Caring for someone is a job that comes with no formal training. But having the correct training, for example in manual handling, first aid and financial matters, can make the task of looking after someone more manageable. On this page we list current training opportunities appropriate for carers.
There will be other training opportunities, many free, available online or provided by local Councils and other organisations. Doing a search in your local area will often prove useful in finding training and other sessions and workshops. Your GP surgery or local noticeboard may also advertise training.
Training for carers looking after someone with dementia
Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire offers a regular introductory, six-week course which is held online or in-person (https://www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk/online-training-course-for-family-carers)
The sessions are led by experts in their field, however the delivery is informal. Topics include:
- What is Dementia
- Managing Problems at Home
- Legal and Financial Aspects of Caring
- Taking Care of Yourself
- Safer Moving and Assisting
- Care at Home and Evaluating Care Homes
Free training
Free courses will often be made available through Wiltshire Council – some will only be available for those meeting certain criteria. It’s worth checking their website for current opportunities.
You can view Wiltshire Council’s 2023-2024 Family and Community Learning Course Prospectus here; https://carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/app/uploads/2025/01/FaCL_Course_Prospectus_2023-2024_v2NEW.pdf.
View our What’s On section (https://carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/whats-on/?event-cat=534&location=all) to see a list of current opportunities.
Learn My Way offers free courses for you to learn digital skills to stay safe and connected, you can view these courses here; https://www.learnmyway.com/.
Online learning
Learning online can often be a good fit with caring. It allows you to study at your own pace, in your own home and you can choose a course either for professional development or to learn a new skill or pursue an existing one. Online courses are often affordable too, although you might not be working towards a recognised qualification.
Udemy
Udemy offers over 180,000 video courses covering all sorts of topics. Prices start from £13.99 per course, you can find these here; www.udemy.com/.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn is jointly owned by The Open University and offers online courses and degrees from top universities from around the world, if you would like to access these click the following link; https://www.futurelearn.com/.
Quite a lot of the short courses are free, or upgrading for £16.67 a month gives you a greater choice and more freedom on when you complete a course. There are also professional courses available for £36 a month, which come with a free 7 day trial.
The Open University also offers a lot of free content and short courses on it’s OpenLearn website (https://www.open.edu/openlearn/).
