About WEA

The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a national, democratic voluntary organisation which seeks to encourage access to education throughout life, especially for adults who have experienced barriers to learning as a result of economic circumstances, social isolation, limited confidence, low self esteem or lack of educational opportunity. The organisation is a registered charity, which was established in 1903.

The WEA is recognised by the Scottish Executive Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Department and Local Education Authorities for grant-aid.  In recent years the WEA has attracted project funding from the European Union, Local Enterprise Companies and a wide range of Trusts and Foundations. 

WEA Scotland has staff based in Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen, Fife, Glasgow, Ayr, Cambuslang, Linwood, Barrhead, Kilmarnock, Girvan, Bathgate, Gorebridge and Falkirk.  The WEA in Scotland is governed by a Scottish Executive Committee, representative of its members, affiliates and the Local Associations of the WEA.  There are currently Local Associations established in North Highland, Inverness & Area, North East Scotland, Fife, Edinburgh & the Lothians, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Tayside.

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The WEA in the Highlands

Since 1984, the WEA has delivered a range of lifelong learning opportunities in the Highlands.  Our support from Highland Council has been critical to the establishment of our programme and funding from many other sources has helped to sustain and develop our activities.  In any one year we offer over 60 courses or one day events.

As the WEA is a voluntary organisation, both the Inverness and North Highland Local Associations assist staff with programme priorities, practical mailings, organisation of lunch-time talks and generally provide ongoing support to the staff.

Our programme is varied and courses are taught in a number of geographical areas by a team of twenty to thirty Course Tutors.  The largest concentration of our courses could be identified as “pre-vocational” particularly targeting those adults who wish to return to learning after some time.  These daytime courses address confidence issues, assist with core skills, encourage personal development and offer first step guidance. 

Our liberal arts courses are open to the public and offer a varied selection of classes from archaeology field trips to assertiveness, creative writing, meditation and local history.  Each year the programme changes according to the interests of students and members.  Wherever possible we work in partnership with other organisations to maximise our resources and to attract a wider audience.

From time to time, we develop new projects to meet particular needs and currently the WEA is managing our “Women @ Work” programme, which offers support and training for women who wish to enter public life, management or start their own business.

Our work centres primarily around the Inverness and East Ross areas although where funding allows, courses are offered further a field in Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey, Lochaber, Caithness, Skye and Argyll and Bute.  Ongoing income generation allows the Highland WEA programme to develop in new thematic and geographical areas. 

Underpinning all our work is a belief in student-centred learning, the provision of accessible courses in local communities, the development of confidence, self-esteem and critical thinking and where appropriate, encouragement of progression to future opportunities.

For information about the WEA’s work in the Highlands, contact:

WEA
David Whyte House
57 Church Street
Inverness IV1 1DR
01463 710577
Inverness@weascotland.org.uk

The WEA Scotland is part of the Workers' Educational Association, a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910).  Registered address is WEA, 3rd Floor, 70 Clifton Street, London, EC2A 4HB.

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