Free courses to help boost digital skills and provide pathways to employment are on offer thanks to a new partnership between Healthy Cornwall and Cornwall Council’s Digital Badges initiative.
The partnership will help residents across Cornwall develop, recognise and showcase key employability and wellbeing skills through a free, accessible digital badge programme.
It brings together Healthy Cornwall’s preventative health and wellbeing expertise with Cornwall Council’s new Digital Badges infrastructure, enabling participants to earn formally recognised digital badges for skills and achievements not always captured through traditional education routes.
Healthy Cornwall is offering free courses to people aged 16-25yrs that are not yet in, and are seeking employment, to increase their skill sets and improve employability for the future.
The new Digital Badges programme supports residents in Cornwall, giving them opportunities to build confidence, develop transferable skills and improve their employability prospects.
Badges recognise attributes such as teamwork, leadership potential, self-confidence and people skills – qualities that are highly valued by local employers.
Through the partnership, Healthy Cornwall is offering a series of Healthy Lifestyles Digital Badges, which can be achieved by taking part in a range of free wellbeing-focused training sessions, workshops and an initial health assessment.
Participants can collect and share their badges digitally via the My Skills Pass platform, making it easier to demonstrate skills on CVs, LinkedIn profiles and job applications.
Once learners earn five Healthy Lifestyles badges, they are awarded a Healthy Lifestyles Milestone Badge, signalling to employers that they have developed knowledge and skills that support both physical and mental wellbeing - for themselves and others.
Ally Green, Workforce and Training Team Lead for Healthy Cornwall said:
“This partnership with Cornwall Council’s Digital Badges initiative allows us to recognise the real-life skills and personal development that young people gain through our health and wellbeing programmes. Digital badges give participants something tangible to share with future employers, while reinforcing positive health behaviours.”
Cornwall Council’s Digital Badges Co-ordinator, Helen Palmer-Brown added:
“Digital badges are a powerful way to recognise learning beyond the classroom. Working with Healthy Cornwall ensures that young people in Cornwall can build both employability skills and wellbeing resilience, supporting long-term positive outcomes.”
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to reducing health inequalities, supporting economic participation and helping young people build confidence, resilience and recognised skills for the future.
Stacey Sleeman, Head of Growth & Skills at Cornwall Council, said: “I’m pleased that our investment in Digital Badges has resulted in the first badges from this Partnership.
"As we gain momentum, additional skills and employability digital badges will become available in Cornwall via our partners, acknowledging individual accomplishments and supporting pathways to work, learning and wellbeing.”
View the Digital Badges webpage
ENDS
Posted 12 May, 2026