Training

LONDON FREELANCE Branch organises training courses for members - and this page is here to take you to what's on offer.

WE KNOW lockdown has been grim, costly and frustrating for many freelances. Now, as vaccinations against Covid 19 continue to roll out and pubs and theatres may get ready to reopen, it really looks like it could be lifting. So, what better time to sharpen up those skills and embrace new opportunities...

London Freelance Branch courses

The Branch organises Zoom sessions and is now taking bookings. See the latest offerings at the link below. Many courses are open to non-members as well - at, of course, a higher price than we charge members.

* London Freelance courses July 2021
Carbon Literacy courses - next 31/07/21

The Branch also holds meetings four times a year for members who are new to the NUJ or new to freelancing. These offer a chance to get acquainted with other new members and to meet members of the LFB Committee, including some more experienced freelance journalists who can offer informal advice. Please see the meetings calendar for dates and details.

NUJ courses

The NUJ centrally also offers courses: "professional training" that will help freelances and other journalists do our jobs better and "trade union training", largely to help us organise, but with wider scope. Please see both the links below for the latest in the NUJ calendar.

Professional training courses include "First Steps in Freelancing" and "Winning and negotiating freelance work", both one-day events led by SA Mathieson.

* NUJ Professional Training current
* NUJ Trade Union Training current

External courses

The Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU) Training initiative continues to offer a digital learning centre, which contains several learning tutorials and webinars:

  • Acting for Equality and Diversity
  • Blogging for creative freelances
  • Building your brand
  • Building your web presence
  • Creative productivity
  • Diversify your portfolio
  • Finance for freelances
  • Marketing for freelances
  • Negotiation for freelances
  • Overcoming freelance challenges
  • Running a social media campaign

The Centre for Investigative Journalism offers an annual summer event including much training, and some other courses. You can also access video recordings of recent CIJ talks and sessions for free.

Please also check the Freelance for news of other events.

What can we offer?

Part of the point of London Freelance Branch organising training has always been that we can experiment with innovations that others might want to take up. Please contact the Branch Training Officers with your suggestions for courses that we might offer.

To aid your inspiration, we link below to some of our recent training announcements:

* London Freelance courses June 2021
'An Introduction to WordPress' 24/06/21
* London Freelance courses May 2021
* London Freelance courses April 2021
* London Freelance courses March 2021
* London Freelance courses February 2021
* London Freelance courses January 2021
* London Freelance courses December 2020
* London Freelance courses October 2020
* London Freelance courses August 2020
* London Freelance courses July 2020
* London Freelance courses June 2020
* London Freelance courses April 2020
* London Freelance courses May 2020
* London Freelance courses March 2020