Courses - Online & in London

Creativity is one of the areas in which the UK retains a leading position, globally, and much is made of the importance of the ‘creative economy’, and its value to the country. But what exactly are the co-called ‘creative industries’ we hear so much about? What is the value of ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ to the national and global economy, and does this extend beyond the overtly ‘creative’ pursuits of art, design and entertainment? How is so-called ‘creative thinking’ central to business, industries and services? In many countries around the world, the benefits of approaches to learning that are central pillars of ‘creative education’ are increasingly recognised in terms of their value in developing fully-rounded learners, and citizens. This workshop examines these questions, and considers the value of creative education in the context of a series of disciplines predicated on thinking related to solving problems, and its relevance for all aspects of contemporary life.



For this workshop, you will need to have access to A3 or A4 plain paper, and a range of coloured marker pens, as well as a notebook. Basic materials will be provided, but you are also welcome to bring and use your own.

This course will offer an insight into the long and complex history of the Ottoman empire and of Istanbul, its iconic capital.

Explore new directions in contemporary travel literature, as authors from across the world take the genre beyond the colonial European gaze that once characterised it. We examine themes such as diaspora, postcolonialism, language and ethics, looking at classic texts by Caryl Phillips, Pico Iyer and Jamaica Kincaid, and recent works by Emmanuel Iduma, Noo Saro-Wiwa, and Raja Shehadeh.

Thinking of becoming a counsellor? Wondering about gaining a counselling qualification? In this short workshop, you will find out about training and jobs in this field and gain a clearer idea of whether counselling training is for you.

Wix is an easy to use website builder and you can create a high quality website without the need of coding. This course will introduce you to the Wix platform and then guide you to build a website from start to finish.

Are you able to find the files you need on your PC or on your work's shared drive? Do you know how to search for



missing files? Have you got a system to organise your work or home files? Files are the essential components of



computer use and it is vital to manage them well, especially as cloud use becomes more common. On this course you will learn how to navigate Windows 11, essential to good file management, as well as discover more about files, become confident with the terminology and develop strategies for saving, organising, navigating and searching files of all types. You will also learn how to back up your files so you never lose them!



This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

This course will look at Tai Chi movements and principles as taught in the form and their application to daily life.

This total body conditioning course aims to boost your stamina, shape your body and energise your fitness levels, whilst working to music.

Are you new to Excel? Have you used Excel a little but lack confidence? Are you unsure about what you use Excel for? On this course, you will learn the key basic functions of Excel so you can begin your journey towards handling, analysing and presenting data effectively. You will learn the main functions of Excel and associated terminology. You will focus on how to create simple worksheets, enter data, present it in a logical and functioning way with formatting that makes it easy to read. You will work on using Excel in place of your calculator to make basic calculations and you will practise turning this data into simple charts and graphs. By the end of this course, you will confident enough to create your own weekly budget calculator. To do this course you'll need to be able to use a mouse, keyboard and basic computer functions.



This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

This course will give you practical strategies for coping with your hearing loss and will help improve your confidence and well-being.







This course will be taught in spoken English and not in sign language.

Continue to refine and develop the gentle, graceful movements of T'ai Chi in classes designed to help you develop clear, powerful and effective practice. Build on your experience with more advanced sequences.

Join us to explore the rise of a dark, psychologically complex strain of Crime Fiction in the 1940s and 50s. Often termed the ‘psycho-thriller’, these novels put the criminal mind centre-stage, delving into murkier recesses of the human psyche than had previously been entertained. Focusing on two key examples of the genre, Patrick Hamilton’s Hangover Square and Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, we will analyse and contextualise the psycho-thriller as it evolved in Britain and America.

In this course we shall examine women in myth, women in religion and the everyday life of women. It will conclude with a visit to the British Museum.

Recent advances in technology and communications provide creative practitioners and communities with opportunities that, in historical terms, are unique. We have never before had the capacity to react to events and engage with issues that, in some cases for the very same reasons, can no longer be confined, in terms of their impact, to the location in which they occur. Consider, for instance, climate change, Coronavirus, the BLM movement and the global reaction to inequality and injustice. Artists and designers have at their disposal, through these same resources, and the full range of traditional media, the capacity to respond to these developments, and to effect change. With this, inevitably, comes the imperative of social responsibility. This workshop looks at how creative individuals engage with notions of collaborative practice (both via online/distributed models and through physical media/interactions) in the production or propagation of ideas, movements, memes or artefacts, including with those one has possibly never met, and perhaps does not even know. Besides collaboration in making, we consider the potential of social/viral media as a disruptor or organisational tool, (for example in events, happenings, flash-mobs, and organised protests or movements such as Anonymous, Occupy, XR, BLM and others).

Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk say it's humanity's biggest threat, but you use it every day. Learn what artificial intelligence is, what it will become, and how it works.