November 2022
All the Latest News for Victorian U3As
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How quickly this year has gone! It’s almost the end of the U3A year and time for concerts, celebration lunches and enrolments for 2023. At Network we have been reflecting on the year as we finalise our Strategic Plan and our Work plans for the next 6 - 12 months. You’ll hear more about these at the Members Council meeting on 16 November.
Today I’d like to reflect on two events that talk to the U3A ethos and spirit.
Floods update
With such devastating floods across our state we Victorians too are seeing the impact of La Nina that much of the east coast of Australia has seen this year. U3A Network Victoria is aware that many members of U3As are either directly affected by these floods or their friends, families and communities are. Members of the Network Committee and staff members will be contacting U3As who have been affected from early November.
In response to our letter last week we received the following email from U3A Kerang giving a first-hand account that I thought might be of interest to all:
Thank you so much for your empathy towards the situation we find ourselves in Kerang regarding the floods. Fortunately, we in the town are staying dry due to the hard work of so many people protecting the levee banks around the town and our power station. However, those beyond the levees are not so fortunate. Road closures have isolated Kerang town, but so far all our necessities are being met. This situation will remain until the waters of the Loddon River can find a way into the swollen Murray River after crossing the farmland in between.
The U3A Kerang and District Inc. is continuing to hold activities where we are able, to maintain morale and alleviate loneliness. Some of our venues have been needed by Emergency Services,
but we have managed to continue with some of our program. Unfortunately, several of our Out and About Excursions have had to be cancelled and our Community Concert is now postponed
until happier times.
Of course, some of the members of U3A Kerang and District Inc. are in outlying areas and so are unable to be with us. Thankyou for the support contacts. I have passed them on to the Committee Members. Julie Hall (Sec)
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U3A Kyneton visit
I was very happy to be able to attend U3A Kyneton’s Tutor Day on Friday, 21 October. I think of these events as a class – an opportunity to learn, share ideas, listen to what’s happening in a U3A in a social environment. Nellie Collier, our Education Program Manager, made a presentation about the work she is doing to assist U3As grow the number of tutors and classes they can offer. You’ll be able to hear more about the work Nellie is leading at the next Members Council meeting!
Anne Grigg
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This is the list of the events and workshops which will be held by Network in the lead up to the end of 2022.
Wednesday, 9 November 2022 at 10:00 am - 11:00 am
It How To... Create a Questionnaire Using Microsoft Forms
Monday, 14 November 2022 at 1:30 pm
Click on the link to join the meeting:
https://u3anetworkvictoria.zoom.us/j/86318524223?pwd=aklNUXhMMFZBV0pPTVczK1pvcmcxQT09
Members Council
Wednesday, 16 November 2022 at 10:00 am
Please note that you must register in advance for this meeting:
https://u3anetworkvictoria.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0of-uoqzotHdSDDZXzOfU5cW1q6S3rOMIr
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Website Template Workshop
Friday, 25 November 2022, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
How to Use Mailchimp
Monday, 28 November 2022, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Please note that you must register in advance for this meeting:
https://u3anetworkvictoria.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkd-GtrTgoEtPkKuG98mZLQiHQ60w2RwQm
Network Office Closes for the End of Year
Friday, 16 December 2022 at 5:00 pm
Network Office Opens for the New Year
Monday, 16 January 2023 at 9:00 am
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Network Office End of Year Closure
Network Office will be closed from 5:00 pm on Friday, 16 December and will reopen on Monday, 16 January 2023 at 9:00 am.
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Network Partners with nbn for Scams Awareness Week
U3A Network Victoria in partnership with nbn, as part of Scams Awareness Week, will be hosting a online presentation via Zoom on Tuesday, 8 November at 3:00 pm.
The presentation is timely and relevant considering the recent cyber attacks on major Australian corporations.
Join this 90-minute session to learn how to identify a scam and protect yourself from becoming a victim.
The session will be presented by Rebecca Moonen, Security and Privacy Cyber Safety Outreach Manager, nbn.
Network encourages you and all your members to attend as this will be an informative and opportune session. Please note that you must register in advance to be able to attend this session:
https://u3anetworkvictoria.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItcuGvqzgpGtJaAhqiNCnqMDnXd2zu53lY
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
More details about this event and its presenter can be found here on Network's website.
Further details about Scams Awareness Week may be found at the following link.
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/news-alerts/scams-awareness-week-2022
Please contact Chris Charalambous for more information.
tpm@u3avictoria.org.au
03 7067 8713
NBN and other NBN logos and brands are trade marks of NBN Co Limited and used under licence.
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The last Council meeting for 2022 will be held on Wednesday, 16 November 2022 at 10:00 am. Please click here to register to participate in the meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The agenda and proxy form can be accessed here.
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Tutor Excellence Awards to Go Ahead in 2023
Many, many U3A-ers have viewed the winners of the 2022 Tutor Excellence Awards, announced at the September Annual General Meeting and posted on the Network Website here. Network’s Working Group on the Awards has reviewed these inaugural program, feedback from U3As, and has planned terms and conditions for next year’s program.
