Latest News from Workforce Development

Learning & Skills

Learning & Skills is a further education & training provider based in Darlington. With the new term approaching, please see below all the new courses they are running this term!

FAMILY COURSES

Storybook Buddies – from 3 June 2025 - Tuesdays from 10.00-11.00am in Darlington Library (4 weeks)

These sessions are for parents and carers with children aged 2-5 years old who wish to spend quality time learning through play together. Within the Darlington Children’s Library, you will take part in activities such as crafts, pretend play, jigsaws, and games, all linked to our book theme of the week. While taking part in these activities you will support your child’s language development and learn how this links to early reading skills. This course is tutored in-person so you can ask questions and get feedback freely. 

Parenting Together – from 6 June 2025, Fridays from 12.45-2.45pm at McNay Street Children's Centre (5 weeks)

This course is for adults with children up to the age of 11 years old or learners looking to boost their CV for a career in schools. You will learn how to identify effective parenting strategies, promote self-esteem, use positive communication skills and much more.

Family First Aid – from 11 June 2025, Wednesdays from 10.00-12.00pm at McNay Street Children's Centre (5 weeks)

This course is for adults who would like to improve their first aid skills and create a safe environment in the home. It will focus on first aid procedures, ways to create a safe home, resuscitation skills, how to handle an emergency situation and more.

SKILL COURSES

Cooking on a Budget – from 3 June2025, Tuesdays from 10.00-12.00pm at McNay Street Children's Centre (5 weeks) & From 3 June 2025, Tuesdays from 1.00-3.00pm at The Edge Church (5 weeks)

This course is for anybody aged 19+ who wants to learn how to create simple and affordable meals. The course will cover food costing comparisons, supermarket tricks and plenty of recipes, like homemade pizzas, quiche, and soup. This course is taught in-person so you can get hands on with the cooking for the most effective learning.

Creative Crafts – from 12 June 2025, Thursdays from 1.00-3.00pm at Darlington Library, (5 weeks)

Design and create fun crafts that you can showcase to your family and friends and display around the home!

Unconscious Bias – Practice Briefing

We all have unconscious bias, it is a part of human nature. But its impact can be damaging and it can prevent workplaces really progressing on their inclusion journey. Here you will learn about the different types of unconscious bias, the challenges it can bring to the workplace and importantly, how to prevent it from happening. Please click on the following link: Briefing [pdf document]

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Training

CAMHS run a rolling programme of training including the following awareness raising sessions:

• Anxiety, Worries, Fears & Phobias
• Anxious About School
• Attachment Difficulties
• Attentional Difficulties
• Childhood Trauma & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
• Deliberate Self Harm
• Eating Difficulties
• Emotional Wellbeing & Communication
• Low Mood & Depression
• Social & Communication Difficulties

For more information click on the following link: Training Directory

Skills for Care Tools, Resources & E-Learning Modules

Skills for Care offer a range of tools, resources & e-learning modules on various care topics including:

• Oral Health
• Equality & Diversity
• Person Centred Approaches in Health & Care 
• Modern Slavery
• Infection Prevention & Control
• Culturally Appropriate Care
• Mental Health
• End of Life Care
• Medication
• Pressure Ulcers
• Dementia
• Learning Disability
• Mental Capacity Act
• Supporting People with Challenging or Distressed Behaviour
• Learning Disability & Autism
• Autism

For more information click on the following link: Skills for Care Website [external website]