Lots to learn in Haddon

HADDON Community Learning Centre’s program offerings are booming this winter.

Manager Joan Coker said the adult education centre has pre-accredited and accredited courses, skills and training sessions available, as well as fun workshops and social opportunities.

“Any courses that people would like to try, we can usually run them, as long as we have enough people interested,” she said.

“We offer a really warm and welcoming environment with low class numbers so we can concentrate on individual support. We now have online courses as well.”

The Be Connected program for seniors to improve their IT and smartphone skills is accessible, alongside Digital Health sessions which assist anyone over 50 to navigate medical information on the MyGov website.

In conjunction with Federation University, the Centre has a Jobs Hub, offers barista and food-safety training, and social media strategy classes for businesspeople.

Winter workshops are coming up in the areas of Indian cooking, cheesemaking, fermenting, ukulele-playing, and copper-wire jewellery-making for over-15s.

In the exercise space, Haddon Community Learning Centre facilitates free bootcamps in partnership with Sports Central, seniors’ yoga and walks. It is a host facility for the Independent Pathways and Living program for people with disabilities.

They welcome social craft groups, patch-workers, those who sew and crochet, embroiderers, Ballarat Quilters, and Begonia Quilters.

“Three or four times a year, our quilters donate about 20 quilts to the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre,” Ms Coker said.

Haddon Community Learning Centre recently received a reconnect grant from the Golden Plains Shire to create welcome packs for new families in the area, offering small gifts while drawing attention to local services, resources, and businesses.

Next door to the local kindergarten, the Centre hosts a before and after school care program, and has a space for infants to receive immunisations.

They are currently setting up a private audio-visual production studio which the community can book and use to record content.

Ukulele and craft workshops will soon be facilitated by the Haddon team at Dereel. In August, the Centre will host a static National Science Week display.

Visit haddonlearning.org.au or facebook.com/HaddonCommunityLearningCentre for more information.