News Archive

This will mean that it will be necessary to be a Member of U3A Online to be able to access any courses.

This will apply no matter where you live.

For information about the changes, and how it will affect you, please go to http://u3a.rossini.id.au/u3aol.html where you will find a downloadable document with all the answers.

From this site you will also be able to link to an additional page with information about the exciting plans we have for the future for our Members and also to the forward plan for the Courses with a Course Leader.

We are really excited about this change and the benefits is will provide for you all, but particularly for the IOPs for whom U3A online was especially established.

PLEASE NOTE:

On the 1^st July Griffith University will need a small outage of the live system to assign current memberships to existing members. We advise there will be an outage from 8am to 10am and then the new site will be available after that.

We thank you for your patience during this changeover period!

Can you write clever limericks and/or haiku?

This competition is open to all U3A members in Australia and New Zealand.

Get a group together at your U3A to practice writing limericks and haiku.

 Closing date: 29 June 2008: Results announced September 2008.

Prizes: A$50 to the authors of the 3 best limericks and the 3 best haiku.

A selection of the best limericks and haiku will be published in book form after the competition has closed: books will be available for purchase at $10 (incl p+p) each, from October 2008.   A great idea for Christmas presents!

For more information contact Ainslie Lamb at ainslie@uow.edu.au

• Be supportive of the Queensland Cancer Fund´s prevention and early detection guidelines
• Have good oral and communication skills
• Have good organisational and planning skills
• Access to private transport and telephone
• Available for training
• Be reliable
• Have neat and tidy presentation, and
• Live in the Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Gympie, Sunshine Coast areas.

PRESS RELEASE

IN SEARCH OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE

Between 1788 and 1900, thousands of Chinese, Italians, French, Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Indians, West Indians, Lebanese, Melanesians, Polynesians, Portuguese, Spanish, Afghans, Hungarians, Maltese, Finns, Americans, Scots, Irish, Cornish and English immigrated to Australia bringing with them an abundance of cultural and ethnic diversity.

Our culture includes our background, traditions, customs - our very way of life.

The Afghans introduced camels to the outback and transported badly needed supplies to the early stations. Today, the descendants of those original camels take part in the Birdsville races - seen as part of our modern culture.

Sheep and wool are part of our culture. Merino sheep were brought to the fledgling colonies in Australia and were developed by the Macarthurs to become the backbone of Australia's wealth well into the 20th century.

German immigrants farmed the land and introduced an ethos of hard work The Scots brought their bagpipes and the Chinese their opium.

'What we are today is a combination of our history, our past,' said Kay Ryan, publicity co-ordinator for the Family & Local History Fair to be held on 30 May 2004.

'It is this search for our present identity that has inspired the theme of the 4th biennial Fair to be held on 30 May 2004 at Mt Gravatt Showgrounds - Our Cultural Heritage,' she said.

'With the workshops and seminars running on a parallel timeframe, and the inclusion of entertainment to reflect our cultural diversity, it is expected this Fair will be the best yet.

'Each entrant will receive a free sample bag of goodies and have the opportunity of participating in our major prize draw, sponsored by Scot's, the magazine with everything Scottish,' Ms Ryan said.

The Fair commences at 9.00 am at Mt Gravatt Showgrounds, 1644 Logan Road, Mt Gravatt. Fair goers will be able to participate in workshops and seminars covering such diverse topics as Irish, German and Chinese cultures, murder trails, genealogy, cemetery networks and computer programs for family historians.

There will be over 50 stalls and displays from a wide range of historical, genealogical and heritage groups from all over Queensland, books, computer software, assistance, free entertainment, refreshment and food all day.

Join in the fun and find your cultural heritage at the Family and Local History Fair. Admission: pre-paid discounted tickets $5.50 or $8.80 at the gate. Enquiries: Beryl Phone/Fax 07 3344 2008.

