Adults across Harrogate were invited to get a taste of the curriculum during the college’s Have a Go Fortnight, as part of the national Festival of Learning.

The festival runs each year to celebrate the benefits of lifelong learning, such as improved wellbeing, increased confidence and developing new skills.

Over two weeks, adults aged 19 and over took part in a range of taster sessions to discover a range of diverse subjects. The tasters included still life drawing, ceramics and print, film and animation, hairdressing and computer software.

Alison Carney, Creative Arts Tutor at Harrogate College, said: “The still life drawing session was really positive and enjoyable, it was great to see new faces in a relaxing and social environment. All attendees were keen to know more about the course; it was great to see them all engaged and eager to learn.”

Alex Watson, who attended the still life drawing taster, said: “I chose this taster as I’ve always been interested in art and I love to learn. 

“The session was brilliant; I enjoyed meeting the other attendees and the tutor, Alison, was fantastic! She was incredibly encouraging and friendly in her professionalism.”

If you’re aged 19 or over and would like to discover the range of courses at college, take a look at our adult course page here.

Are you looking to develop your expertise and learn something new? 

At Harrogate College, we are all about providing life-changing opportunities through quality education and training that is tailored to meet the needs of our local employers and community.

This year, we’re inviting adults aged 19 and over to come into college to discover our range of diverse subjects, as part of the Festival of Learning.

Festival of Learning

The Festival of Learning is a national campaign which celebrates lifelong learning for adults. 

The festival’s mission is to demonstrate the benefits of adult learning and raise awareness across the country. Some of the key reasons to engage in adult learning include:

• Wellbeing: Wellbeing is at the heart of adult learning, enabling learners to meet new people and improve self-esteem.
• Flexibility: Adult education can be a flexible service that accommodates other commitments, such as families and jobs.
• Opportunities: There are adult learner providers across the district that can offer personalised and specialised learning experiences.
• Confidence: Lifelong learning enriches the lives of learners, providing them with better opportunities and the ability to adapt to unexpected changes.

Take part in our Have a Go Fortnight

If you’re interested in adult learning, but aren’t sure which course is for you, why not come down to college and get a taste of our diverse curriculum areas?

Our Have a Go Fortnight will be running from 1 to 12 November at Harrogate College, which prides itself on providing exceptional education and training within a nurturing and inclusive environment.

Over these two weeks, we’re inviting all adults across the region to learn something new, enhance employability and improve wellbeing through our bespoke adult taster sessions.

Our available taster sessions include:

• 3 November: Have a Go Hairdressing from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. 
• 4 November: Still Life Drawing from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 4 November: SoundScapes – Introduction to film and animation from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 9 November: Ceramics and Print from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 11 November: Computer Software Interior Designs from 4pm to 5pm. 

Ongoing events

As part of the Festival of Learning, we’re working with local partners across the district to deliver programmes and events that develop the skills and support the mental health and wellbeing of adults.

Discover our upcoming events here.

Harrogate College, a member of Luminate Education Group, has teamed up with partners across the Leeds City Region to host a series of free short courses for adults, as part of the national Festival of Learning.  

The group is working alongside local organisations and education providers to get adults in the region back into education, following the challenges of the pandemic. 

Now in its 29th year, the Festival of Learning (formerly Adult Learners’ Week) was launched to celebrate adult students and encourage others to participate in lifelong learning. 

Danny Wild, Principal at Harrogate College, said: “It’s fantastic to be part of a partnership that is putting adults at the forefront of the education agenda. It’s been a tough year with the pandemic and by bolstering our offer, especially lifestyle courses, we hope to boost adult wellbeing and confidence. 

“The Festival of Learning celebrates adult learning at all levels and stages of life; whether that’s developing a new skill, brushing up and updating knowledge or taking it to an advanced level.”

Yultan Mellor, Principal and Chief Executive at Northern College, added: “The festival is a superb opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on the different expressions of adult learning across the region, including community, college, home and residential settings. Our collaborative activities aim to showcase the benefits of adult education, including flexibility, financial support, personalised experiences and positive wellbeing outcomes.”

As part of the Festival of Learning, adults will be encouraged to develop skills, enhance their employability and improve wellbeing through a range of taster sessions, residential days, virtual seminars and open days.

Set to launch in July, the Festival of Learning activities will kickstart with a Returning to Education: Support for Adult Learners webinar at University Centre Leeds on 20 July. Additional upcoming events include a Five Ways to Wellbeing Course at Northern College on 22 July.

Ann-Marie Spry, Vice Principal of Adults at Luminate Education Group, commented: “Adult education is central to the rebuilding of our economy in a post-Covid environment. Therefore, we are working with key stakeholders in the area to demonstrate how lifelong learning can better equip learners to adapt to unexpected change and enhance their skills, in order to suit the ever-changing job market.

“This partnership brings together experts across the region to identify how we can work together to achieve shared objectives to raise the profile of this vital agenda. Drawing expertise and insight from our partners helps us to understand the current climate, allowing us to overcome barriers to learning and champion adult education.”

In the next academic year, the partnership will be encouraging learners to take part in ‘Have a Go’ activities, providing adults with the opportunity to try different courses and discover their passion. Rebuilding relationships with the community will also be a key focus for partnership activities, including taster sessions in local community centres.

The education group, including Leeds City College, Keighley College, Harrogate College, White Rose Academies Trust and University Centre Leeds, 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.

Find out more about the Festival of Learning partnership by discovering our upcoming events here and following the hashtag #FoLpartners on social media.