Category: Free Workshops

To help you develop your business in good times and bad, we’ve launched a series of FREE one-day workshops throughout the UK. Look out for emails from your unions and from FEU Training. Workshop details below.

How to drive traffic to your website – 10 Oct, London

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Free workshop for members

Time
10.30am-4.30pm

Venue
Musicians’ Union
60-62
Clapham Road
London
SW9 OJJ

Tutor: Dan Mason

APPLY ONLINE BY 1st Oct

Workshop content

To maximise your website potential as an online marketing tool, it’s essential that you do everything possible to ensure that your audience can easily find and access it.

This one-day workshop quickly goes beyond the usual focus on search engines (though they are still covered) to understand the growing importance of social optimisation…creating stories and links that stand the best chance of being shared through social channels to build your online presence. It includes:

  • Reviewing basic optimisation skills to ensure your words, images and videos stand the best chance of being found online
  • Understanding how search engines work; the difference between on-page and off-page search engine optimisation
  • Exploring the tricks and techniques used by growing websites and blogs for encouraging greater levels of engagement
  • Understanding what kind of content does – and doesn’t – get promoted on Facebook’s newsfeed and on Twitter
  • Exploring how to encourage sharing through the use of email
  • Creating a schedule of shareable content for your own website or blog
  • Understanding how to measure your success

Who should attend?

Only those freelances who have a website, are familiar with social media and are now looking to build their web presence and improve their ability to draw more traffic to their website.

Expected learning outcomes

  • A greater knowledge of how to get found online
  • A greater awareness of what content works to engage your audience
  • An understanding of key online tools available to create shareable content
  • A greater ability to build your online presence.

Workshop format

Computers are not provided as this workshop focuses on tutoring-, discussion- and group-based exercises. However, you are welcome to bring laptops, tablets or iphones if you wish to try out the methods discussed in realtime.



POLITE REQUEST: if you are successful in obtaining a place on this workshop and, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to attend, please let us know asap because we have others on the waiting list who we can allocate your place to. If you do not let us know this will disadvantage another member. Also, we may lose the funds that enable us to provide these workshops to all members including yourself.

NOTE: if we were to postpone or cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to reimburse any costs such as pre-booked travel expenses. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand. All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days after the deadline.

Further enquiries

e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

Developing Assertiveness – 26 Sept, Bristol

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Free workshop for members

Date and time: 26 September, 10.30am – 4.30pm
Venue: Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol. BS1 4ED
Tutor: Muriel McClymont

Assertiveness is standing up for your right to be treated fairly. It is expressing your opinions, needs, and feelings, while recognising the opinions, needs, and feelings of others. This workshop will help you develop assertiveness with the aim of achieving the best solutions for all concerned.

Apply online by 16 Sept 2014

Workshop Content

We all have situations in our lives where we need to have what we feel are difficult, complicated or challenging conversations with people - where the outcome will have a significant impact on us. For example:

  • When we need to ask for more money and other resources
  • When we need to ensure that others understand our point of view
  • When we are under pressure to say yes, but need to say no.

Learning how to achieve optimum solutions so that all concerned are satisfied with the outcome is a valuable skill and being assertive will help.

This workshop is full of tips and strategies to help you get what you want, while maintaining healthy relationships with the other people involved.

We explain what behaviours constitute assertiveness and how to deal with negative aggressive and passive behaviour (in others and in yourself).

There will be plenty of opportunities to test-drive the theory in a fun way.

Who should attend?

Anyone who would like to find out more about developing assertive behaviour.

Expected learning outcomes

  • A clearer understanding of assertiveness and assertive behaviours
  • More ideas on how to deal effectively with non-assertive behaviours
  • Tips and advice on how to be more assertive

 


POLITE REQUEST: if you are successful in obtaining a place on this workshop and, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to attend, please let us know asap because we have others on the waiting list who we can allocate your place to. If you do not let us know this will disadvantage another member. Also, we may lose the funds that enable us to provide these workshops to all members including yourself.

NOTE: if we were to postpone or cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to reimburse any costs such as pre-booked travel expenses. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand. All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Further enquiries

e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

The Vision Board Boot Camp – 18 Sept, London

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Free workshop for members

The date and time: 18 Sept, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue: Musicians’ Union, 60-62 Clapham Road, London SW9 OJJ

How your thoughts create the life you have and how to change them to have the life you want

Everything we do, we do in our mind first. And we can’t create a positive life with a negative mind. This workshop will help you define your vision by creating clear goals and develop the positive mindset needed to turn your dreams into reality.

