Adult literacy classes with the Ulster People’s College

The UPC recognises that poor levels of literacy create a barrier to both individual and social change.  Originally developed to support community activists, the Essential Skills / literacy programme at the College now offers three different courses: Essential Skills for Community Development, Essential Skills for Personal Development and Brush up on your Reading and Writing.

Essential Skills for Community Development

This course gives you the skills to become a more effective volunteer, member or employee of your community organisation while helping you brush up on your English.  It provides participants with the opportunity to gain a certificate in community development and a national qualification in English.  Groups are kept small so that all learners can be given plenty of individual attention and work at their own pace.  The atmosphere is relaxed and informal with plenty of time for discussion about the issues that concern your community.  Topics covered include the following:

• Community development
• Committee skills – writing agendas, taking minutes, roles and responsibilities of committee members
• Writing funding applications
• Letter writing

The application form for the Essential Skills Course for Community Development can be downloaded here.

Essential Skills for Personal Development

This course gives you the skills to become a more effective communicator while helping you brush up on your English.  Groups are kept small so that all learners can be given plenty of individual attention and can work at their own pace.  The atmosphere is relaxed and informal with plenty of time for discussion.  Participants can focus on any or all of the following topics while working on their writing skills:

• Improving self-confidence
• Improving communication
• Listening Skills
• Behavioural Styles
• Assertiveness

The application form for the Essential Skills Course for Personal Development can be downloaded here.

Would you like to brush up on your reading and writing?

Do you feel anxious about filling in forms, writing letters and helping the kids with their homework?  Do you wish your spelling could be better? 

If you and some of your friends would like to get together to learn once a week in a friendly, relaxed and informal class, the Ulster People’s College can offer English classes in local venues such as community centres and libraries.  If you do not have a suitable venue we can run the classes in the Ulster People’s College.  All you need to do is give us a ring and we will set up a class at a time and place that suits your group.  The classes are small, friendly and informal.  All materials are free and you will be awarded with a certificate on successful completion. 

Here is what some of our learners had to say about their experiences of learning with the Ulster People’s College.

All of our Essential Skills classes are free of charge and include materials.  They are accredited by the National Open College Network (NOCN) and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) funded by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL).

The application form for the Essential Skills Course in reading and writing can be downloaded here.

If you, or any of the groups you are working with, would like to find out more, please contact:

Jason Brannigan   02890330131   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it