Report on U3A Annual Conference Swansea 2008

The Conference was held at Swansea University, which is quite compact, and once we had found our way around, we soon got our bearings. Fulton House, the headquarters of the varsity had excellent reception & canteen facilities, and the staff all looked after us very well. Opportunities for meeting and discussing with other people. Social arrangements were made for those attending all 4 days, but many of us attended from 2pm on Sunday 7 Sept. to 1pm on Tuesday 9 Sept., the duration of the actual conference and AGM. Swansea and other local U3As had put on excellent displays of their group activities in the huge hall where we had our teas and coffees. TAT had all their merchandise for sale, including DVDs for Computing for Beginners.

The conference opened with an excellent talk from Prof. Richard Davies, Vice Chancellor of Swansea University, and President of Swansea U3A. He told us that the physicists working on the ‘Black Hole’ had been at the university the previous week. The work of the university in conjunction with industry included the technology for the aero-engines made for Rolls Royce. They also train medical students, and a new PPF hospital is being built in Swansea, which will be able to cover all the diagnostic tests a patient may require in one day. They are naturally proud of their contact with industry and government. He also emphasised the common ideals of Academic Freedom, Sense of Unity and Enlightenment that the university and U3A share.

The rest of the afternoon was taken up with discussion groups, each of around 20, and we all had the same agenda to discuss. The title of the discussion was “The Complete University – a celebration of diversity”, and came under 4 headings. The relevant pages are included.

1 Education has been seen to be as central to the U3A movement since its beginning, and education is the aim stated in our Memorandum of Association. Are we drifting away from this towards the promotion of the well-being of older people in a wider sense?

1a: Do we still accept these descriptions?

The response to 1a.  Yes.

There was heavy emphasis on fun and enjoyment. The reasons for joining tend towards the social aspect. Socialising is part of U3A learning.

1b: Is diversity leading us away from serious learning?

The response to 1b was variety is essential in U3A. The need to stress the shear joy of still learning. Flexibility. Shared learning is better than ‘education’. U3As are generally not becoming solely social and welfare clubs, although as a member of a U3A, there was concern for the welfare of each member.

Learning rather than education is what happens in U3A. Education leads to fun and pleasure. The government is starting to accept U3A as education. Lunch clubs can ‘hook’ people into learning.

2. There are some unstated assumptions about the U3A movement, such as freedom of concience, freedom of speech, gender and racial equality, non allegiance to any political party, religion or narrow ideology etc. Is there a need for a statement?

The response to 2. Generally not required - keep away from making statements. There is a danger when someone tries to promote a political party or religion.

3. We are often seen to be white, educated, middle class and largely female. Does our aim of providing learning opportunities for those in the third age make this inevitable, so that we accept that we will not appeal to everyone, or are we inadvertently raising unhelpful barriers to others?

The response to 3 was ‘Birds of a feather stick together’, and ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’.

People of other ethnic groups will, in time either join existing U3As, or set up their own. There is no requirement by them of efforts for inclusion.

The U3A will evolve and other cultures may in the long term get involved.

4a: Does increasing membership disclose more gaps in our provision of activities? Our principles lead us to use available volunteers rather than employ tutors, so how can we recruit more and encourage them?

The response to 4a was to try to keep away from employing paid tutors, unless it was for an activity such as Tai Chi, where it is a requirement for the tutor to be of recognised qualification. Let them set up a group outside the U3A They can bring in problems with insurance etc.

Greater co-operation and sharing between U3As is to be encouraged.

AVOID BECOMING TOO PRESCRIPTIVE

4b: How do we ensure that U3As, associations of U3As, and individual members know that they are part of a movement as a whole, and are aware of and abide by the tenets of the U3A movement?

The response to 4b was inconclusive.

A reception was held in the evening, and after dinner we had a harp recital by the talented Bethan Hughes.

On Monday 8 September, we had another excellent talk on ‘The Future of Lifelong Learning’ by Danny Saunders, who is Professor of Lifelong Learning at Glamorgan University. He said poverty and unemployment also need to be tackled. In Wales, the subject of lifelong learning is now very important, due to devolution, and that lifelong learning has now been politicised in Wales, and they have a commissioner for older people as well as a commissioner for younger people. They have simplified the issue by dividing the population into 3 ages:

(i)                Compulsory learning, i.e.school.

(ii)              Employment and voluntary learning, i.e. universities and apprenticeships.

(iii)            Community and post-employment.

And consider the ages from 11 to 14 the demotivation years. He said we have to compare the loss of spelling and arithmetic in the young people with their skills at computing and texting!

Education can be generated by curiosity leading to problem solving, leading to control identity, leading to resilience; and concluded with Albert Einstein’s words: ‘Learning is not a product of schooling, but the lifelong attempt to acquire it’.

We then started the AGM.

The minutes for the 2007 AGM, Chairman's Report, Annual Report and Accounts, appointment of the Auditors, appointment of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Treasurer and Regional Trustees were all passed without contention. After much discussion, it was agreed that the Annual Capitation Fee be increased to £3.50, the payment due on the 1 April 2010, not as originally proposed, 2009.

Swansea U3A then laid on entertainment of some of Dylan Thomas's work, which was greatly enjoyed, and after dinner, we had a fantastic entertainment by the Morrison Phoenix Male Voice Quire. During their interval, the trustees gave a very amusing sketch.

Tuesday started with the feedback from the discussion groups, which I have already outlined, and this was followed by a rather weak talk by Peter Kingston, the Further Education Editor of the Guardian. It appeared he had not assessed his audience, and although he gave quite an amusing talk, it had little relevance to the conference. The questions really stretched his abilities to make sensible replies.

This was followed by a viewing of the TAT’s video of U3A, which we all found very dull and ageist! Another very good lunch, and then most of us made our way home.

                                                                 Rosemary Doel

                                                                 September 2008