Apply online by 10 Sept 2014

Workshop content

  • Using your creativity to visualise and create your ideal life
  • Understanding how thoughts become reality (good & bad)
  • Conscious x Unconscious Mind
  • Creating your vision on a board to keep you focused and motivated
  • Limiting beliefs and how they keep you stuck
  • Stopping self-sabotage
  • Changing negative into positive thinking
  • Making a plan
  • Taking action

Expected learning outcomes

  • How to clearly define your vision and turn it into reality
  • The difference between a WISH (you only desire) and a GOAL (you can chase)!
  • An understanding of how to create a vision board that will help you reprogram your unconscious mind by keeping your goals in the forefront of your mind and stay motivated.

Tutor: Christina Bucher 

What should I bring?

You will start to build a vision board at the workshop so, if you have any magazines lying around (to choose pictures from) or pictures that make you feel good, do bring them along.

POLITE REQUEST: if you are successful in obtaining a place on this workshop and, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to attend, please let us know asap because we have others on the waiting list who we can allocate your place to. If you do not let us know this will disadvantage another member. Also, we may lose the funds that enable us to provide these workshops to all members including yourself.

NOTE: if we were to postpone or cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to reimburse any costs such as pre-booked travel expenses. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand. All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Further enquiries e: [email protected] t: 07580 348726

How to shoot and edit video with an iPhone or iPad – 12 Sept, London

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Free workshop for members

The date and time: 12 Sept, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue: Musicians’ Union, 60-62 Clapham Road, London SW9 OJJ

This one-day workshop will help you unlock the potential of your iPhone or iPad as a powerful tool for planning and creating high quality video.

Apply online by 2 Sept 2014

Workshop content

Do you want professional looking videos to showcase your work on your website, a snappy intro video for your blog or maybe you want to make a video marketing story for a client?

Whatever your purposes, you will be guided step by step through how to take better mobile photographs, combining them with audio to create an audio slideshow, then - with an understanding of the importance of good images and sound firmly in place - creating simple videos, sequences and stories.

The day will focus on using your iPhone (4S or 5) camera plus the iMovie app to edit video. Along the way, you will also discover some of the best kit to use plus iOS app alternatives used by the professionals.

Who should attend

This workshop is aimed at creative freelances, journalists, bloggers or anyone interested in learning or improving their ability to make professional videos. No prior knowledge of professional video shooting or editing is required.

Expected learning outcomes

By the end of the day you will:

  • Learn the essentials of mobile photography
  • Edit and share images using free mobile apps
  • Create an audio slideshow with images and (music and recorded voice)
  • Shoot video interviews that look great online, using professional approaches to lighting and the shooting environment
  • Understand the key principles of video storytelling
  • Create sequences of video clips that build into a snappy intro video or video news story
  • Edit video on your mobile using iMovie
  • Transfer clips over the internet and upload video to sharing sites such as YouTube

What should I bring?

You will need to bring your own iPhone (4S or 5) or iPad, with the iMovie app (£2.99 or free on new mobiles) installed. We have a limited number of basic tripods and mounts for use during theworkshop. However, if you’d like to do this course using an iPad or iPad Mini it would be advantageous to bring your own mount.

POLITE REQUEST: if you are successful in obtaining a place on this workshop and, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to attend, please let us know asap because we have others on the waiting list who we can allocate your place to. If you do not let us know this will disadvantage another member. Also, we may lose the funds that enable us to provide these workshops to all members including yourself.

NOTE: if we were to postpone or cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to reimburse any costs such as pre-booked travel expenses. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Tutor: Dan Mason

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand. All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Further enquiries e: [email protected] t: 07580 348726

Run a successful social media campaign – Sept 11, London

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Free workshop for members

The date and time: Sept 11, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue: Musicians’ Union, 60-62 Clapham Road, London SW9 OJJ

Social media can be a powerful means of getting your message across and raise awareness of what you do. This one-day workshop will take you step-by-step through running a successful campaign.

Apply online by Sept 1st 2014

Workshop content

If you are promoting your work or an event, fundraising for a project, or highlighting an important issue, social media provides a powerful means of getting your message across and can be especially useful for freelances who want to try new ways to raise awareness of their work and related issues on a limited budget.

Who should attend

This workshop is aimed at those with experience of using social media but who feel they haven’t exploited its full potential.

Expected learning outcomes

The day will follow three simple steps:

Plan it

  • How to establish a foundation for social media engagement
  • How to identify the right social media channel for the right message
  • How to establish the objectives, branding and key messages for your campaign
  • How to plan and schedule engaging content for your campaign

Do it

  • How to manage your social media updates across Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms
  • How to monitor activity and respond to community reaction
  • How to be ready for any negative feedback
  • How to maintain momentum beyond the official end of the campaign

Review it

  • How to measure the results of your campaign using simple tools and metrics

What should I bring?