Can't get to the Fair and live in the Toowoomba/Darling Downs area? QALFHS has organised a bus to the Fair departing Oakey (Kerrytown Shopping Centre Car Park) at 7.30 am, and Toowoomba (Neil Street Bus Interchange) at 8.00 am on 30 May 2004. Cost is $20.00 which includes return bus fare and entry to the 4th Biennial Family & Local History Fair at Mt Gravatt Showgrounds. The bus will depart the Fair at 3.00 pm, arriving Toowoomba 5.00 pm and Oakey 5.30 pm. Bookings with Kay Ryan on 4638 4111 after 6 pm weekdays or all day on weekends. Only 25 seats available so book now to avoid disappointment. See you at the Fair!

Co-ordinated by Queensland Association of Local and Family History Societies Inc

Sponsored by - QALFHS

Link: http://www.qalfhs.org.au

Rosemary Macfarlane (26th October, 2003)

We have moved! Moncrieff U3A North Gold Coast Inc has moved to its new premises in Sports Drive, Runaway Bay, and the new comp[lex will be opened by Cr Alan Rickard at 10am on Saturday 1st November 2003. All welcome, to come and see our fabulous new classroom and computer room. Please join us for the celebration. Telephone and email unchanged.

J McD (9th September, 2003)

U3A Sunshine Coast announces their 2004 International Conference, to be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Dates: 26 -29 September 2004.
Daily Themes: Technology, Travel, The Arts

More info. at their website, below, or Email info@conferenceu3asc.com

Link: http://www.conferenceu3asc.com

COTA (1st August, 2003)

A First for Australia !

OLDER AUSTRALIANS INTERNET SURVEY PANEL

Council on the Ageing (NSW) has established Australia's first-ever seniors Internet panel, to undertake online surveys on issues of interest to older people. There are some 700 members from all States of Australia.

If you are over 50 and are online or have access to a computer, you are invited to join the panel, which is free and without any obligation, completely confidential and thoroughly enjoyable. This is a unique opportunity to express your views on a wide range of matters.

COTA (NSW) is assisted in this project by a market research company, Decisions Research. Decisions are well-experienced in online research and maintain specialist panels in a variety of areas.

Joining the panel is quick and simple. You just click on: www.decisionsresearch.com.au/consumer/oairp/ and follow the instructions to register. (If you experience any technical difficulties, call (02) 9310 8142). Personal information provided by you when you register is confidential. It cannot be passed to any other person or organisation. Your privacy and anonymity is guaranteed, in accordance with the Privacy Act. Responses to surveys are aggregated anonymously.

When a survey is to be undertaken, we email you and invite you to participate. Participation in the surveys is voluntary. Surveys generally take about 12 minutes to complete. Your responses will help us to formulate policies to take to Government. The results of policy surveys will be published on our website.

We also undertake commercial surveys. These are for government departments and private corporations. Since COTA (NSW) is a charity, we rely on sponsorship and income generation to raise funds for our many programs and services to older people and to subsidise membership fees, as well as to pay for setting up and managing the panel.

We hope you will join the panel - the surveys are interesting and fun and importantly, you will be assisting COTA to represent your interests and to undertake important programs. For more information, email mres@cotansw.com.au or call (02)9286 3860.

Neil Tucker Rodney Sheaves
Executive Director Corporate Services Manager

Link: http://www.decisionsresearch.com.au/consumer/oairp/

Stepfamily Association of Victoria Inc. (7th July, 2003)

The Stepfamily Assoc. of Victoria (SAVI) announces the creation of a new online support group. Stepfamily Association of Victoria Inc.-GRANDPARENTS group. This group is for both 'step' grandparents and 'biological' grandparents to share 'stepfamily' issues, experiences, support and wisdom. Your daughter or son may be part of a stepfamily. Alternatively your grandchildren could now be part of a stepfamily. Whatever the case, it generally means changes and adjustments, not to mention, mixed emotions. Talk to others with simiar experiences. This group is still in planning stages but please subscribe and register your interest. For more information, contact SAVI Online Project Worker on ph 9481 1500 or email: online@stepfamily.org.au

Link: http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/savigps/index.html

Allan Thompson (11th June, 2003)

Another U3A is to be formed in Victoria. Under auspices of U3A Network-Victoria and the City of Port Philip Older Persons Reference Group,there will be a public meeting at the St. Kilda Town Hall at 2pm Thursday 20th August, 2003. Anyone interested in furthering U3A activities in the St.Kilda, Albert Park and Middle Park areas will be welcome to attend.
For further details, contact Sheila Moore at U3A Network Victoria on (03) 9662 9177 or email: u3anet@vicnet.net.au

J McD (9th June, 2003)

News of a public meetng to set up a new U3A in Forest Hill (a Melbourne suburb) can be found at this website. The meeting is to be held at 2.00 pm on June 19, 2003.

