Learning a new skill on your days off can be a lot more fun than you think, writes Dionne Christian.
Go to school at the weekend?
The very thought is enough to make some - kids and adults alike - break out in a cold sweat.
But more of us are doing just that to learn new skills or brush up on existing ones, either to launch into new careers or because we love learning.
Weekend courses and classes are surprisingly popular during the winter months when the temptation to hibernate on week nights is greatest and the weather too cold or wet for other activities.
Council-run and independent arts centres, universities, schools, private education providers, cultural organisations, environmental groups and even Auckland Zoo offer the chance to spend Saturdays and Sundays getting educated.
The Chinese New Settlers Services Trust (CNSST) has served the Chinese community since 1998. Among its many services, it runs community education programmes for around 12,000 Asian New Zealanders each year.
Its Weekend Cultural Programme was an early introduction and helps children and adults maintain their culture as well as learning about life in New Zealand. The first Community Education Centre (CEC) was set up in Manukau City, offering Chinese language and art classes for children and English for seniors.
There are now eight CECs throughout Auckland and one in Wellington. Three full-time staff, 16 part-timers, 80 contracted tutors and 20 volunteers run courses and classes, many on the weekends, in subjects such as Chinese language, New Zealand culture, English grammar and writing, art and painting, mathematics, science, keyboard skills, kung fu, yoga, dancing, tai chi and international chess.
Performance groups including the CNSST Youth Choir and a Chinese Fashion Show Team have arisen from the classes while they've led to gold medal success for some young students.
Yucheng (Miles) Li is a chess champion after taking lessons through the Weekend Cultural Programme run through the CNSST's Onehunga Branch. As part of a four strong team, the 12-year-old Auckland Normal Intermediate School pupil won a Gold Medal at the New Zealand Chess Interschool Championships last year.
Operations manager Gloria Gao says the course rates are affordable and local people of all ages are welcome to attend the weekend cultural programmes.
Some weekend classes are quite literally hands-on.
When I developed an interest in health and wellbeing, I enrolled at the New Zealand College of Massage for a two-day introductory course one weekend. The Introduction to Massage course was ideal for discovering what massage was about, giving and - better still - receiving a massage supervised by experienced teachers.
It taught basic massage strokes and sequences, the principles behind massage and safety procedures. I liked it so much, I completed a full Diploma of Aromatherapy from the college - most of it done during weekends - over two years.
While it was intense, it was also very rewarding. Like many people, I wasn't in a position to give up work and study fulltime so the option of weekend courses was perfect. Though I never branched into a new career, I use the skills learned through my diploma every day.
NZCM marketing manager Cherry Li says the college offers an extensive weekend programme so working people can gain new qualifications, for personal satisfaction or career change, without taking time off work. The most popular courses are the introductory massage ones as well as aromatherapy, facial massage and reflexology.
The University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education is one of the biggest providers of open entry classes and courses for adults. It runs around 350 each year, a number of which are on weekends.
Programme manager Libby Passau says the courses can offer an opportunity for those curious about university to "dip their toe" in and experience what attending lectures and classes may be like.
There is an eclectic range of weekend courses in subjects like life drawing, photography, poetry, on-line book publishing and creative writing alongside personal development, health and well-being classes. Some of the highest demand is for computing and IT classes, such as Introduction to Web Design.
"This is a perfect course if you're running a small business and want to learn more so you can set up your own website," says Passau. "It means you don't have to take time away from the office during the week."
Then there are classes, such as this winter's Voyage en France, which allow armchair and intending travellers to do a virtual tour of countries they dream of visiting. For those on a budget or without leave owing, it could be the perfect winter escape.
Learning or improving one's photography skills is often high on the priority list of intending travellers. While a number of places run photography courses, one of the most unique is at Auckland Zoo.
Former zoo curator, veterinarian and photographer Graham Meadows has joined forces with zoologist, photographer and African safari tour leader Claire Vial to teach people to use their digital cameras like professionals.
Sue Dell, Auckland Zoo's team leader for experience and membership packages, took the course so she could better advise intending participants but also to learn more about her camera.
"I don't have a flash camera at all; just a very basic point and click but I learned so much that has enhanced my photography."