You will need to bring a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Computers are not provided. The workshop focuses on tutoring, discussion and group-based exercises.

POLITE REQUEST: if you are successful in obtaining a place on this workshop and, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to attend, please let us know asap because we have others on the waiting list who we can allocate your place to. If you do not let us know this will disadvantage another member. Also, we may lose the funds that enable us to provide these workshops to all members including yourself.

NOTE: if we were to postpone or cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to reimburse any costs such as pre-booked travel expenses. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Tutor: Dan Mason

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand. All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Further enquiries e: [email protected] t: 07580 348726

Creative productivity – Sept 4, Newcastle

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Free workshop for members

The date and time:
Sept 4, 10.30am – 4.30pm

The venue:
Dance City
Temple Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4BR

Tutor: William Gallagher

Improve your time management, remove distractions and zoom through the chores of being freelance. Turn your To Do list into something you enjoy – and do – instead of just dread. Become the one everybody turns to because you never forget anything and you always deliver.

This workshop will help you understand how you work and what you can do to make better use of your limited time, become more productive and feel in control.

Apply online by Aug 24 2014

Workshop content

This workshop will help you understand how you work and what you can do to make better use of your limited time, become more productive and feel in control.

Filled with practical advice and time saving tips, the workshop covers:

  • Multitasking – how it can be bad for creatives and what you can do about it
  • Priorities – the difference between urgent and important
  • To Do lists – turning them from something you hate and avoid into something useful
  • How preparation can make you more efficient
  • Computers – time-saving tools that will make your life easier.

Who should attend

Those who are not getting enough done in their working week and are feeling that their work is controlling them rather than vice versa.

Expected learning outcomes

  • A better understanding of how to manage your time and become more productive
  • A better understanding of how to balance your creative and business work
  • Knowledge of how to quickly dispense with chores so more of your time is spent on your talent
  • Specific computer knowledge about what tools will help you and how to use them.

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, please fill in the short application form below. You will need to login or register if you have not done so already so have your Union number to hand.

All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Further enquiries
e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

 

Write that Book and Get It Published! – Aug 21, Brighton

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Free workshop for members

 The date and time: Aug 21, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue

Friends Meeting House
Ship Street
Brighton
BN1 1AF

Whether you work in the field of performance, music, journalism or other forms of writing, many freelances have written - or intend to write - a book. It may be non-fiction, based on your expertise, skills and experience. Or, it could be a fiction title: that novel you’ve always wanted to write. Getting a book published has a reputation for being difficult and this puts people off trying. The truth is that it is challenging but thousands of books are published each year. Why can't one of them be yours?

 

Apply online by Aug 12 2014

 

Workshop Content

This one-day workshop aims to give you a realistic idea of how to go about writing your first book, and how and where to sell it. It covers:

  • What’s your idea? Will it make a book?
  • Your markets – know them and exploit them
  • The writing plan – discipline and practice to get the book written
  • Networks and networking – being part of a writing community
  • Selling you the writer – who you are and what you offer
  • Selling the idea – the synopsis
  • Who’s buying? - Agents, publishers, self-publishing and e-publishing

Who should attend?

Anyone who has written, is writing, or wants to write a book and sell it (you should have at least a basic idea of the book that you want to write).

Learning outcomes

You should expect to leave this workshop understanding where better to focus your book/book idea; how to fit the writing around your lifestyle; how to present and prepare you and your book for market.

Apply online

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Aug 12. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

All workshops have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date of Aug 12. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a few days of this date.

Tutor: Sue Walker

Further enquiries
e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

Business Motivation for Creatives – July 25, London

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Free workshop for members

The date and time: July 25, 10.30am to 4.30pm

Venue
National Union of Journalists
308-312 Gray's Inn Road
London
WC1X 8DP

You’re probably highly motivated when it comes to doing the core creative work that you love. However, you may be much less keen on the business side of freelancing, e.g., sourcing new clients and pitching ideas, which is vital in helping to create satisfying work opportunities and manage your working lives efficiently. This workshop will help you tap into and channel your creativity so that you can better tackle the essential tasks that you usually put off or avoid.

Apply online by July 15

Workshop Content

This workshop will help you improve your productivity and efficiency.

We will demonstrate how you can change the way you see some of your business tasks and embrace them as not just essential and necessary but as fun and motivating! This workshop includes how to:

  • prioritise your work
  • motivate yourself to do the bits you currently don’t like
  • manage your time
  • use your creative talent to improve your business skills
  • understand and tap into your own motivation strategies.

