Leeds City College

Leeds City College, a member of Luminate Education Group, is prioritising adult learning by hosting a fortnight of free taster sessions as part of the Festival of Learning.

The ‘Have a Go Fortnight’ will be running from 1 to 12 November, with the mission to inspire adults across the region to engage with learning and discover the varied curriculum areas.

A national initiative, the Festival of Learning is the Learning and Work Institute’s flagship campaign in England which celebrates the benefits of lifelong learning.

Leeds City College has been working in partnership with local organisations and education providers to raise the profile of the adult learning agenda through the festival, by supporting adults across the district to re-discover education following the challenges of the pandemic.

Jo Dye, Deputy Director of Adult, Community and ESOL at Leeds City College, said: “In recent years, we’ve seen adult education become less of a priority across the country, and because of the historic funding cuts, reduced support and lack of confidence amongst adult learners due to the pandemic, we’ve seen the lowest adult participation in a decade.

“By offering free taster sessions as part of the Festival of Learning, we hope to demonstrate how lifelong learning can better equip learners to adapt to unexpected change and improve their skills. We hope that the fortnight will show that adult learning is available at all levels and stages of life, whether that’s developing a new skill, brushing up on knowledge or learning at an advanced level.”

The ‘Have a Go’ activities include sessions from Sports Science and Exercise, Business, Science, Digital and IT, Public Services, Travel, Food and Drink, Childcare, Counselling and Adult and Community.

The fortnight coincides with the Festival of Learning Lifelong Learning Week which takes place from 8 to 12 November, with the aim to raise awareness of lifelong learning across a range of policy areas.

Luminate Education Group, including Leeds City College, University Centre Leeds, Keighley College, Harrogate College, Yorkshire Centre for Training and Development (YCTD) and White Rose Academies Trust, is working with partners including West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council, Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, University of Leeds, The Prince’s Trust and Northern College, to deliver shared adult learning objectives.

Adults can book the sessions by visiting the Festival of Learning page.