Community and informal

Our flexible Short Courses provide accreditation for 10 hours (one ASDAN credit) to 60 hours (six credits) of activities. We have more than 30 Short Courses covering a wide range of subjects, including:

• Gardening, which helps learners develop practical gardening skills, as well as personal, social and work-related skills
• FoodWise, which gives learners the opportunity to develop and accredit their practical cooking skills, as well as building knowledge of a variety of food-related issues
• Activities and Peer Tutoring, which accredits activities in community and informal settings. The peer tutoring aspect of the course provides recognition for young people who support others to undertake activities or who have taken on a leadership role in their group
• Living Independently, which helps looked-after children make a successful transition from school education to adulthood
• Volunteering, which enables organisations to recognise the vital work of volunteers as well as accrediting their acquisition of new skills and knowledge

The Personal and Social Development (PSD) qualifications develop the confidence of learners, helping them become physically, emotionally and socially healthy. PSD is available at Entry 1 to Level 2.

ASDAN's courses have a proven track record in developing character traits in young people. Resilience, self-regulation, and emotional and social skills can play an important role in enabling young people to achieve positive health, education, employment and other outcomes.

According to the Department for Education (DfE), there has been growing interest in character education over the past decade. The DfE says character traits such as those listed above can also improve academic attainment, help young people make a positive contribution to British society and are valued by employers.