U3A Explained - Nottinghamshire
2
U3A explained Nottinghamshire U3A beginnings France Founded in 1972 at Toulouse as l’Université du Troisième Age (UTA) Each UTA was attached to a university U3A in the UK In February 1981, Peter Laslett, a Cambridge academic, hosted a conference to discuss the possibility of bringing U3A to Britain Eric Midwinter had told him, “Forget children and youth, old age is the coming subject” UK 1981 People were living longer than ever before People were living healthier lives People had higher expectations 1981 was the year when the Attlee settlement was threatened In January, the Forum on the Rights of Elderly People (FREE) was held Why University? A straight translation of the French title where the university link was important University is used in its original sense of people coming together to learn not in its academic sense Approach to learning The French model of guidance was not followed in the UK Learning for pleasure No accreditation or validation No assessments or qualifications to be gained Why the Third Age? Laslett divided life into three ages of learning: First : school, college, university Second : work where skills are learned Third : when people learn whatever they want U3As must: Be self governing and autonomous Be open to all Third Agers Have an educational purpose in the broadest sense Be democratically run within a national framework U3A structure in the UK Third Age Trust and the National Executive Regional organisations County Networks Neighbourhood Groups Individual autonomous U3As Page 1
description
How Mansfield U3A fits into the national U3A structure. http://www.mansfield-u3a.org.uk/
Transcript of U3A Explained - Nottinghamshire
U3A explained Nottinghamshire U3A beginnings France
Founded in 1972 at Toulouse as l’Université du Troisième Age (UTA) Each UTA was attached to a university
U3A in the UK
In February 1981, Peter Laslett, a Cambridge academic, hosted a conference to discuss the possibility of bringing U3A to Britain
Eric Midwinter had told him, “Forget children and youth, old age is the coming subject”
UK 1981
People were living longer than ever before People were living healthier lives People had higher expectations 1981 was the year when the Attlee settlement was threatened In January, the Forum on the Rights of Elderly People (FREE) was held
Why University?
A straight translation of the French title where the university link was important University is used in its original sense of people coming together to learn not in its academic sense
Approach to learning
The French model of guidance was not followed in the UK Learning for pleasure No accreditation or validation No assessments or qualifications to be gained
Why the Third Age?Laslett divided life into three ages of learning: First : school, college, university Second : work where skills are learned Third : when people learn whatever they want
U3As must:
Be self governing and autonomous Be open to all Third Agers Have an educational purpose in the broadest sense Be democratically run within a national framework
U3A structure in the UK
Third Age Trust and the National Executive Regional organisations County Networks Neighbourhood Groups Individual autonomous U3As
Page 1
U3A explained Nottinghamshire Your U3A
Is one of the autonomous U3As in the:o Nottinghamshire County Networko East Midlands Region
Neighbourhood GroupsThere is currently only one Neighbourhood Group in North Nottinghamshire but smaller clusters of U3As are currently being formed in the south of the county. These are informal groupings which allow U3As near to each other to keep in touch and share ideas.
County Networks Each County in a Region forms a County Network Our network is known as The U3A Nottinghamshire County Network Each Network has a Chairman, Secretary, County Contact and Treasurer as well as a Regional
Representative A Constitution gives guidance on the structure and activities of each network
Role of the County Networks To help further the principles, aims and activities of U3A in the UK To carry out Roles and Functions agreed by the Association of East Midlands U3A for County
Networks, in particular: To provide a discussion forum for U3As in the Network To help develop new U3As in the County To enable U3As to initiate cooperative ventures. To support the Regional Trustee
Regional organisation The UK is divided into government regions which form U3A’s regional organisations We are part of the East Midlands Region which comprises:
o Derbyshireo Leicestershire and Rutlando Lincolnshireo Northamptonshireo Nottinghamshire
What is the Third Age Trust? The national representative body for more than 800 U3As in the UK A registered company and a registered charity The members of the Board of Directors, the National Executive Committee (NEC), are also its
trustees They administer the Trust in accordance with its Articles and Memorandum of Association
NEC and Trust Administration NEC manages the business of the Trust for the benefits of the membership It meets as a full committee for 2 days every 2 months There are 3 main sub-committees:
o Standing Committee for Educationo Development Sub-Committeeo Finance & Government Committee
How the Trust is financedAll day-to-day expenditure is met from:
the per capita membership subscription merchandise sales advertising revenue a Friends of U3A scheme
Page 2
