Learn

In this section we look at free and subsidised training and interactive resources, from the first steps, to setting up your own food business, to how to make your own compost. There’s more out there then you’d think!

General

WEA

Founded in 1903, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a charity dedicated to bringing high-quality, professional education into the heart of communities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have had to move some learning online, and as a result have refreshed their offer for 2021. Many courses are FREE or discounted (subject to eligibility). For more information about WEA Yorkshire & Humberside courses, click here.

WEA takes a learner-centred approach that is responsive to local needs and which contributes to high rates of success and retention. Nationally they provide around 12,000 part-time courses each year, reaching over 80,000 adults of all ages and educational backgrounds. They also have a special mission to help adults who are socially or economically disadvantaged. If you are in receipt of a means tested benefit, you may qualify for a fee waiver. For more information click here or email studentsupport@wea.org.uk / Tel: 0300 303 3464 and speak to one of their friendly advisors.

Mytopia

MyTopia is a multiple choice, city building simulation game commissioned as part of the second annual Waterline Summit. The game enables players to build a “green city” through multiple choice questions which, in turn, cause various elements around the city to change. The purpose of the game is to demonstrate the complexities of the cause and effect relationship between the choices we make today and the impact on environment, economy and lifestyle this may lead to in the future.

SeriousGeoGames Lab

The SeriousGeoGames Lab at the University of Hull develops game-based activities to share their research and inspire people to take action on environmental issues.

Food for the Planet

Food for the Planet is helping local authorities, businesses and organisations take simple actions to tackle the climate and nature emergency through food. Food systems account for up to 1/3 of global greenhouse gas emissions and are at the heart of the biggest challenges we are facing including biodiversity loss and escalating levels of obesity. The UK will not reach its commitment to Net Zero by 2050 without transforming how land is used and reducing food waste and consumption of the most carbon-intensive foods.

Preparing for Work

FutureShift

FutureShift Mutual Aid Hub is run by TimeBank Hull & East Riding and offers training to help people get ready for work, with a programme of IT courses from beginner to intermediate level. Whether you’re totally new to using digital devices or have used them but want to learn more, this programme will give you the skills you need to get started.

Setting up your own business

FutureShift

FutureShift Mutual Aid Hub also offers mentoring support for people who want to set up their own business. Find out more here.

Hull Libraries Business & IP Centre

Hull Libraries Business & IP Centre offers bespoke business support programmes and world leading resources for anyone thinking about self-employment, setting up, or growing a business.
They offer a wide range of free workshops, events, expert clinics and business resources to help you get your business sorted.

Ready to Reset. Restart?

Have you had to diversify or pivot your business? Reset. Restart webinars have been supporting entrepreneurs to adapt to the ever-changing business climate. All webinars are free to attend and cover a range of business-related subjects.

For Entrepreneurs Only

For Entrepreneurs Only is a vibrant group of like-minded entrepreneurs whose aim is to help anyone who is starting up or running a business in Hull & East Yorkshire. They believe that focusing on creating wealth and jobs in the private sector will result in a buoyant local economy. The FEO360 programme is peer-led and designed to enhance SME owners’ personal skills and attitudes as well as the performance of their businesses. Run over six fortnightly sessions, each lasting half a day, the course is FREE and provides an excellent opportunity to spend time with like-minded Small Business owners. FEO360 is based around real life experiences and invaluable tips from leading local business owners, all presented in a refreshingly unique way.

#GROWMYSME

Humber Business Growth Hub – #GROWMYSME offers details on how they can help financially, through ICT and their Business Growth Scheme as well as grants, expert webinars and one-to-one support to help your business thrive. They also host a Digital Resources Archive.

The Prince’s Trust

The Prince’s Trust is an organisation for young people aged 16-30, offering funding, job support, confidence, education support, money management, health and well-being support.

Tax Assist

Tax Assist Accountants is the Accountancy and Tax Service for Small Businesses.

Prowess

Prowess – Women in Business is the online hub for women-friendly business support, inspiration and information. Their vision is an environment where women in business can flourish.

Cooking and Food

HENRY

HENRY (Health, exercise, nutrition for the really young) is passionate about babies and children getting the best possible start in life. HENRY provides a wide range of support for families from pregnancy to age 12 including workshops, programmes, resources and online help. This is underpinned by the HENRY approach to supporting behaviour change which helps parents gain the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to help the whole family adopt a healthier, happier lifestyle and to give their children a great start in life.

Change4Life

The FREE Cook Together Programme aims to get the family involved and make tasty meals from scratch. Every week for 4 weeks you will get 2 healthy recipes – with videos, easy-to-follow instructions and a shopping list of everything you’ll need – straight to your inbox or via app

BNF

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) offers online courses relating to food and nutrition, some of which are FREE.

Growing

Food for Life Get Togethers

Food for Life Get Togethers also offers FREE growing and cooking training to help your community connect around good food. Courses can be completed at your own pace and typically take a few hours.

Charles Dowding

Charles Dowding is an expert in the No Dig method of growing. No Dig makes it easier to grow the same amount of food in a smaller space, and with less time needed for weeding. His online gardening courses lead you to more enjoyable and productive gardening. You can access any of the course material at any time. There is a suggested but not proscribed order to follow.

The Permaculture Association

The Permaculture Association offers online, distance learning and face to face training. Permaculture is a design approach based on understandings of how nature works. At its heart permaculture has three ethics:

Earth Care
People Care
Fair Shares

This makes permaculture a unique toolkit that is used to design regenerative systems at all scales – from home and garden to community, farms and bioregions around the world. Find out more.

There are hundreds of videos on Permaculture Magazine’s YouTube Channel, offering info on forest gardening, rewilding, ecosystem regeneration, no dig organic growing, orcharding, resilience skills and interviews with leading voices of the regenerative movement.

RHS Campaign for School Gardening

RHS Campaign for School Gardening offers FREE online resources. Choose from activities, projects, lesson plans & other resources suited to your educational needs.

Grow Wild

Grow Wild is the national outreach learning initiative of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Grow Wild activities inspire people to grow together, learn about nature and give back through volunteering; all of which improve wellbeing and transform urban spaces. They focus on UK native plants especially wildflowers and fungi because their species are declining due to habitat loss. Resources and information can be found here.

Grow Wild

Volunteering and Community Development

Hull CVS

Hull CVS Volunteer Centre provides a range of information and support for people who want to volunteer; for voluntary and community organisations who involve volunteers; and local businesses that engage their employees in team building volunteering.

ERVAS

East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) offers a wide variety of training for volunteers and volunteer organisations:

Eden Project Communities

Eden Project Communities offer FREE online workshops exploring all sorts of ideas and opportunities with community-minded people from across the UK.

Untold Hull

Untold Hull is an oral history archive that brings together the stories and experiences of the people of Hull. The stories may be about historic events, about special days in the life of the City or they may be about growing up in Hull, going out, working and having fun – the small everyday things that are part of all our lives.

Transition Network

Transition is a movement of communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world. It is about communities stepping up to address the big challenges they face by starting local. By coming together, they are able to crowd-source solutions. They seek to nurture a caring culture, one focused on supporting each other, both as groups or as wider communities.

Amnesty International

Human Rights Academy – learn at your own pace. These FREE courses are available as eLearning modules to help strengthen the human rights movement through action-oriented education. Amnesty Human Rights Academy

Climate in Colour

Climate in Colour is an online education platform and community for the climate curious. It stands at the intersection of climate science and social justice and is making climate conversations more accessible and diverse.