Community Learning

Free online awareness courses

Explore Our Community Learning Courses

On this page, you will find a comprehensive list of our Community Learning courses listed in alphabetical order.

All courses are free and hosted by experts such as local charities and other professionals.

Click the link below to visit our full calendar of events:

Somebody writing with a pen on a piece of paper in a closeup.

Learn something new!

Access our free online training courses listed below.

Upcoming Courses

A New You

A New You is a four-day training course to help improve your social, money management and communication skills both at home and in your place of work or volunteering. The course covers a range of topics and practical skills.

Our session topics are:

  • Team Work
  • Being Assertive
  • Stress Awareness
  • Communication / Life Skills.

We recommend that you attend all four sessions. If you do, you will receive a certificate at the end of the course. If you would like to attend some but not all sessions, please get in touch with us.

 


For more information or to register your place, please

Carbon Monoxide - Introductory Workshop

Hosted by the Gas Safe Charity.

 

This workshop will teach you what carbon monoxide is and how it is formed, the sources, signs and symptoms of CO poisoning, how to help prevent it, and the implications are for you and those around you.  This course is delivered through a mix of presentations, scenarios and practical exercises, making it perfect for both the general public and front-line staff and volunteers.

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Communication and Confidence

Join our interactive and engaging course which will help improve confidence and communication skills.

In this 5 hour session you will:

  • Learn different verbal and non-verbal techniques
  • Enhance your communication skills
  • Learn how to structure and present a short talk

 


If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Deaf Awareness and Basic BSL

Hosted by Hertfordshire's Hearing Advisory Service.

In this session, you will gain confidence and basic skills to communicate with those who are living with deafness and hearing loss. You will understand deafness, including signs that someone cannot hear you, body positions, and ways of communicating.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our next two-hour Deaf Awareness training sessions will be held on Zoom on:

Date Time Register
Wednesday 22 October 10am - 12pm Book your place
Wednesday 17 December 10am - 12pm Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Death, Dying and Loss Awareness

Death, Dying and Loss Awareness Session

The session will be a look at Why don’t we talk about death? What a good death is for yourself? Communication techniques​, Empathy vs Sympathy​, some the Theories of loss and What to do & say. The session is to help people feel more confident in supporting people who might have a palliative care diagnosis and those who are bereaved. We will explore the social context of death and dying, considering the impact on good end-of-life care and bereavement support.

 

Ask, Chat, Planning for the Future (Advance Care Planning)

An awareness session, that will serve as an introduction for Staff and volunteers in the Voluntary Sector, Healthcare staff, and the wider public on what Advance Care Planning (ACP) is.

The session will include an opportunity to start thinking and talking about end-of-life care wishes and preferences. This session is for those who wish to explore more about ACP and what to include, for example Lasting Power of Attorney, ReSPECT, Advance Decisions to refuse treatment, and will introduce you to some of the templates that can be used to facilitate the process either for yourself, your loved ones, or those that you are working with.

Date Time Register
Monday 6 October 12pm - 1:30pm  Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Dementia Friends Information Session

Dementia Friends

Hosted by Dementia Friends.

Nobody wants to hear the news that they have developed dementia and it is currently the biggest killer in the UK, ahead of heart attacks, strokes and cancer. There is a lot of fear and stigma attached to a diagnosis, which can make living with dementia (and caring for someone with it) very hard.

Join us to for a presentation by Jan Payne (a Dementia Friends Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society) to learn more about dementia and the ways we can all help to improve the quality of life for those living with it. Please note this is a general information session and not a medical presentation and will last about 45 minutes. At the end there will be an opportunity, for those who wish to do so, to join over 3 million people in the UK, by becoming a Dementia Friend.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-hour Dementia Friends Awareness sessions will be held online:

Date Time Register
10 September 2025 12pm - 1pm  Book your place
3 December 2025 12pm - 1pm  Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

 

 

Domestic Abuse Awareness

Safer Places Training Logo
Domestic Abuse Awareness

Learn about what domestic abuse is and how it impacts many people. Professionals would also benefit from learning about domestic abuse and the support available. 

 

 

Domestic Abuse and the Workplace

Learn about how domestic abuse happens in the workplace and how domestic abuse can impact not just the victim but the wider organisation. There will also be information on what support is available. 

Date Time Register
Thursday 4 December 10am - 11am Book your place

 

 

Tech Abuse Awareness

Learn about how abusers use technology to perpetrate abuse and the risks to victims. 