Link: http://www.strathdon.com.au

Jack McDonell (26th May, 2003)

Australian U3A members have been known to look in at the office ot the Third Age Trust - the national U3A body for the UK - when visiting London. The TAT has moved out of Central London and is now at

Old Municipal Buildings, 19 East Street, Bromley, BR1 1QH. phone: (020) 8466 6139

Sue Spicer (8th April, 2003)

Moncrieff U3A Literary Competition 2003 Short Story (up to 1000 words) Poetry rhyming and free verse (up to 50 lines) Monetary Awards for each section Enquiries 07 5529 0583 For entry form and details send SSAE to Moncrieff U3A North Gold COast Paradise Point Qld 4216 Entries close 5pm 8th August 2003

(8th April, 2003)

This monthly Email newsletter, which lists useful sites for U3A members and U3A classes, goes from strength to strength. It now has 186 subscribers on Rick Swindell's Australia and NZ list and 575 on the list maintained by Tom Holloway in the UK. To join either list, contact r.swindell@griffith.edu.au or tom@holloway.org

ALA (28th March, 2003)

The following news item has been received from Adult Learning Australia and may be of interest to you.
Adult Learning Australia (ALA) is hosting an online discussion led by Mr Richard McGarvie* who will discuss the role of Governors-General and State Governors in the Australian political system. Mr McGarvie's paper will be located on the Adult Learning Website www.ala.asn.au from 5th May 2003 and there will be an opportunity to hear and discuss with what other experts have to say on this issue during the month of May. The actual forum discussion will be hosted by the Australian Public Policy Research Network www.apprn.org.

Are you interested in joining with others to discuss:

• How does the constitutional system work?
• Why does it work that way
• How can we ensure that, should Australia separate from the monarchy, the principles underlying our democracy are maintained?

Link: http://www.ala.asn.au

Dorothy Braxton (26th January, 2003)

People who want a reliable health site which has no commercial axe to grind can go to one put up by the Federal Department of Health. The URL is www.healthinsite.gov.au

McDonell (9th January, 2003)

The International Network for Universities of the Third Age is an initiative of a group of U3A computer enthusiasts in the UK. Their website is worth a visit. It seeks to establish a service for international contacts and to provide educational resources as part of a worldwide movement.

Link: http://www.worldu3a.org/

Del Smith Competition Convenor U3A Dalby Inc (20th December, 2002)

Results of the Dingo Australia & U3A Writing Competition were announced at our AGM on the 2nd December. Certificates and cheques have been forwarded to our winners. I would appreciate acknowledgement of them being safely received as we are in recess until February. Preliminary Reading was done by the writing group The Write Stuff Brisbane. Final Judging was by Frances Rouse from Toowoomba

Frances is a fulltime professional writer who writes in all disciplines , short stories, poems and screen plays. She has written drama productions for the ABC including a story called 'Hospital Gymnastics' which told how, during the war, the Glennie School in Toowoomba Queensland, became a hospital ward. Frances was also last year commissioned by the National Trust to write a story on the life of Elizabeth Cook (Captain Cooks wife). This play was performed in Cooktown during the reopening of the James Cook Museum. It was again performed at Captain Cook's Cottage in Melbourne. Negotiations are in hand now for overseas exposure in New Zealand, Canada & England. For many years also Frances was the poetry editor for the Sydney Morning Herald.

We are very grateful to Dingo Australia who have sponsored this competition and supplied the prize money.

