We believe we achieve more together than alone. That’s why Battersea Academy brings people from organisations of all sizes – and from around the world – into one supportive space for practical, bite‑sized learning.
What is Battersea Academy?
Battersea Academy offers short, accessible learning opportunities designed to help you improve the welfare of the dogs and cats in your care, support your teams and strengthen your organisation.
Since launching in 2018, Battersea Academy has supported more than 1,200 staff and volunteers from 56 countries. Most of our learning opportunities are free, because cost should never be a barrier to improving animal welfare.
Who is it for?
Battersea Academy is open to anyone working or volunteering in a dog or cat shelter or rehoming organisation, anywhere in the world. You can join whether you’re new to the sector or have years of experience.
If you care for animals, support people or help your organisation run smoothly, you’ll find opportunities to strengthen your skills.
Why join Battersea Academy?
Our learning is designed to be practical, welcoming and easy to fit into your day. You’ll get:
- Bite‑sized sessions – most are two hours or less
- Flexible formats – online workshops, live webinars, and e‑learning
- Expert trainers – from Battersea and from organisations across the global animal welfare community
- Peer learning – connect with people who understand your challenges
- Real‑world tools – take away ideas you can use straight away
The knowledge I have gained directly benefits the dogs and our community in Bulgaria. By collaborating, I can take ideas back to my organisation.
What you’ll learn
Our sessions focus on three key areas that shape effective animal welfare work:
- Understanding behaviour, welfare and care to help every dog and cat thrive
- Building skills in communication, leadership and volunteer support
- Developing the systems, planning and fundraising skills that help your organisation thrive
How to get started
Joining Battersea Academy is simple:
- Create a free account – it takes only a few minutes
- Browse our opportunities – choose the topics that matter to you
- Book your sessions – join live or learn at your own pace
- Put your learning into practice – and share your experience with others
Our commitment to you
We’re here to help you feel confident, supported and connected. Every session is designed to be friendly, inclusive and grounded in real experience. We want you to leave each session with something useful – whether it’s a new skill, a fresh idea or a reminder that you’re not alone in this work.
More ways we support you
Tours for shelters
We offer tours for UK and international shelters, depending on the Battersea Academy team’s availability. If you’d like to visit, please give us at least three weeks’ notice and send your request to academy@battersea.org.uk.
Shelter Self‑Assessment Tool
If you want help spotting learning gaps in your shelter or rehoming organisation, you can download our Shelter Self‑Assessment Tool. By answering the questions and reflecting on different areas of your organisation, you’ll see which Battersea Academy sessions could support your teams.
You can download the tool once you create your account.
How we evaluate our impact
To help us keep improving, we ask attendees to complete a short survey after each session. This helps us understand what you found useful and where you’d like more support. We also run an annual survey for organisations, so we can see how Battersea Academy learning is helping across the whole sector.
