Category: Free Workshops

Free workshop for members
“Goals are dreams with deadlines.”

The date and time: Jan 29, 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue:

Equity
Guild House
Upper St Martin’s Lane
London
WC2H 9EG

Tutor: Muriel McClymont

 

Apply Online by Jan 19

 

---

Having goals in our lives sets a direction and helps us make the decisions on what to focus our efforts on.

Some find it hard to create goals at all, while others have no problem setting goals, but are unable to motivate themselves to achieve them.

There can be all sorts of reasons for this, for example, your goals may not actually be your goals, but other people’s that you have (consciously or unconsciously) adopted, or perhaps securing the dream job means you’ll have to travel extensively and you are worried that this will have a negative impact on your family life.

This workshop aims to give you tools to process all your aims, now and in the future, so you can create clear, achievable, compelling goals, which are compatible with and do not conflict with any other areas of your life.

Workshop Content

This course will:

• help you define clear, achievable goals which are within your control
• provide a model to allow you to check your goals to ensure that you really want them, and that achieving them will not result in you losing something else that is important to you
• give you an opportunity to amend or re-configure your goal to make it fully desirable to you
• identify what might obstruct your goal, and what you can do about it
• understand what the purpose of your goal is to you and become fully aligned to it - making it a compelling goal
• learn tools to tackle difficulties
• identify your first steps.

Who should attend?

Freelances working in the creative industries who want to improve their goal setting and goal achievement capabilities.

Expected learning outcomes

You can expect to leave this workshop with a set of tools you can use on any of your goals to reshape them so they are compatible with all aspects of your life, and therefore compelling for you to achieve.

Join us and take the first steps to making your current goals your future reality!

Apply Online by Jan 19 2014

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Jan 19. 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. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Jan 21.

Further enquiries
E: [email protected]
T: 07580 348726

This workshop will help you explore how to use all the great skills and talents you have to diversify your career (often to support your core work), increase your choices, efficiency and your earning potential.

The date and time: Dec 13, 10.30am to 4.30pm

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

Tutors: Muriel McClymont and Sue Walker

---

Apply Online by Dec 3

---

Content

While we have a preferred field of work, most freelances quickly realise that there are unavoidable downtimes where the work we want to do is thin on the ground.

This is why it’s useful and sometimes crucial to be able to transfer our skills (and perhaps gain news ones) to create other areas of work that are satisfying and lucrative and may allow us to support our core career in the long term.

By the end of this workshop, you should be able to:

• Recognise the benefits of diversifying your career
• Start to assess and identify your previously unrecognised, ignored or under-valued saleable skills
• Understand how to start putting your portfolio career together
• Explore ways of marketing your portfolio career
• Have a better idea of how to manage your portfolio career.

Who should attend

Freelances working in the creative industries who wish to find new ways of using and updating their skills to create more work opportunities.

Qualifications

No formal qualifications are needed to attend this workshop.

How to Apply

To attend this session, fill in the short application form by Dec 3. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

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 by Dec 5.

Further enquiries:

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07580 348 726

This workshop will help you explore how to use all the great skills and talents you have to diversify your career (often to support your core work), increase your choices, efficiency and your earning potential.

The date and time: Dec 5, 11.30 to 5.30

(*Please be aware that the date is Dec 5 and NOT Dec 4 as originally advertised).

The venue
Musicians' Union
2 Sovereign Court
Graham Street
Birmingham
B13JR

Tutors: Muriel McClymont and Sue Walker

---

Apply Online by Nov 24

---

Content

While we have a preferred field of work, most freelances quickly realise that there are unavoidable downtimes where the work we want to do is thin on the ground.

This is why it’s useful and sometimes crucial to be able to transfer our skills (and perhaps gain news ones) to create other areas of work that are satisfying and lucrative and may allow us to support our core career in the long term.

By the end of this workshop, you should be able to:

• Recognise the benefits of diversifying your career
• Start to assess and identify your previously unrecognised, ignored or under-valued saleable skills
• Understand how to start putting your portfolio career together
• Explore ways of marketing your portfolio career
• Have a better idea of how to manage your portfolio career.

Who should attend

Freelances working in the creative industries who wish to find new ways of using and updating their skills to create more work opportunities.

Qualifications

No formal qualifications are needed to attend this workshop.

How to Apply

To attend this session, fill in the short application form by Nov 28. You will need to register if you have not done so already.

All events have been over-subscribed to date so successful applicants will be chosen randomly after the cut-off date.

Further enquiries:

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07580 348 726

Free workshop for members
Getting known to the right people

The date and time: Nov 26, 10.30am - 4.30pm

The venue:

Bristol Old Vic
King Street
Bristol
BS1
4ED

Tutor: Louise Grainger

 

Apply Online by Nov 17

 

---

Workshop Content

To build a successful freelance career in the long term, you need to put considerable effort into marketing yourself and your work.