The Winners are:
Section 1 Open Short Story:
1st Aline Christenson Armidale NSW
A Stitch in Time
2nd Stephen Copeland Dalby Qld- Child's Play
3rd Ian Kruck Dalby Qld The Last Mistake
Cert of Merit-Lorne Maitland Gympie Qld
No Room for Sentiment
Cert of Merit - Aline Christenson Armidale NSW Captain King the 3rd

Section 2 Open Poem
1st Jeannette McConnell U3A Dalby
The Old Photograph
2nd Dorothy Owen Golden Square Vic
The Ironclad Hotel
3rd Jacqueline Wiese Wurbulla Qld Drought on the Downs
Cert of Merit - Glennis Philbey U3A Dalby Ghost of the Cecil Plains Rail

Section 3 Student Short Story
1st Tasha Marsh Wooroolin Qld Untitled

Section 4 Student Poem
1st Brittany Lowik Calliope Qld Waiting
2nd Shannon Lotz Toowoomba Qld Outback Reflections
3rd Heidi Sheehan Longreach Qld
Wallaby
Cert of Merit Bethanie Tillman Dalby Qld Chester
In total there were 69 entries from as far away as Tasmania.
Thank you for those who supported our competition. All enties were marked and critiqued. If you wish to recieve the judges comments on your work please send me a stamped self addressed envelope before the end of January when all unrequested work will be destroyed. My address is D Smith 14 Orpen St Dalby Qld 4405

(19th December, 2002)

U3A Online Resources extends the Compliments of the Season to all our subscribers and site visitors, together with an invitation to volunteers interested in

- writing a course for us
- working with us as editors/proof readers
- helping us with graphics and pics
- helping us with website design and implementation

to contact us with a view to making U3A Online THE BEST!
Reply to Les Dale at lesdale@melbpc.org.au

(8th November, 2002)

Documents issued in the recent AIUTA Congress in Geneva show that there are now 19,300 Universiites of the Third Age in China, with 1.81 million members. This remarkable development has the support of the Chinese government and backing from a non-government organisation, the China Association of Universities for the Aged.

For more details, see Jean Thompson's paper on a new U3A Online Information site for archiving papers of relevance to developments in Third Age Learning.

Link: http://www4.gu.edu.au/ext/u3a/papers/index.htm

(25th October, 2002)

We've just noticed the Treasurer's Press Release No.049 (29 August 2002). A new legislative definition of a charity is expected to take effect from 1 July 2004 and the elements of this definition appear to apply to all U3As which are Incorporated Associations. Charities will be able to seek endorsement from the Australian Taxation Office for various concessions. The most significant of these, for U3As, are income tax exemption, deductible gift recipient status and GST concessions. For full details go to this website.

Link: http://www.treasurer.gov.au/tsr/content/pressreleases/2002/049.asp

(14th October, 2002)

Here are some items from the Spring 2002 edition of News for Seniors Seniors', published by Centrelink.

Seniors' passports: The Federal Government has introduced a five-year passport for Australians aged 75 years and over from 1 July 2002. This new one will cost $72, half the price of the standard 10-year passport. Applications are available through post offices and Australia Post agencies.

Existing passport can be renewed online by going to the Department of Foreign Affairs website: www.dfat.gov.au

Health insite: Looking for quick, reliable health information, perhaps about something you've discussed with a doctor or to get information for a friend or relation who has recently been diagnosed with a particular illness? Try the website developed by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing http:/www.healthinsite.gov.au and then use the search function to type in key words, like 'arthritis.' Or, for more general information, select a topic from the list on screen and follow the prompts for full resources.

English can be difficult: Your own English may come naturally but it's not always so for friends and relations who need advice on a range of matters... like changing a bank account, changing an address for official reasons or advising Centrelink of overseas travel plans. Centrelink operates a multilingual telephone centre (Mon-to Fri) to provide a service in other than English. The phone number is 13 1202.The caller will be greeted by a receptionist who will ask in English: 'Which language please? The caller will then be transferred to someone who speaks the nominated language. There's a host of them on offer.

Allan Thompson (25th September, 2002)

The University of Queensland invites Seniors to register with its Centre for Ageing and participate in the Centre's projects. Go to our News page for more details.