The 2023 awards procedure will be simpler, and more effort will be made to involve regional U3As and other segments not represented in the first year. Timeline and conditions for the 2023 awards will be announced in March next year at the Members Council.
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Network supports U3A members to have a go at running a new class at their U3A by providing guides to popular U3A courses. These course guides have step-by step instructions on how to run the class, including discussions, slides and links to resources. Mentoring, including demonstration of activities and teaching tips, is also available to Members wanting to run the course at their U3A next year.
Mentoring programs will be run in May for the following course guides:
- Understanding Friendship in Later Life
- Scribblers (art)
- First Nations
- Curious About Science
If there is someone at your U3A who might like to participate in course guide mentoring in May, they can register their interest at https://forms.office.com/r/xT487dNWdK
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Bendigo Conference Invites Ideas
The 2022 Network State Conference, hosted by U3A Bendigo on 2 - 4 October, offered 150 participants an opportunity to share their ideas and hopes for the future of our movement. The conference was opened on Sunday by Bendigo Mayor, Cr Andrea Metcalf, and Commissioner for Senior Victorians, Gerard Mansour, gave the keynote address.
Conference Chair, Cheryl Hardie, President of U3A Bendigo, thanked her team for persevering during the handicaps of COVID and lockdowns. Network Victoria President Annie Grigg thanked all participants for celebrating a return to face to face interactivity with the Building Back Better program.
The conference went through three strategic planning sessions based on the unique Systemics methodology pioneered by Australian senior Bruce McKenzie. He noted to the conference, “Systemics is a different mode of thinking, essential to the complex issues we are facing in the 21st Century. Adopting a systemics approach allows organisations to navigate uncertainty, build resilience collaboratively, and foster innovation.”
The conference examined such themes as –
- The role of U3As in the 2020s
- The ideal U3A
- Why is a network of U3As better than stand-alone U3As
- How can a volunteer group like a U3A resource its activities
- What will make U3As relevant in the next decade
Results of these sessions are still being compiled and will be made available to the Network strategic planning team currently working on Network's 2023 - 2026 Strategic Plan. One popular idea was the 'The Nomadic Tutor' where U3A tutors travelling the continent on holiday might arrange before the trip to offer their classes to U3As in the areas they visit.
Image by Mary Goodall of Glen Wall (U3A Network Victoria), Rhonda Watson, Annie Grigg (President, U3A Network Victoria), Cheryl Hardie (President, U3A Bendigo) and Gerard Mansour (Commissioner for Senior Victorians)
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How to Claim Your Conference Travel Reimbursement
A travel subsidy can be claimed for members who attended the U3A State Conference in October. Please note the following:
- The travel subsidy is available for one car per U3A, for either a tank of petrol or 50c per kilometre, whichever is the lesser amount
- Representatives from U3As who attended the conference should claim the travel subsidy from their own U3A.
- The U3A is then reimbursed for one car from the regional grant funds, the guidelines and form for U3As to use for this is here.
As the persons attending conference should claim from their own U3A in the first instance, the regional bankers should only reimburse funds into a U3A bank account, not into a personal bank account.
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New Private Facebook Group For Art Tutors
Art at U3A
Network has launched a new closed Facebook group for those leading art classes to chat with other art tutors and share ideas and class resources. Any U3A member interested in art is also welcome to join. The group is called Art at U3A and the link for the group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/4529139190518157
(Zen) Tangle Workshop for Art Tutors
Thanks to Deb Borleis from U3A Indigo, for running a great workshop for art tutors on how to teach (Zen) Tangles. Deb’s a member of the Art at U3A group, where you can chat with her about teaching Zen Tangles.
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Topic for the Next IT How To... Announced
IT How To
'IT How To…' monthly drop-in classes assist participants to navigate their way around their digital devices, such as smart phones and laptops, by taking a step-by-step look at one topic at a time.
The last IT How To workshop for 2022 is:
How to create a questionnaire using Microsoft forms
Monday, 14 November at 1:30 pm via Zoom.
Click the link for the workshop at the time of the session to join in:
https://u3anetworkvictoria.zoom.us/j/86318524223?pwd=aklNUXhMMFZBV0pPTVczK1pvcmcxQT09
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Reminder: Course Coordinators Catch Up Group
The Course Coordinators Catch Up closed Facebook group is for any member of a course coordination team or social media representative. To join the Facebook group, select the link below and select 'Join' in the top right area under the photo. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2954054738242155
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Contact Us
Network News Editor - Tracey Swadling
naom@u3avictoria.org.au | (03) 9614 2207
President - Anne Grigg
info@u3avictoria.org.au | 0408 638 151
Secretary - Neil Head
info@u3avictoria.org.au | (03) 9670 3659
Member Services Manager - Martina Ryan
msm@u3avictoria.org.au | (03) 9614 2657
Education Project Manager - Nellie Collier
epm@u3avictoria.org.au | (03) 9602 2033
Technology Project Manager - Chris Charalambous
tpm@u3avictoria.org.au | (03) 7067 8713
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