Free courses to boost confidence and practical skills coming to Rochdale

Photo: Mongkol - stock.adobe.com

The courses are free and offer useful skills in including English and maths

A series of free creative courses for adults in English, maths, and digital skills is being launched by Rochdale-based Theatre in Flow - starting next week.

Aimed at boosting confidence and providing practical skills, these sessions will be held in community libraries across the region, including Darnhill, Heywood, and Balderstone, and will offer a relaxed and accessible learning environment.

Theatre in Flow, a local cultural organisation dedicated to community empowerment, hopes to reach learners who may lack confidence in traditional educational settings.

Project manager Jenny Hey said: “Moving Up is a really great project that engages the community in a positive learning experience where education may not have been accessible before.”

Course Details

Maths and English courses will start on Tuesday 5 November, at Darnhill Library and Community Café. Digital Skills classes will begin on Thursday 7 November, at Heywood Library and continue at Balderstone Library on Friday 8 November.

Each course is designed to build practical skills for everyday use rather than focusing on higher-level education, with the aim of empowering learners to pursue further learning or potential employment.

• Maths: 11 weeks, Tuesday 5 November – 28 January, 10am – 12pm, at Darnhill Library and Community Café, Argyle Street, Heywood, OL10 3RY.
• English: 11 weeks, Tuesday 5 November – 28 January, 11am – 1pm, at Darnhill Library and Community Café.
• Digital skills: 10 weeks, Thursday 7 November – 16 January, 1.30pm – 4pm, at Heywood Library, Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood, OL10 1LL.
• Additional English and Maths courses: Starting Thursday 24 October 2024 at The Strand Community Hub, 17 The Strand, Kirkholt, Rochdale, OL11 2JG, with English classes from 9.15am – 11.15am and Maths from 11.30am – 1.30pm.
• Digital skills: Friday 8 November – 31 January 2025, 10am – 12pm, at Balderstone Library, Balderstone Park, Platting Lane, Rochdale, OL11 2HD.

One recent learner shared that the courses have “given him the confidence that he has been missing.” His support worker added, “I have noticed that his mood has lifted in the last couple of weeks, and today was the first day I have seen him smiling since his recent diagnosis.”

Theatre in Flow is a cultural organisation committed to social justice through creative work, storytelling, and training initiatives. Their projects challenge discrimination, promote well-being, and build confidence in individuals who may face significant life challenges, such as homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, and poverty.

Collaborating closely with local youth and adults in community settings, Theatre in Flow partners with grassroots activists in Greater Manchester to advocate for systemic change.

For more information or to reserve a place on any of the courses, contact Jenny by email at jenny@theatreinflow.com or by phone: 07729 090856.