At the start of October 2025, a Finding Wellness taster session day took place at Trebanos Community Hub in the Swansea Valley, as part of Adult Learning Wales’ South West & Mid regional delivery. The session, delivered by tutor Fiona Rodger, brought together a small group of learners for a full day focused on personal wellbeing, inner peace and emotional awareness. It covered the first two parts of the wider Finding Wellness programme, which aims to give people practical tools to strengthen their mental health and confidence in a friendly, supportive setting.

The day had a calm, welcoming atmosphere. Learners shared their own thoughts about what wellness means to them and how they find inner peace in daily life. Learners explored the “five ways to wellbeing,” discussed how conflict affects relationships, and created simple “support maps” showing the people and routines that help them stay grounded. Later in the day, the focus shifted to communication and emotional literacy. Through relaxed group discussions and activities, learners practised active listening, learned about how stress affects the body, and tried calming breathing exercises to improve focus and balance.

On reflection after the session, tutor Fiona said:

“Getting people into the room to talk about emotional and sensitive issues is such a powerful experience. I get a lot of joy from seeing the conversations unfold; they’re always so enlightening and inclusive. For many of the learners who struggle with their mental health, being part of these discussions helps them feel less alone. There is so much openness and shared understanding. Even though the group was small, everyone was fully engaged and really understood the work. It was amazing to see how much they took from it and how naturally they learned from one another.”

Learner feedback reflected the same positive atmosphere. Learners gave very positive feedback about their experience and Fiona’s supportive, engaging approach. Comments described the day as “fabulous,” “supportive,” and “a great chance to learn and share with others.” One learner said they were leaving with the reminder to “be kinder to myself,” while another called it “an informative and social day of learning.”

The success of this first session shows the value of creating safe, community-based spaces where people can talk openly about wellbeing. Building on this strong start, the Finding Wellness programme will continue through follow-on courses, The Peaceful Self and The Healing Self, giving learners more opportunities to grow in confidence, connect with others, and strengthen their emotional resilience.

If you would like to find out more about Adult Learning Wales’ Wellbeing courses delivered either online or in the classroom, click on the link below.

Adult Learning Wales Wellbeing courses