(24th September, 2002)

Would you like to contribute to research that aims to make this a better world for future generations of older Australians? Become part of the exciting Australasian Centre on Ageing and contribute to new research aimed at extending healthy and active life. The University of Queensland currently undertakes over 100 projects related to ageing ranging from issues surrounding older drivers to the latest brain-imaging technology to detect dementia. The Centre is planning a number of new projects, from age-friendly communities and alternative models of housing, through to making sure you have your say in the treatment you want (or don't want) at the end stage of life. To coordinate this university-wide effort, the Centre is establishing the 50+ Registry, a database of people over 50 years
who are willing to participate in the University of Queensland s research projects in ageing. We welcome the very young (those 50-65 years), as well as those more senior. People on the 50+ Registry will be invited to be involved in projects that match their interests. Many projects will involve meeting other people on the registry. Registrants will receive an annual
newsletter and will be invited to attend an annual meeting.  To obtain more information on the registry, contact Wendy Danalis on 334 69084 or w.danalis@uq.edu.au, or write to us at the Australasian Centre on Ageing, The University of Queensland, QLD 4072.

(14th September, 2002)

The Elder Law Review invites papers for the next issue of the Review to be published in February 2003.

The theme of this issue will be 'Elders - Care and Accommodation Agreements'

It is anticipated that the subjects to be examined will include family agreements, retirement village and aged care facilities agreements entered into either by or on behalf of the older person.

Original, unpublished contributions are invited for either of the following sections of the Review:

• the Comments section, which consists of contributions from government, lawyers and aged care representatives, commenting on issues which the contributor perceives to be of contemporary significance; and
• the Articles section, containing international refereed scholarly articles about topical issues in elder law. We will consider articles of any length, but prefer them to be between 2000 and 8000 words.

Link: http://www.uws.edu.au/law/elderlaw/

The Law and Justice Foundation of NSW (3rd September, 2002)

As part of the Law and Justice Foundation's Legal Needs and Access to Justice project we are conducting a study of the 'Legal Needs of Older People'. We will be publishing a report that reflects the legal needs of older people.

If you are an older person you can participate by:

Writing to us about your legal experiences

Have you had trouble getting legal information, advice or a lawyer to represent you? How could legal services be improved for you? What sort of legal problems are you experiencing? Please write to us at the address below as we are interested in your views.

Attending a group meeting

We are interested in setting up group meetings with older people so that we can find out about your experiences. If you would like to know more, see the contact information below.

If you work with older people we are also interested in your experiences of the legal needs of your clients.

If you want to participate in this study please contact Julia Perry:

Phone: (02) 9221 3900.
Post: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW GPO Box 4264 SYDNEY NSW 2001
E-mail: jperry@lawfoundation.net.au
Fax: (02) 9221 6280

The closing date for submissions is 11 October 2002.

Link: http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/access

AWT (3rd August, 2002)

The following was extracted from the Milton-Ulladullah U3A newsletter and is reprinted here as a guide to all on one way of using U3A Online resources. Congratulations Milton Ulladullah on an imaginative suggestion.

We'll put you through college.

Well, not college exactly, but we will pay the modest course fee for anyone willing to do a U3A Online course and then
run it for a Milton-Ulladulla U3A group. U3A Online is a resource website run by a group of enthusiasts in Australia, NZ and the UK.

As well as providing for individuals isolated by distance or disability, they encourage U3A campuses to use the online course list to enhance campus programs. Current topics include The Romans, Design in Your Life, and Antarctica the Frozen Continent. You'll find a full list at <www.u3aonline.edna.edu.au>

If you like the idea of tutoring but have baulked at undertaking the research and course notes, this could be the answer. Phone the Courses Coordinator on 4456 5170 to find out more.

The British Council (13th July, 2002)

Learning Communities: towards prosperous and inclusive towns, cities and regions. Seminar No 0222.

29 September - 4 October 2002, Birmingham, UK.

This event will explore integrated approaches to planning and delivering education and training for all ages in the United Kingdom's second city, Birmingham, and its distinctive vision of the Learning City.