You need to get yourself and what you do known, as well as present what you do in the best possible light. This course will help you do just that and includes:

• What is marketing?
• Brand versus product
• Identifying your market
• Identifying your competition (including research techniques, SWOT & other useful matrices to use)
• Key messages and unique selling points and how to communicate these
• Key marketing tools and activities
• Action plan.

Who should attend?

Freelances working in the creative industries who wish to improve their marketing skills.

Qualifications

No formal qualifications are required, just a desire to learn new ways of building your reputation and career success.

Expected learning outcomes

• A better understanding of marketing and why it is important
• Knowledge of key marketing tools, activities and skills, including how to promote yourself and your work
• A better understanding of how to identify, target and communicate with potential clients.

Apply Online by Nov 17, 2013

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Nov 17. 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 Nov 17. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Nov 18.

Further enquiries
E: [email protected]
T: 07580348726

The date and time: Nov 21, 2013; 2-5pm

The venue:
Equity
Upper St Martin’s Lane
London
WC2H 9EG

Tutors: Anne-Marie Quigg (author of Bullying in the Arts) and Piers Jackson

In this three-hour session, we provide information about bullying and harassment at work and explore ways in which individuals can deal with such circumstances if they should arise.

---

Apply Online by Nov 12, 2013

---

Workshop Content

Dealing with what is often a sensitive topic for individuals, this workshop aims to provide people with a safe and confidential environment to learn more about bullying and harassment and how to deal with such situations.

A mixture of information provision and discussion, the workshop will provide attendees with the opportunity to share and explore their experiences as part of the learning process as well as work on individual challenges through group exercises. However, nobody is obliged to share their experiences and will be equally welcome to listen and observe if they find this more helpful.

The session includes an overview of the issues relating to bullying and harassment including:

• The conditions that make bullying and harassment possible
• The purpose, values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour that bullies display
• Why bullies make their choices and what makes them maintain their behaviour
• Exploration of methods to help break the pattern of bullying.

Who should attend?

Freelances who want to find out more about bullying and harassment and how they can deal with these problems if they arise.

*This session follows our Creating without Conflict conference on Nov 19. You can apply to attend both events. However, preference will be given to those who are only applying to attend this session and those who were unable to get a place at the Nov 19 conference due to excess demand.

Expected learning outcomes

• A greater awareness of what bullying and harassment entails
• A better understanding of how to deal with this situation including actions that you can take and where to get further help.

How to Apply

To apply for a place on this free session, fill in the short application form by Nov 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. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Nov 13.

Further enquiries
E: [email protected]
T: 07580 348726

How best to present yourself to get new work
Free workshop for creative freelance members

The date and time: Nov 8, 2013; 10.30am to 4.30pm

The venue:
Musicians’ Union
60-62 Clapham Road
London
SW9 0JJ

Tutors: Sue Walker and Muriel McClymont

Effective interview and presentation skills - whether at a formal interview or a chance meeting where there might be work at the end of it – are essential. Some find the thought of self-presentation terrifying! Others find it easier. Whatever you feel, you can always do better.

---

 

Apply Online by Oct 28, 2013

 

---

Workshop Content

This one-day workshop is designed to give practical advice and support to help you improve how you demonstrate your many skills and abilities to a potential employer, through both what you say and how you say it. It covers:

• How to prepare effectively
• How to get your message across
• How to respond to difficult questions or challenging scenarios
• How to match your skills to the opportunity
• How to positively use your voice and body language
• How to confidently present yourself and your experience

We offer lots of practice, advice and mock interviews/meetings (you define the situation that will be most helpful to you). You will receive constructive feedback, and get the chance to test-drive new responses to your dreaded questions or scenarios.

Who should attend?

Anyone who needs to present themselves effectively with the aim of making the most of every face-to-face opportunity to get more work.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the workshop, you will:

• have gained a clearer understanding of how you come across in person and how to improve this
• have practiced and received constructive feedback on the effectiveness of your interview or presentation technique
• understand what you need to do to maximise the impact you make
• know how to prepare for an interview so that you feel informed, confident and as relaxed as possible
• be better prepared for challenging questions or scenarios – and know how you can use them to your advantage
• have an action plan for your next steps.

How to Apply

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Oct 28. 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. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Oct 29.

Further enquiries
E: [email protected]
T: 07580 348726

Free workshop for members
Getting known to the right people

The date and time: Oct 25, 10.30am - 4.30pm

The venue:

The Crescent Theatre
Sheepcote Street
Birmingham
B16 8AE

Tutor: Louise Grainger

 

Apply Online by Oct 15

 

---

Workshop Content

To build a successful freelance career in the long term, you need to put considerable effort into marketing yourself and your work.

