I hear you say…

“I have no time” -  You will be surprised at how good making the time for yourself feels and how taking time out of a busy day will give you new energy for your regular tasks. Feeling you are taking control of your time helps you to manage better.

“They will all be strangers” - That could be true, but you meet new people all the time in shops, at work, helping with the car boot sale and outside school. When you are studying you meet people doing the same thing and will be inspired and supported by them. Why not take a friend or member of your family with you for support?

“I didn’t like school” -  This really is not about going back to school. Learning as an adult is so different and you already know so much more. You have been learning all your life - how to get on at work, how to use a microwave or television, how to bring up children, how to care for a sick relative or friend. Learning doesn’t have to involve going back into a classroom and there are lots of informal ways to develop new skills. You may get books from the library, look things up on the Internet, watch television or just ask your friends.  These are all informal ways of learning that you probably use. You could choose to join a reading group, a sports club, a language course or another class in your community. Starting again will open new doors and allow you to move on to other programmes.

“It will cost too much” -  There is help available with the cost of learning, depending on your circumstances, and you can get advice on what is available on this website.