It will examine both the structures for strategic city-wide planning and the reality of service provision in the most disadvantaged areas of the city, and will include comparative and contrasting models from other cities in the UK. The emphasis will be on learning by doing, with the aim of developing a transferable model of a learning community.

The main topics covered during the event will include

• Using diversity and internationalism to promote learning
• Measuring the impact of learning programmes
• A holistic approach to building a learning community through cross-sectoral partnerships
• Progression from school to higher education
• Using informal learning to engage non-participants
• Learning at work
• Linking city-wide planning and neighbourhood delivery
• Building the capacity of community organisations
• Networked learning centres

Link: http://www.britishcouncil.org/networkevents

Jack McDonell (8th July, 2002)

'Sites of the Day Monthly Collection', is the free email newsletter that lists the descriptions and addresses of sites that have been nominated as 'Site of the Day' on 'The Australian Guide to the Internet' site. U3A Online was chosen as Site of The Day on May 4 of this year.

Here's how we appeared in May: '.. the U3A (University of the Third Age) Online site is involved with 'special short courses, originally devised to allow older members of the community who are isolated, either geographically or through physical or social circumstances, to enjoy the interactive learning which is a distinctive and important feature of U3As.'

Link: http://www.mkdsoftware.com.au

Jack McDonell (18th June, 2002)

Adult Learners' Week 2002 runs from 2nd to 8th September. There are many ways in which you can become involved. Check our Calendar link for more details. Activities are listed on the web site

Link: http://www.adultlearnersweek.org

Jack McDonell (7th June, 2002)

TALIS (Third Age Learning International Studies) is holding its 2002 Seminar at Wuhan, China, on 21-23 October. TALIS aims to promote exchanges of information, research and experiences in adult education for older people. For full details go to the 'Calendar of Events' link.

(3rd May, 2002)

U3A Central Cost (NSW) one again offers its Australia and New Zealand Literary Competition. There are three Sections:

FOR U3A MEMBERS ONLY

Section 1: Short Story (Fiction), minimum 500, maximum 2000 words.

Section 2: Article, minimum 500, maximum 1500 words.

PLUS SECTION 3 WHICH IS OPEN TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST U3A MEMBERS

Section 3: Theme: The Joys of Travel for the Young at Heart, minimum 500, maximum 1500 words.

CLOSING DATE: Friday September 20, 2002

ENTRY FEES:

Sections 1 and 2 - $4 per entry

Section 3 - $5 per entry

PRIZES:

Sections 1 and 2 - First: $200, Second: $150, Third: $100

Section 3: One Prize only - $100

Full details, including the conditions of entry, are abailable from Richard Gross, President of U3A Central Coast (NSW) Inc., at rachi@ozemail.com.au

Jack McDonell (7th April, 2002)

Two interesting literary competitions have been recently announced. For details, go to the News Items page and look at the items headed:

Moncrieff U3A North Gold Coast Literary Competition

Year of the Outback Literary Competition

Jack McDonell (7th April, 2002)

Moncrieff U3A North Gold Coast Inc is again staging their successful annual Literary Competition open to U3A members throughout Australia and New Zealand(with categories for non-members):

Prizes : 1st $100 : 2nd $60 : 3rd $30
Section 1 : Short Story : U3A members only : up to 1000 words
Section 2 : Short Story : Open : up to 1000 words
Section 3 : Poetry : Rhyming Verse : Open : up to 50 lines
Section 4 : Poetry : Free Verse : Open : up to 50 lines

Theme - Any Topic
Closing Date - 5pm Friday 9th August 2002
Entry Fee - $A5 per entry per section
Anthology of winning entries available following
Presentation of prizes 4 Oct 2002

For a copy of Conditions of Entry and entry form, please email jes@bigpond.net.au or snail mail
Literary Competition Coordinator
Moncrieff U3A North Gold Coast Inc
PO Box 64, Paradise Point, 4216

U3A Dalby Inc (5th April, 2002)

DALBY U3A WRITING COMPETITION
We are offering a writing competition as our contribution to The Year of the Outback. We are inviting submissions of stories or Poems related to the Outback which we hope to compile with the authors' permission, a selection to be bound and presented to the local libraries and Councils.
Competition closes on 7th October 2002
There will be 2 Divisions: Open and School Student.
Entry Fee Open $5 U3A member $3 and Student $1
Prize money donated by Dingo Australia
Story to 1000 words & Poem 10 - 20 lines

