The Voluntary Action Calderdale column with Emma Worsley

Whether it’s a random fact (did you know Linonophobia refers to the fear of string?) or how to send an email, we never stop learning.

I love the ‘I never knew that’ moments in life.

Like the time when my Gran taught me how to make a white sauce from scratch or when my friend recently told how to set up banking alerts to my phone!

These little moments not only help me to keep learning but will stay with me throughout my life.

Working in the voluntary and community sector is steeped in these learning moments.

I like to think this column can be an ‘I never knew that’ moment as you may find out about a charity that works in your town that you weren’t aware of.

Learning can happen in any situation, in any setting and at any stage of your life.

Learning is not confined to a classroom and it’s certainly not limited to school and college.

The organisations I am focusing on this month help people to learn in a supportive and encouraging environment to strengthen their life skills.

The Hive

The Hive is a small charity that offers support to adults with a learning disability.

Much of their work is about preparing people for independence; this can be through learning how to prepare meals, right through to helping in the onsite charity shop or on local market stalls where people gain experience of handing money and dealing with the public.

The diverse and enriching range of services run by The Hive not only provide valuable life skills but offer fun, confidence and friendship.

The Hive also offers new experiences including visits to local landmarks, information sessions from other organisations like Trading Standards and the Alzheimer’s Society and a variety of talks on important topics such as Safeguarding.

For more information about The Hive, please visit www.thehivehalifax.org.uk.

Worker’s Educational Association (WEA)

The WEA is a community adult education provider.

Their courses have been rated as ‘good’ by Osted and focus on health and wellbeing, employability, personal development and community engagement.

WEA courses are free to people on low incomes and individuals on some benefits.

The courses are delivered in a wide range of relaxed community settings.

Examples of some of the forthcoming autumn courses in Calderdale include creative writing, poetry, painting and drawing, confidence building, printmaking, textiles, psychology, fashion for the digital age, the sixties era, arts and crafts.

For further information about WEA, please visit the www.wea.org.uk website.

Next month’s column will be looking at local organisations that have their community at the centre of everything they do.