This workshop will be a mix of tutor input and exercises to help you achieve the balance you would like.

Who should attend?

Freelances who want to improve how they approach and complete the business tasks that support their creative work.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the workshop, you will:

  • identify your own effective motivational strategies and know you can use these on your business activities
  • know how to use your creativity to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the business side of your career
  • re-define ‘difficult’ or ‘unappealing’ tasks so that they motivate and support you
  • recognise how your creative talents and business skills are both essential, and support each other when more integrated.

Apply online by July 15

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by July 15. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

All workshops have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date of July 15. We will let you know if your application has been successful within a couple of days from the application deadline.

NOTE: if we were to cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in over five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to re-imberse any costs such as travel fares. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Tutor: Muriel McClymont

Further enquiries
e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

 

Dealing with the Chaos of Freelancing – July 23, Bristol

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Free workshop for members

The date and time: July 23, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue

Bristol Old Vic
King Street
Bristol
BS1 4ED

Uncertainty is one of the defining characteristics of working for yourself and this can play havoc with bank balances, stress levels and overall contentment.

But chaos is not necessarily a negative force. Unexpected phone calls, meetings and recommendations can revitalise your fortunes when you least expect it. This workshop aims to provide you with the skills and confidence that will help you thrive on the inevitable unpredictability of the freelance life.

Apply online by July 13

Workshop Content

This workshop explains how chaos can manifest itself, and through examples and exercises, participants will learn how to embrace uncertainty by exploring new marketing techniques, taking a fresh look at financial management, and dealing with the hurdles and barriers that can hinder a freelance career. The workshop covers:

  • The nature of chaos – how it appears and how it works
  • Radical marketing – employing unusual marketing techniques to promote the unexpected
  • The finance of chaos – how tax bills, debt and poor cashflow can dampen your career aspirations
  • Hurdles and barriers – how to spot the difference between major obstacles (to be avoided) and minor obstacles (to overcome).

Who should attend?

This workshop is useful for people who are new to freelancing as well as valuable for more experienced freelances who wish to take a fresh look at how efficiently they are running their working lives.

Expected learning outcomes

  • A solid understanding of how chaos occurs
  • An appreciation of how to deal with unpredictability
  • How to establish and achieve realistic yet ambitious goals
  • The ability to apply radical marketing techniques
  • Knowledge of simple yet effective financial management.

Apply online by July 13

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by July 13. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

All workshops have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date of July 13. We will let you know if your application has been successful by July 15.

NOTE: if we were to cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances (this has happened only twice in over five years due to tutor illness and a tube strike), we will be unable to re-imberse any costs such as travel fares. If this were to happen in the future, we will email and telephone you as soon as we know that there is a cancellation and attempt to re-schedule the workshop asap.

Tutor: Gary James Merrill

Further enquiries
e: [email protected]
t: 07580 348726

Dealing with the Chaos of Freelancing – July 11, London

Posted on

Free workshop for members

The date and time: July 11, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue

Musicians' Union

60-62 Clapham Road
London
SW9 0JJ

Uncertainty is one of the defining characteristics of working for yourself and this can play havoc with bank balances, stress levels and overall contentment.

But chaos is not necessarily a negative force. Unexpected phone calls, meetings and recommendations can revitalise your fortunes when you least expect it. This workshop aims to provide you with the skills and confidence that will help you thrive on the inevitable unpredictability of the freelance life.

 

Apply online by July 1st

 

Workshop Content

This workshop explains how chaos can manifest itself, and through examples and exercises, participants will learn how to embrace uncertainty by exploring new marketing techniques, taking a fresh look at financial management, and dealing with the hurdles and barriers that can hinder a freelance career. The workshop covers:

  • The nature of chaos – how it appears and how it works
  • Radical marketing – employing unusual marketing techniques to promote the unexpected
  • The finance of chaos – how tax bills, debt and poor cashflow can dampen your career aspirations
  • Hurdles and barriers – how to spot the difference between major obstacles (to be avoided) and minor obstacles (to overcome).

Who should attend?

This workshop is useful for people who are new to freelancing as well as valuable for more experienced freelances who wish to take a fresh look at how efficiently they are running their working lives.

Expected learning outcomes

  • A solid understanding of how chaos occurs
  • An appreciation of how to deal with unpredictability
  • How to establish and achieve realistic yet ambitious goals
  • The ability to apply radical marketing techniques
  • Knowledge of simple yet effective financial management.

Apply online by July 1

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by July 1. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

All workshops have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date of July 1. We will let you know if your application has been successful by July 3.

 

Tutor: Gary James Merrill

Further enquiries
e: [email protected]
t: 07710 240585