Open 1st prize $100 2nd $50 & 3rd $25 in both sections
Student 1st prize $30 2nd prize $20 & 3rd $10 in both sections

For conditions or entry &/or Entry forms email Del Smith on delsmith@writeme.com > or Fax 07 46624194

Cate (3rd April, 2002)

International Association of the Universities of the Third Age (IAUTA)

The XXIst of AIUTA will take place in
Geneva from 2 to 5 October 2002


For more information, please visit their website:
www.unige.ch/uta/congres/aiuta.htm

(11th March, 2002)

Adult Learning Ausralia (ALA), the peak body in Australia for adult and community education, has just announced that U3A Online Resources is the recipient of its Award for 2001 PROGRAM OF THE YEAR for its 'novel internet-based program'.

This 2001 award was shared - the other recipient being 'Filling the Gaps', a collaborative literacy and numeracy skills project of the Koorda Learning Centre and the Koorda Telecentre.

Allan Thompson (11th January, 2002)

Towards the end of last year Dr.Rick Swindell of Griffith University and a director of U3A Online Resources Ltd., was invited to Germany to talk about developments with U3A Online. The conference was attended by a group of U3A leaders from Europe. The response to U3A Online was very positive indeed, so much so that one of the vice presidents from AIUTA (Association Internationale des Universities du Troisieme Age) has now joined U3A Online. There was talk at the conference of U3A Online Resources (Australia) pointing the way towards the development of an international U3A online. Our initiative, it seems, is gaining international recognition

Rick Swindell (5th December, 2001)

FREE COMPUTERS FOR CHARITIES, DISADVANTAGED, ETC
Computerbank NSW refurbishes old computers and gives them to charities, schools and disadvantaged individuals. Members involved with charities, community groups, sport
groups might like to check out the offer.
(Note: they install free public domain software.)
RE: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ISSUES AND INITIATIVES
by Richard Hayes
I am webmaster for Computerbank NSW

Rick Swindell (5th November, 2001)

Did you know that you can easily run off your own copy of the Directory? On the Directroy page simply hit Search without entering anything in the text box and all 154 current entries will be listed. Then go to File (top left of your screen) and hit Print. Do the same for NZ to get their 44 listings.

Ann Mellows (10th October, 2001)

Hi, I am a tutor with U3A in England and run a beginners class in Patchwork and quilting. Are there any similar classes in Australia, if so we would love to exchange news and ideas. WE often buy magazines from your country and love the articles in them, they are so new and inspiring. Although I enjoy P&Q I am very very new to computing,can you guess? IN fact even named a wall hanging 'I would rather quilt than compute' -----would add a picture if I could figure out how!!!

(21st September, 2001)

Want to know where all the public loos are? Check out our resources page for the link to the map of public toilets in Australia. A new initiative of the federal Dept. of Aged Care.

Jack McDonell (9th August, 2001)

PC users may, despite their diligence, occasionally find that a virus has infected their computer. If this happens to you, one of the best resources for dealing with the problem is www.cert.org which has information on the various viruses and how to remove them.

Your best insurance against infection is not to open any attachment in Windows without first scanning it for a virus. As well, any Word document that you are planning to upload as part of a course or into one of the secure sections of a website should be checked for viruses. Please do that.

People using operating systems other than Windows - e.g. Macintosh users - are usually unaffected by viruses and those using mailers other than Outlook Express will also have fewer virus problems.

Link: http://www.cert.org

Allan Thompson (5th July, 2001)

'About Seniors' is an interesting web site for U3AOnline members...well worth a visit with useful information. you will find it at http://www.aboutseniors.com.au

(2nd June, 2001)

Have you been learning a foreign language for at least several months? Then you can work with an eTandem Partner according to the Tandem Principles by email, telephone or other electronic media. eTandem learners help each other learn their respective native language and much more.
The Tandem Agency, based at the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, is a free service of the International Tandem Network which was founded with the support of of the European Union. They have people the world over wanting to link with you in English or your alternative language while you work them in their language. Go to the address above and follow the links for further details.

