Free training for TRAs, TROs and residents

We offer more than 100 free, accredited courses through a partnership with Virtual College. 

Virtual College courses are:

• free to Southwark residents when they book through the Virtual College website 
• accredited by City & Guilds or by the Continuous Professional Development  office (CPD)

You can access the courses with a computer, laptop or tablet with an internet connection. 

There is no tutor, so you can choose when to study and complete the course at your own pace. There is a final assessment (multiple choice). If you pass, you’ll get a certificate. 

You can choose courses from the following topics: 

• compliance for people who work in tenant and residents association (TRA) halls and other community spaces 
• food and drink 
• health and safety 
• health and wellbeing 
• leadership and management 
• personal and professional development 
• safeguarding 
• social housing 

Register and book a free course

Group sessions run by a tutor, usually over Zoom or Teams. 

Online classroom sessions last for 90 minutes to 2 hours. Courses include: 

• using Zoom for tenant and residents meetings 
• involving people and valuing diversity 
• emotional and cultural intelligence 

After the sessions, learners are sent material to continue learning, for example, videos, podcasts and webinars.

All live virtual classrooms courses are accredited by the Continual Professional Development office (CPD). When you’ve completed your training and a course evaluation form, you'll receive a certificate. You’ll get 1 CPD point for every hour you spend learning: 

• fire safety training 
• health and safety in your community space
• managing a community space 

Fire safety for Tenants and Residents Associations (TRAs)

The essential fire safety and practical fire extinguisher training course is mandatory for volunteers who work in TRA halls or community spaces with fire extinguishers on site. 

If you're interested in joining, contact our team.

Fully-funded online courses to individuals and organisations of any size and type to give your CV a boost. There are more than 45 online training courses to choose from. You can go at your own pace. The courses include optional support from a tutor. The average completion time for each course is around 12 weeks. 

Many courses teach skills that can be used at work. In a day or less you can get a nationally-recognised level 2 or 3 accredited qualification (not all courses).

Courses are accredited by Highfield and the Northern Council for Further Education in the following subjects: 

• health and safety at work 
• food safety in catering 
• first aid at work 
• risk assessment 
• manual handling 
• conflict resolution and personal safety 
• control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) 
• safeguarding vulnerable adults and children 

Book your course