Join in a philosophical pub debate, make your ideas and designs come to life at Fab Lab, or simply study online
1. Take a course
Every summer, organisations and charities offer free courses and workshops, often in conjunction with your city council or local authority. For 11- to 25-year-olds in London, Futureversity offers hundreds of free courses from kayaking to drama and creative writing, as well as more unusual activities such as Thai fruit carving. There are also career-related insight days with the BBC, Lloyds bank and the Barbican.
In Brighton & Hove, the Right Here project is offering 16- to 25-year-olds free workshops in stand-up comedy, yoga, rock climbing and other resilience building activities.
2. Volunteer for a film crew
Anyone aged between 18 and 25 and based in Manchester, Exeter, Birmingham or London can apply to volunteer for First Light. Industry professionals will provide volunteers with free training in filmmaking, editing, journalism and campaigning so they can produce short documentaries for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Those older than 25 can volunteer with the online news channel WORLDbytes. Officially, the three-day free film training is only for 16- to 25-year-olds but the London-based charity is flexible for those willing to commit to long-term projects.
3. Teach yourself online
As long as you have an internet connection you can gain an NVQ or other UK- recognised qualifications from Vision2Learn, a company which offers 22 free e-courses in personal development and work-related subjects. The Open University has also made course materials freely available online. Although you won't receive accreditation you can study independently using modules from law, languages and social sciences degrees, among others. More unusual online tutorials, such as wood carving, juggling and magic tricks, can be found at WannaLearn.
4. Visit a library
All public libraries offer free membership, and many run free events and workshops throughout the year. In Leicester there are free cookery, creative writing and crocheting classes, while in Sheffield there is an arts and crafts club, a writers' workshop and classes in basic IT skills. The British Library in London offers free training for those who want to research their family history.
5. Go to the pub
Philosophy in Pubs holds informal debates and discussions in bistros, coffee shops and community centres, as well as pubs. Anyone can participate and topics are decided beforehand. Examples include "Justice, the last absolute?", "Death, possibly" and "The Purpose of Religion". Tate Liverpool hosts the group on the first Sunday of every month and there are numerous other meetings across the city. There are also groups in Brighton and Manchester.
6. Get active at the leisure centre
Bolton residents can join the FreeBie scheme free-of-charge and enjoy sports activities at their local leisure centre. Under 16s can learn to swim while over 65s benefit from a range of free classes such as aerobics, badminton and tai chi. The re:fresh scheme provides adults living, working or studying in Blackburn with the opportunity to enjoy free dance classes, fitness sessions and swimming lessons.
7. Become a journalist
Young people aged eight to 18 can develop their writing skills and campaign for social progress with the help of Headliners. By joining one of the free 12-week programmes in Bradford, Leeds, London or Newcastle, participants will be taught how to use broadcast equipment and write articles for publication. There are also free opportunities for Northern Ireland residents in Belfast and Foyle, and for people living in Yorkshire. For 18- to 30-year-olds considering a career in journalism, Catch 22 offers a free part-time course in London, providing training, practical work experience and a placement with a partnership organisation such as the BBC.
8. Become an inventor
Manchester is home to the UK's only Fab Lab, a fully-equipped inventors' workshop freely available for use by anyone in the community. Once you have done a training session you can use the 3D printers, milling machines, laser cutters and other machinery. The Fab Lab is staffed by technicians who are on hand to offer support and advice so you can turn your ideas and designs into a physical product.
9. Go back to university
During term time, universities across the country hold lectures which are free for members of the public to attend (for example York, Edinburgh and Leeds). Lectures can be delivered by any department within a university, so could cover anything from physiology to art history. However, they will usually be accessible to those without an in-depth knowledge of the subject.
10. Visit a society
There are a number of political, philosophical and industry-related societies in the UK, many of which hold free events, regardless of membership status. The Free Society welcomes the public to sit in on debates between MPs, journalists and campaigners, while the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce has organised lectures and debates on economics, science and history for the coming summer months. In Leeds, Edinburgh, Oxford and other cities, the society is holding free exhibitions, events and family days out to celebrate its 350th anniversary as the UK's national academy of science and scientific progress
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