Format

• 3 sessions × 3 hours each (delivered weekly)
• Hands-on practice with real business examples
• Interactive and collaborative – group exercises, design challenges, and peer feedback
• Resources included: templates, checklists, and Canva best-practice guides

 Session 1 – Canva Essentials & Design Principles

• Navigating Canva: dashboard, tools, free vs Pro features
• Working with templates the smart way (avoid generic designs)
• Design principles made simple: layout, spacing, colours, and fonts
• Exporting correctly for social media, print, and presentations
• Content Planning
• Introduction to Canva AI tools
• Guided Exercise: Create your first branded social media post

Takeaway: Confidence using Canva’s interface + first set of simple, polished designs.

Session 2 – Branding & Marketing Made Easy (with Presentations)

• Setting up the Brand Kit: logos, fonts, colours, imagery, brand templates
• Designing consistent marketing materials: social posts, stories, posters, presentations
• Printed and promotional product design
• Product mock-ups (using Canva’s SmartMockups)
• Deeper dive into Presentations: creating branded slides, using Magic Design for presentations, and recording with voiceover/video inside Canva
• Guided Exercise: Create a mini social media campaign (3 posts + 1 flyer) and draft a branded presentation

Takeaway: A ready-to-use branded social media campaign pack + the know-how to design, present, and record professional presentations without external tools.

 Session 3 – Advanced Canva & Real-World Projects (AI + Video)

• Collaboration & team workflows (comments, sharing, approvals)
• Introduction to working with Whiteboards
• Introduction to Canva Sheets (spreadsheets)
• Designing a simple website in Canva
• Canva’s AI tools: Magic Write for scripts, Magic Design for visuals, AI-generated images
• Intro to Canva video editing: trimming, captions, transitions, and background music
• Recording tools: creating a video pitch, explainer, or training directly in Canva
• Final Project: Create and present a branded campaign (poster + 3 social posts + 1 short animation/video/presentation)
• Peer showcase & Debbie’s feedback

Takeaway: Business-ready campaign assets + confidence using Canva’s advanced features, AI, and video/recording tools to produce real-world marketing materials.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Confidently use Canva to create professional, on-brand content
• Apply design principles to marketing and communications
• Save time with templates, brand kits, and repurposing strategies
• Design, present, and record branded presentations in Canva
• Leverage Canva AI tools, whiteboards, sheets, and video/animation features
• Leave with a complete mini-campaign tailored to their business

Why Debbie Ringwood?

Debbie is a Canva Certified Community Trainer, part of Canva’s global expert network. She specialises in making design simple, practical, and effective for SMEs and growing businesses, bringing a mix of creativity, technical expertise, and real-world business insight.