In person · 12 weeks
Reconnect through learning, culture and community
Light of Hope Foundation’s free 12-week community re-engagement course.
Courses
Learn, talk and share ideas
Short, discussion-based courses in food knowledge, garden planning, communication and culture.
Main courses
Read online · Theory and discussion
Social skills and connection
Everyday social skills, written with people living with psychosocial disability in mind, and open to everyone.
How these courses work
These apply to every course in the library. Each one is here in full to read, discuss and print.
- We talk, teach and share ideas. Participants don’t prepare food or use garden tools or kitchen equipment in these courses.
- Where a course touches on food safety or health and safety, it draws on official Australian guidance, linked on the course page.
- Every course states what participants should be able to describe, explain or plan by the end.
- These courses are not accredited or nationally recognised training. They don’t lead to a qualification, or to a food handler or food safety supervisor certificate.
- Joining in and sharing are always your choice. No one has to discuss personal history or trauma to take part.
Food and kitchen knowledge
How food is chosen, kept clean and stored — explained with official guidance.
- 01
Food safety foundations
Why food safety matters, and where Australia’s official guidance comes from. - 02
Choosing food
What to look for when choosing and buying food. - 03
Handwashing and personal hygiene
Why hygiene matters around food, and what official guidance for food handlers covers. - 04
Understanding cross-contamination
How germs and allergens can move between foods, surfaces and hands. - 05
Storing food and leftovers
How official guidance approaches storing food, from the fridge to the pantry. - 06
Food allergy awareness
An introduction to food allergies and intolerances, and why ingredient information matters. - 07
Food at community events
What community groups consider when food is part of a fundraiser or event in Victoria.
Garden planning
Planning a garden on paper, on screen and in the imagination.
- 01
Planning a garden
The questions to ask and the choices to weigh before a garden begins. - 02
Choosing garden tools
Common garden tools, what each is for, and what to weigh up when choosing them. - 03
Visualising a garden
Imagining and designing a garden with sketches, maps and planning software. - 04
Seasons and planting calendars
How climate and season shape what can be grown, and how to read a planting guide. - 05
The olive grove
Olive trees through history, through the seasons and in culture. - 06
Gardening safety awareness
An introduction to what official Victorian guidance says about safety in the garden.
Life and communication
Talking, listening, speaking up and working with others.
- 01
Social skills and connection
Everyday social skills, written with people living with psychosocial disability in mind, and open to everyone. - 02
Everyday conversation
Starting, joining and ending conversations — and listening well. - 03
Speaking up for yourself
Expressing a preference, asking for help and making your views known. - 04
Personal boundaries
What boundaries are, how people express them, and respecting other people’s. - 05
Working in a group
Sharing ideas, taking turns and making decisions together. - 06
Getting ready to volunteer
What volunteering can look like, and the questions to ask before starting a role. - 07
Planning a journey
Working out how to get somewhere — maps, timetables and planning a trip.
Culture and storytelling
Stories, food, images and celebrations that carry culture and memory.
- 01
Telling your story, your way
How stories are shaped and shared — and choosing what, and whether, to share. - 02
Photography and storytelling
How photographs tell stories — and why permission matters. - 03
Food, memory and culture
How familiar dishes carry family, migration and celebration. - 04
Herbs, spices and olive oil
The history and cultural stories of herbs, spices and olive oil. - 05
Recording family recipes and stories
Ways to record and keep recipes, stories and memories for the future. - 06
Celebrations and cultural events
Why communities celebrate, and what makes an event welcoming.