Date Time Register
Tuesday 2 September 10am - 11am Book your place

 


If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Grief Awareness

Delivered by David Kelly, Community Engagement Coordinator, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care

Grief Awareness’ workshop will offer a brief introduction to the topic of grief & loss. It will provide you with some common reactions that people may have in grief, as well as some misunderstandings about grief. Additionally, it will also offer some key advice for individuals who may either be supporting someone who is grieving or experiencing grief themselves.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-and-a-half-hour Grief Awareness session will be held on Zoom on:

Date Time Register
Monday 1 December 12pm - 1:30pm Book your place

 


If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Insight into Gambling Harms

Hosted by GamCare.

In this session, you will hear powerful stories from women with lived experience of gambling harm and learn ways to support them in both professional and non-professional capacity.

Why attend?

  • Hear from Nikki Adams, who will share the impact gambling had on her life, through video message.
  • Learn valuable insights from lived experiences to support women.
  • Gain a deeper understanding of gambling harm and its impact on women.
  • Network with other professionals supporting women.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming two hour Women and Gambling Related Harms session will be held on Zoom on:

Date Time Register
Tuesday 30 September 1pm - 3pm Book your place

 

 

 


If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Mental Health Awareness

Hosted by Communities 1st.

There is an increasing acknowledgement of the importance of the role of mental health in the wellbeing of individuals and the community as a whole. Being aware of your mental health can substantially reduce long-term physical and mental health conditions, and the stigma around it.

Join this course to learn how to:

  • Be able to recognise stress, anxiety and other mental health conditions.
  • Be able to manage stress in day-to-day life.
  • Have a good understand of what support is available to people with mental health conditions.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-and-a-half-hour Mental Health Awareness training sessions will be held on Zoom on:

Date Time Register
Tuesday 1 July  10am - 11:30am Book your place
Wednesday 8 October 10am - 11:30am Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Scam Awareness

Prevention First Logo

The Scam Awareness  session aims to help identify and avoid the numerous scamming schemes  that one may encounter.

Research has shown  that people aged under 35 are the most susceptible to being scammed.

Open to all ages, our online scam awareness session will teach you to  recognise and report scams. You will also learn what to do if you fall victim to a scam.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-hour Scam Awareness sessions will be held online:

Date Time Register
Wednesday 2 July 2025 11am - 12pm Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Sexual Health Awareness

Hosted by Metro Charity.

An online information training session that talks about Sexual Health and the issues related around it. The session includes 

  • Statistics on STIs
  • Why understanding is important?
  • STIs and their symptoms
  • Testing and treatment
  • Barrier methods and where to go for support with sexual health. 

This session is for those who work with people living with sexual health issues, service users within Hertfordshire, community and voluntary groups, corporate businesses, educational organisations, housing providers, local authorities, NHS trusts, youth services, and members of the public. 

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming two-hour Sexual Health Awareness training sessions will be held on Zoom on:

Date Time Register
Thursday 4 September  11am - 1pm Book your place
Wednesday 12 November  11am - 1pm Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Sight Loss Awareness

A closeup of some glasses

Hosted by Herts Vision Loss.

This course will help you understand sight loss and how to support people living with sight loss. It will introduce you to common sight loss conditions and how they affect vision. It will also cover the role of volunteers in supporting people with vision loss and the help they can seek.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-hour Sight Loss Awareness sessions will be held on Zoom:

Date Time Register
Monday 13 October 2025 11am - 12pm Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Understanding Anxiety

Nessie Logo - Helping Children & Young People Thrive

This session is aimed at parents/carers whose children struggle to manage their worries and stress. We will explore what anxiety is, why it happens, and what we can do about it! We will share helpful tools and strategies to support your child to develop confidence and resilience in order to manage their anxiety. 

You will also find out more about Nessie's services and the support we offer.


 


If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Menopause Awareness

 

This bite size one hour session on Menopause Awareness is aimed at getting a basic understanding of what is menopause and how it affects women. The session will also provide information on the support available.

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-hour Menopause Awareness sessions will be held online:

Date Time Register
Thursday 16 October 2025 12pm - 1pm Book your place
Thursday 11 December 2025 12pm - 1pm  Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Introduction to Autism

 

This one hour online session is an introduction to Autism. The session aims to explain the meaning of autism, why it is considered a spectrum and how to better support individuals and includes the various types of  support available. 

 

Upcoming Sessions

Our upcoming one-hour Introduction to Autism session will be held online:

Date Time Register
Wednesday 5 November 2025 11am - 12pm Book your place

 

If you would like to speak to us about this course, please

Contact us

For more information or to find out about future courses, email training@communities1st.org.uk or call 01727 649960.

Our telephone lines are open Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm.