ADULT EDUCAT ION Life lessons NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW. WHATEVER YOU’D LIKE TO DO, THERE’S A COURSE OUT THERE FOR YOU WORDS BY CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS
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anuary, as we all know, is the month of good intentions. So if you were teetering on the brink of signing up for classes in, say, pottery, cookery or DIY back in September but somehow didn’t get round to it, don’t worry – there are plenty of other people who, like
you, are planning a fresh start for 2019, and our area’s fabulous adult education providers are ready and waiting. People can hesitate because they feel there’s already so much going on in their lives that they just can’t make the time for a hobby. Admittedly, those in full-time jobs may have less leisure time but, according to the Office for National Statistics, they enjoy it far more. Having a hobby can even enhance your career – some business leaders reckon they increase creativity. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, sets himself non-work- related challenges – like building an AI system to control his home. Making the most of your leisure time can be life – as well as career – enhancing. According to a report by insurance company LV, half of the retirees it surveyed are using their new-won freedom to spend time on hobbies, with around a fifth taking the opportunity to learn something new. TV undoubtedly influences which hobbies are in vogue. It’s unlikely to be sheer coincidence that ceramics and cookery classes have all been top favourites with adult learners since shows such as The Great Pottery Throw Down and The Great British Bake Off took off, while the success of Strictly is claimed to be at least partly responsible for a 70% increase in new dancers aged 50 and over. And even if pirouetting, pot throwing or parboiling aren’t your preferred routes to personal growth, you can be almost certain that between them, our area’s
“Making the most of leisure time can be life changing”
adult education providers will have something that’s a perfect fit for not only your 2019 aspirations, but your time and commitment level. Counselling classes continue to flourish – starting with Hills Road Sixth Form College’s Introduction to Counselling. An unaccredited dip-a-toe- in-the-water course, it’s a brilliant way of seeing if the subject is right for you. Some students go right through to a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling. “Successful completion means that students are qualified counsellors and can go into practice,” explains Rory Seddon, director of business and finance at Hills Road Sixth Form College.
For many students, however, it’s all about making the most of a new hobby. Any proud present receivers of cameras or oil paints seeking advice on how to get the best out of them will find Hills Road packed with expert tutors who are on hand to help. Perennial course favourites, such as ceramics, drawing and painting are “likely to be very popular again”, says Rory. “Photography courses tend to be popular in the spring term, as many students like to get an understanding of the intricacies of their new camera, while others like the frosty, misty and potentially snowy conditions that this time of year provides.” u
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