Training and Learning

Islington Council’s Training For Carers

Islington Council run a number of free training sessions for carers every year that can support you in your caring role. These include

  • how to lift and handle the person you care for safely
  • emergency first aid
  • food hygiene and infection control
  • understanding “mental capacity”
  • and others.

For an up to date list of what courses are available, get in touch with ICH.

Or you can contact the Council’s team directly, on 020 7527 8884 or at Training-HASS@Islington.gov.uk.

Adult and Community Learning

Every year Islington Council offers many free adult and community learning courses in different community venues around the borough to help unemployed and low-paid residents develop their skills and confidence. Whether you’re looking to develop your skills for work or further education, learn English, or build your confidence and skills to help your children with their homework, there will be something for you.

The Council also has a partnership with City and Islington College to provide an even greater selection of free and low cost courses, as well as offering better opportunities for you to progress into higher level or accredited courses.

Council courses are free for Islington residents or parents with children in Islington schools. You must be 19 or over, unemployed, or low waged and receiving benefits to qualify.

Some college courses are free and where fees apply, residents may be eligible for financial support. For more information see www.candi.ac.uk/helpwithfees.

For more information on the kinds of subjects you can study, and an up-to-date prospectus of all courses, visit the Adult and Community Learning web pages.

The Recovery College

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust runs the Recovery College. All of the courses provided at the college are free and are designed to contribute towards wellbeing and recovery. People who share experiences of mental health or physical health challenges teach on the courses with the intention of inspiring hope and embodying the principles of recovery.

The courses vary in length from a couple of hours to a full 9am-3.30pm study day. Courses are held in venues around Islington and Camden.

For more information and a prospectus, contact the Recovery College on 020 3317 6904 or recovery.college@candi.nhs.uk.

Website www.candi.nhs.uk/recoverycollege

Or, if you are interested in being part of the Recovery College, either as a tutor or supporting the development of courses, please contact recovery.college@candi.nhs.uk.

Expert Patients Programme

The Expert Patients Programme (EPP) is a free six-week course run by Whittington Health for anyone living with one or more long term health conditions such as asthma, chronic fatigue, COPD, depression, diabetes, heart disease, MS, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, ME, on-going back pain etc.

The course is designed to help people gain greater confidence in their ability to control symptoms and find new ways to reduce the effects their condition has on their life.

The Expert Patients Programme also runs a Carers’ Self-Management Programme. This is a free course for those who care for someone with a health condition or who is disabled, and whose own health has been affected in any way e.g. stress, anxiety, back pain, low mood. It runs for 6 weeks with one 2½ hour session each week.

Call 020 7527 1189 / 020 7527 1209 or email  whh-tr.EPP@nhs.net

You can find out about specific conditions by visiting NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk.

Fit Money

Fit Money is a project run by Islington Citizens Advice Bureau on behalf of a partnership of Islington organisations. Fit Money aims to achieve a real change in how confident people in social housing feel about money, budgeting and dealing with debt. It offers tools and activities aimed at giving you more control over your money and budget, and helping you to achieve a healthy bank balance. They run a variety of FREE workshops and activities including:

  • Tailor made one-to-one support
  • Tenancy support for all new tenants
  • Workshops to help you budget, save and understand credit

Contact Islington Carers Hub to find out more or phone Fit Money on 020 7288 7681 or 020 7288 7680.

Other training and learning opportunities for carers

New or one-off events, programmes and courses for carers are created quite often. You can keep up to date with what’s on offer for carers in Islington by clicking here to subscribe to our monthly email bulletin. It’s completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Alternatively, get in touch with us to become a full member of Islington Carers Hub.

Other links

City and Islington College  Tel: 020 7700 9200    Email: courseinfo@candi.ac.uk

Voluntary Action Islington has a searchable database of organisations including training providers.

Hot courses is a searchable database of courses.