You need to get yourself and what you do known, as well as present what you do in the best possible light. This course will help you do just that and includes:

• What is marketing?
• Brand versus product
• Identifying your market
• Identifying your competition (including research techniques, SWOT & other useful matrices to use)
• Key messages and unique selling points and how to communicate these
• Key marketing tools and activities
• Action plan.

Who should attend?

Freelances working in the creative industries who wish to improve their marketing skills.

Qualifications

No formal qualifications are required, just a desire to learn new ways of building your reputation and career success.

Expected learning outcomes

• A better understanding of marketing and why it is important
• Knowledge of key marketing tools, activities and skills, including how to promote yourself and your work
• A better understanding of how to identify, target and communicate with potential clients.

Apply Online by Oct 15, 2013

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Oct 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 Oct 15. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Oct 17.

Further enquiries
E: [email protected]
T: 07580348726

Free workshops for members

The date and time: Oct 11, 11.00am-5pm

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

Tutor: Stuart Worthington

 

Apply online by Oct 2

 

---

Workshop content

Managing finances correctly and efficiently is an important issue for any freelance. This workshop will help you get to grips with key financial issues and to ensure that you don’t waste your hard-earned cash through ignorance. It includes:

Budgeting and money management

• Personal and business financial issues
• Short and long-term aims and objectives
• Covering overheads
• Project direct/variable costs
• Survival budgeting
• Break-even analysis
• Practical trading and cash flow forecasting
• Profit and loss calculation
• Pricing and costing
• Agent and agency commissions, credit and debt control.

Legal Entities and Business Vehicles

• Evaluating and explaining business status such as employment, self-employment and owner-management
• Key Contract differentials for performers and stage management
• The pros and cons
• Income streams
• Trading names
• "IR35"/agency tax status issues
• Other liabilities.

Working with HMRC

• Business registration
• Tax explained, including Capital Gains Tax, Income and Corporation taxes plus VAT
• Allowable business expenses
• Personal, investment and capital allowances, tax credits, pension premiums, vehicle benefits and mileage allowances
• National Insurance Contributions: Classes (1,2,3 and 4) and main social security benefits
• Tax returns, bands, rates and dates: how to calculate, minimise and when to make payments.

Business Administration

• Books and record-keeping – what, why and for how long.
• The 80/20 rule
• Staying in control of your business
• Maximising the potential of valuable support.

Who should attend

• Those freelances working in the creative industries who wish to get a better insight into how to manage their finances effectively.

Learning outcomes

• A clearer understanding of what financial issues you need to cover when working for yourself
• A clearer understanding of how to use management information to achieve your objectives.

Apply online by Oct 2

To apply for a place on this free session, fill in the short application form by Oct 2. 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 Oct 2. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Oct 3.

WHO’S AN FEU TRAINING MEMBER?

Equity, the Musicians’ Union, the National Union of Journalists and the Writers’ Guild are working together in this instance under the banner of ‘The Federation of Entertainment Unions’. This enables us to maximize resources to deliver skills development opportunities common to our multi-union members.

Our aim is to help the career progress of our freelance members through the recession and beyond by providing a range of free and low cost blended-learning opportunities.

It’s free to join the FEU Training website and there’s a variety of advice and information available to members. To register: go to www.feutraining.org.

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

Free workshop for members

The date and time: Oct 4, 11.30-5.30

The venue
Bristol Old Vic
King Street
Bristol
BS1 4ED

Managing your stress levels and getting organised are essential if you are to make the most of the freelance lifestyle. This workshop helps you recognise the typical signs of stress and stay in control.

 

Apply online by Sept 26

 

---

Workshop Content

This workshop will help you to spot the difference between ‘good stress’ and ‘bad stress’ with the aim of helping you to use stress positively while managing and controlling negative stress.

We’ll also look at tips and techniques to avoid the kind of stress traps that lie in wait for the unprepared freelance. Topics will include:

• What stress is
• Sign and symptoms (physical and emotional)
• The power of thought
• Getting organised
• Monitoring well-being
• Further resources.

Who should attend?

Freelances who want to have a better understanding of pitfalls and solutions to dealing with stress on a daily basis.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• understand how stress works and feel more comfortable discussing its effects
• identify early signs and symptoms, thereby aiding recovery
• develop strategies for monitoring stress and alleviating its effects
• become more organised to reduce stress
• know where to find further information and help.

Apply online by Sept 26

To apply for a place on this free, one-day workshop, fill in the short application form by Sept 26. 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. We will let you know if your application has been successful by Sept 27.

Tutor: David Thomas

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