Skills and health for life

Resident in Gosport or Havant? Join a free four-week skills, health and wellbeing programme

Delivered across 4 weekly sessions and designed specifically for people aged between 30-60 years, we’ll help you discover new skills, as well as provide you with the tools and resources to help give your health, wellbeing and confidence a boost.

Programmes are currently available for residents of the local areas in Leigh Park in Havant and Town Centre and Forton in Gosport. These are being delivered by the Your Future, Your Health team in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, Citizens Advice Havant and Multiply.

You can find out more and register your interest by clicking below.

Learn more

This chapter focuses on growing confidence, developing skills and boosting health and wellbeing. Whether you are looking for a job, a new career or wish to gain more control of managing money and budgeting, learning new skills will provide you with the knowledge and experience to achieve these goals. Taking control and knowing what we can do for ourselves can make us feel more confident. Keeping our mind active can have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.

Evidence suggests there are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. One of these steps is learning new skills, which research shows can:

  • boost self-confidence and raise self-esteem
  • help build a sense of purpose
  • help us connect with others

There are many opportunities available to Hampshire residents to support learning and development. Connect to Support Hampshire provides a community directory of local opportunities.

Multiply offers free maths support and courses for adults aged 19 years or over who do not have a minimum Level 2 maths qualification (e.g. Maths GCSE at grade 4/C and above, or a Functional skills maths at Level 2). You can access free courses to help you develop skills and overcome maths anxiety. Places are also open to those who hold a qualification but lack numeracy confidence or have experienced a ‘skills fade’ in their numeracy knowledge. Multiply is available for Hampshire residents, businesses and communities.

You can find out more about Multiply and register your interest here.

Hampshire Learns offers free training for Hampshire residents aged 19+ who meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Without a full Level 2 maths qualification (e.g. Maths GCSE at grade 4/C and above, or a Functional skills maths at Level 2)
  • In receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit
  • Families with school age children in receipt of free school meals
  • Have a learning difficulty and/or disability
  • Who are at risk of/have mental health needs

There is a huge variety of courses which can help you learn new skills or improve the ones you already have. Whether you want to change your career, explore different opportunities, improve your health and wellbeing, meet new people or to learn something new for the sheer joy of learning, there is something to suit everyone. Examples of the courses are Art, Computing, Cooking, Crafts, Dance, Music and Yoga. You can find a local course that is right for you here.

Managing finances can be challenging and it can feel overwhelming when things are difficult, but there are sources of support which can help.

Citizens Advice provides practical advice on debt and money. It is important that you get all the financial help you can. Citizens Advice can provide information on a wide range of benefits and managing money such as housing. You can find a lot of information on their website and also search for your local Citizens Advice.

Budgeting and how we manage our money is important and can be stressful, for example when we have limited money, and our circumstances or household bills change. Citizens Advice offer budgeting tools and tips. Using a budget planner can help you to know exactly where your money is being spent, and how much you have got coming in. Knowing how to manage a budget is a great first step to starting your savings, getting out of debt or preparing for retirement.

Citizens Advice can also offer debt and money advice and help if you are struggling to pay bills.

Our mental health can have an impact on how we manage our money. We may ignore bills or spend too much and so money worries can increase. Mental Wellbeing Hampshire is a local resource which provides links to support and advice.

Planning for later life and retirement is important to consider early in our adult life. Although an essential part, preparing for retirement is more than our finances and pensions. Connect to Support Hampshire provides tips on how to plan for a happy and healthy retirement. Taking opportunities now to develop our skills and knowledge, boost our confidence and connect with others, will help us plan for the next stage of life and enable us to make the most of it.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides a digital Midlife MOT. This has resources to help you start thinking about your work, health and money with future planning in mind.