Training Topics

A New You is a four-day in-person workshop covering the following topics:

• Team Work
• Being Assertive
• Stress Awareness
• Communication and Life Skills

You will receive a certificate at the end of the course.

Anyone Can Volunteer is a course which helps you take your first steps towards volunteering. It will answer the how, where, when, why, and what of volunteering. You will learn about volunteering and the types of roles available, also the benefits of volunteering, and how to identify your skills.

This course is run by Citizens Advice St Albans District.

In order to protect people from falling victim, we are running this training to raise awareness of how to spot scams. You will learn how to recognise them, find out common scams circulating at the moment, learn how to report scams, and what steps you need to take if you fall victim. We will also share support available.

In our two-hour British Sign Language introduction, you will learn basic to sign basic greetings, including your name, and how sign can be used effectively to communicate with those living with deafness and hearing loss.

This training session is run by Citizens Advice.

Know Your Energy is a one-hour online session which aims to explain what is happening in the energy market and how it is affecting clients. You will learn the difference between fixed and variable tariffs, and whether you should consider switching energy companies.

This session is run by our Multiply project. Multiply is a government initiative helping adults to improve their numeracy skills. The session will help you understand the benefit of shopping on a budget. It will look at your current shopping habits and highlight areas where savings can be made.

Upcoming Sessions

To learn about our upcoming courses, please visit the Multiply page.

Alternatively, you can call 01727 649960 or email training@communities1st.org.uk for more information.

Garment repair can be painful and expensive. We have so many clothes in our cupboards that occupy space and are so loved that we don’t have the heart to throw them away. Mending your clothes and upcycling them not only helps you save money but also helps reduce long-term impacts on the environment.  

In this session, participants will learn simple hand-sewing techniques that will enable them to repair much-loved clothes and make them wearable again.

No sewing skills are needed. Just bring your garments that need repairing. If they wish, participants may bring their own sewing supplies. 

This session is run by the Hertfordshire M.E. / CFS Support Group.

This is an introductory session, aiming to raise awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS). It explores what is known about the causes, and the symptoms of chronic fatigue illnesses. You will also hear stories from people living with chronic fatigue.

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:

This session is run by the Dementia Friends from Alzheimer's Society.

This session will give you the opportunity to learn more about what it is like to live with dementia, and how to turn that understanding into action.

Upcoming Sessions

Dementia Friends Information sessions are one-hour long and held on Zoom . 

This session gives you an understanding of the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of Type 1 and 2 diabetes. It will provide participants with preventive measures they can take, and talk about the correlation between food and diabetes. It will also cover possible treatments and complications that arise from the condition.  You will learn guidelines on signposting, and how those living with diabetes can be supported.

Upcoming Sessions

Our next one-hour session will be held on Zoom on

This session is run by the Terrence Higgins Trust.

This HIV Awareness and Support session will explain the difference between HIV and AIDS, identify routes for transmission, and ways to support someone living with HIV. You will learn how to test for and how to prevent HIV, and understand how stigma and discrimination can affect people living with HIV.

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.

Our Mental Health First Aid introductory course will enable you to develop some basic knowledge of mental health first aid to use as either volunteer or employee. It aims to allow you to feel more confident to identify and support individuals who may be experiencing mental health distress or difficulties, and will also help you signpost them to the correct pathway. You will learn how to promote mental health recovery, provide comfort, and recognise the warning signs and respond effectively to minimise risk.

Self-Care is an engaging hour-long webinar to present ideas for looking after yourself.  The webinar will walk through the eight categories of self-care, discuss how to implement change, and focus on mechanisms to better look after yourself.

This training will increase awareness and knowledge, introduce practical steps about how to respond, and make you feel more confident in spotting the signs of suicide.

This session is run 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 next one-hour session will be held on Zoom.

This session is run by GamCare.

Our Gambling and Related Harm CPD accredited training aims to help make problem gambling more identifiable for practitioners and volunteers working with men, women, and young people.  It will help you gain and understanding of problem gambling issues specific to women. You will increase your confidence in discussing the subject, and gain vital knowledge about screening tools, and referral pathways for support and treatment.

Upcoming Sessions

Our next two and a half-hour session will be held on Zoom: