov.wales.
