HIVE Directory: Adult Learning

Age Range 11+

Hillside Youth Club gives young people a place to go outside of school, free of charge and offers them a sense of belonging. The activities and support from youth workers allows the young people to learn new skills, build confidence and resilience for the future- as well as have fun! It really can be life changing to come along and join in!

The John Pounds Centre is Portsmouth’s flagship community and enterprise facility boasting a 350-seat capacity multi-use Sports Halls, Gym/Fitness Suite, Meeting & Training Rooms, IT Suite, Arts Spaces, Library, Youth Rooms, Nursery, Launderette, Office Space, and Cafe, providing affordable and accessible activities and services to local residents and the wider city.

The John Pounds Centre has established a reputation for its quality of service as it seeks to encourage Wellbeing & Healthy lifestyles to all its members.

The Prince’s Trust programme is for 16–30-year-olds who are unemployed and lacking in qualifications or confidence.
It’s a great opportunity to develop your existing skills and gain new ones.

Learning & Skills Solutions are a private company providing free, flexible Maths and English (ESOL) training programmes for adults aged 19 and above. Training is delivered by very experienced Tutors in a relaxed and friendly environment. Face to face and Zoom classes available. A warm welcome awaits.

Vocational courses / qualifications also available with many linked to job opportunities.

New CSCS Test Centre opening July 2023 !
Join us for our new English/maths for Construction programme. This includes a free Level 1 Health & Safety Construction Environment qualification and free CSCS Test and Card.

The Learning Place is Portsmouth City Council's Community Learning Service.

Our service an adult education service, which includes Family Learning. It offers courses to anyone over the age of 19 and families in the community.

ages are 19+ and their 19th birthday must have been before 1st August of the current academic year that the course is running.

The Community Learning Service Provides opportunities for high quality friendly and enjoyable learning, covering themes of Learning For Work, Learning for Life, and Learning for Pleasure.

Lip Reading and Managing hearing loss
If you have some hearing loss or are feeling isolated due to failing hearing, lipreading can help to build your confidence

The National Careers Service provides high quality, free and impartial careers advice, information and guidance. Our service is available to anyone aged 13+ no matter what stage of the careers journey you’re at.

The NeuroDisability Network is the shared service brand for AreYou – Training and Consultancy CIC and Hudson Blake Ltd. Together, we provide specialist education, support programmes and professional training for people with learning disabilities, autism and additional needs, as well as the professionals and families who support them.
Our work focuses on helping people understand themselves, their relationships and the world around them in a safe, positive and accessible way. Important areas such as relationships, independence, wellbeing and social understanding are often overlooked when considering the needs of people with additional needs. We believe everyone has the right to this knowledge and support.
Our services are delivered through four key programmes.
CONNECT – Specialist Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
Connect delivers specialist relationships and sex education for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
These sessions support people to understand:
• healthy relationships and boundaries
• love, attraction and sexual identity
• consent and personal safety
• emotional well-being and self-esteem
• family, friendships and professional relationships
Our sessions are adapted for different learning styles and abilities so people can build confidence, understanding and safer decision-making.
Connect also provides bespoke support for more complex situations, including:
• risk-taking behaviours
• inappropriate sexual behaviours
• self-esteem and mental health difficulties
• family or relationship challenges
• concerns such as coercion or forced marriage
This support can be provided to individuals, families or professionals supporting someone with additional needs.
ENGAGE – Alternative Education Support
Engage provides tutoring and engagement support for children who are registered with a school or homeschooling but are struggling to attend.
The aim is to help young people maintain a connection to learning while reducing pressure and rebuilding confidence.

msm personal choice small logo


Personal Choice has been set up as we recognise that older people and their relatives and/or carers in Portsmouth, particularly the Charles Dickens ward need more accessible information, advice, support and opportunities for social integration to address the problems of economic and social deprivation and improve their independence and well being. We also aim to support older people in the years preceding retirement to address issues that could lead to poverty and isolation in later years.



Advice Centre: Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
Monday: Chair Exercises 2pm - 2.45pm
Tuesday: Job/Computer Club - 2pm - 4pm
Wednesday: Lunch Club - 12:30pm - 2pm
Wednesday: 'Prime Time' Social Group - 2pm - 3pm
Friday: Tea, Coffee, Chat' 10am - 4pm
Monthly Trips

Warm welcome, feel free to drop in at any time.

A new venue in Portsmouth by and for people under 30. We are re-imagining Playland – the abandoned arcade on Commercial Road – into a vibrant, youth-led creative space. And it’s a totally blank canvas…for now!

Wherever you are on your journey and whatever you are passionate about – Playland is a safe space to express yourself, and access opportunities to build skills and experience for your creative career.

We’re looking for young people aged 16 – 30 to help shape every part of this new space: from designing the blank-canvas interior into a functional and playful space, to planning what will take place there.

In return we’ll offer training, mentoring, and shadowing opportunities, and we will support you to make your ​‘dream’ events come true. This is a chance for you to co-create something from the ground up, shaping it as YOU think it should be.