Each course starts in the classroom learning about the camera, its settings and what you need to compose professional photos. Then participants head out into the wild, so to speak, and practise what they've learned by taking pictures of the zoo animals.
Dell says there's a chance to do more advanced workshops, for example learning about Photoshop, and the courses make great gifts for spouses and family members. So far they're only available for adults, but the zoo is looking at kids' classes in future.
If spending the weekend in a classroom setting doesn't appeal, there are opportunities for outdoor education.
A bush walk, run on the North Shore by Margi Keys, could be the ticket if you want to learn more about native flora and fauna. Keys guides walkers into quiet corners of the North Shore's extensive urban bush reserves and helps them identify common New Zealand native trees, plants, flowers and pest plants.
Each walk is about two hours long and the pace is slower than tramping.
"You don't have to be super-fit to take part. Bush Walk and Talk (BWT) is not an exercise programme and cardiovascular fitness is not the aim. However, for those who like walking in the bush, participants enjoy like-minded company and learn about the local plants and wildlife at the same time."
The walks go ahead rain or shine so participants must come prepared for any weather.
The next Bush Walk and Talk is tomorrow in Centennial Park, Campbells Bay, followed, on Sunday July 3 by a visit to Kauri Park in Birkenhead. This is one of the largest local bush reserves at 10.65 hectares. Much of it is dense bush with hundreds of mature kauri. In winter, masses of green-hooded orchids flower there.
Since February 2010, BWT has been largely offered by the Kaipatiki Project which aims to inspire communities to live sustainably. It, too, runs a number of weekend workshops including composting and worm farming.
In west Auckland, the Sustainable Living Centre in New Lynn was set up to increase environmental awareness and, as the name suggests, teach sustainable living practices.
Family groups are welcome - as long as the kids don't disturb other participants - to learn more about edible gardening, urban chooks, ecobuilding and green architecture, rainwater harvesting - particularly over summer - and solar hot water systems.
On July 16, our own Justin Newcombe teaches a practical two-hour workshop looking at how to build stylish structures for climbing edibles and ornamentals.
Later that month, Seasonal Pulse takes place. That class is billed as one that takes edible gardening to a whole new level, catering for people with lifestyle blocks who don't know what to do with them.
Adult community education classes across Auckland faced their greatest threat when the Government cut around $13 million in funding for the courses two years ago. A number of secondary schools run continuing education classes and though many have made cutbacks, they have "soldiered on" by adopting various methods to stay viable.
While course costs have increased, providers have tried hard to keep these to a minimum. Some schools, like Rutherford College and Massey High School in west Auckland, have joined forces to provide continuing education programmes.
Continuing education providers have always listened closely to community feedback, but that's become more important than ever in determining what courses are scheduled and when.
Fact file:
Auckland Zoo
Ph (09) 360 4700, zoom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. The next photography workshop is July 17.
The Chinese New Settlers Services Trust (CNSST)
Ph (09) 570 1188 or 0800ASIANS (0800 274 267), info@cnsst.org.nz.
New Zealand College of Massage (NZCM)
Ph (09) 522 5522, info@massagecollege.ac.nz.
The University of Auckland Centre for Continuing Education
Ph 0800 864 266.
The Sustainable Living Centre and Trusts Eco House
Ph (09) 826 0555, slc@ecomatters.org.nz. For more on Auckland Council arts centres click here.
Discovery Walks
makeys@nettel.net.nz.
Some of the biggest providers are:
Rutherford College
Ph: (09) 834 4099
Email: commed@rutherford.school.nz
Website: westaucklandcomed.co.nz
Massey High School
Ph: (09) 833 9124
Email: nlazzari@masseyhigh.school.nz
Website: westaucklandcomed.co.nz
Selwyn College Community Education
Ph: (09) 521 9623
Email: info@selwyncomed.school.nz
Website: selwyncomed.school.nz
Edgewater College
Ph: (09) 576 4731
Email: ecep-admin@edgewater.school.nz
Website: shortcoursesandworkshops.co.nz
Aorere College
Ph: (09) 278 5608, ext 708
Website: aorere.ac.nz
Northcote College
Ph: (09) 481 0144
Email: info@learn4life.co.nz
Website: learn4life.co.nz