Link: http://www.slf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/email/stats-eng.html

(30th May, 2001)

A splendid site that we have discovered with everything you need to know about operating on the internet.There is a direct link that has been added to the Resources page under the heading of 'Other Resources'.

Link: http://www.csuchico.edu/~csu/seniors/computing.html

John Webb, President, Sydney U3A (8th May, 2001)

At the Melbourne International U3A Conference May, 2001) time was alloted for a discussion on the subject of 'A National Council for U3As in Australia'. While it was soon agreed that, because of the differencs in the way U3As operate in different states, a National Council was not appropriate at this time, there was further discussion on the desirability of having a National U3A Resource Centre.

It was announced that U3A Network-Victoria, NSW Council of U3A, and Sydney U3A had agreed to initiate a dialogue to assess those needs of U3As which could be satisfied by a National Centre in addition to those able to be met by state 'umbrella' organisations. They proposed to issue a draft of their ideas for comment and contributions by all other U3As before finalising a position paper on 'Needs'.

The conference debated this proposal and agreed 'That the conference supports the initiative described to it to assess the needs of U3As in the areas of resource and information sharing, and to involve as many U3As Australia-wide as possible in providing input to this assessment'.

The proponent organisations will produce an intial draft as soon as possible. In the meanwhile any U3As wishing to make an input at this stage should email their ideas to the President of either U3A Network-Victoria or NSW Council of U3As - email addresses are available in the directory on this website.

Phil Robson (8th February, 2001)

I have received the following email.
Some of our U3As may wish to contact Mary and even link with U3A Glossop. Mary can be contacted at DMMGlossop@aol.com .

Hello
My name is Mary Muir, and I am the business/membership secretary for the Glossop (Derbyshire UK) branch of u3a.I found your details on our national
newsletter, and thought that it would be interesting to have contact with
another country.
Do you think that any of your branches or members would be interested in setting up a link with us to exchange views/news? I wish we could change our weather it is so miserable here, wet and cold!!!!. We are a small branch of 120 members, with a full waiting list, we meet once a week on a Thursday morning,where we have speakers on various subjects, and discussions, and then tea or coffee.We are a very friendly group, and also very lively, and we are always going out on visits to various places either during the day or in the evenings.

With Best Wishes Mary

Ian Winstanley (31st January, 2001)

Copies of 'CYCLONES, FLOODS AND FLAMING FURIES' (stories by U3A members about living in the Territory in the last fifty years) are now available. They will be on sale from U3A meetings at the Casuarina Library on Thursdays ($10) or by mail U3A Darwin Inc., PO Box 42451, Casuarina NT 0811 ($10 + $3.50pp)

It's a good read! 'CYCLONES, FLOODS AND FLAMING FURIES' is a project undertaken by members of U3A Darwin in the International Year of the Older Person, supported by a grant from the N.T. Government. Because we are all 'elderly', I thought the book might be a bit dreary for others, but it bursts with vitality.

From their stories, we come to know why these people came North, why some stayed, and why others returned, again and again. The individuality of each author clearly emerges, and their writing is coloured by their responses to 'outback' Australia.

One U3A character, Latvian-born EDGAR DUNIS, has just written as he thinks and talks like a molten lava flow. Now 80 years old, Edgar went through both Russian and German invasions of his country before he escaped, and migrated to Australia. He had a lot to do with providing electricity to Darwin region and other centres; made canoes, and paddled from Katherine to the Daly River Police station at least six times; after a stint as a model for Art students, he completed a four year Fine Arts course, among other ventures. His is a story of an undaunted survivor.

Factual information is enhanced by personal impressions of events and lifestyle. Retired schoolteachers are well represented and their articulate essays are a pleasure to read, particularly if you want to check up on what was here, and when. Others provided contrast, like Lab-Technician JENNY WHITE, Perfumed Steamroller, whose many exploits are told with relish, and the one-page touch of whimsy conjured up by Joyce Cunningham, in the guise of THE DENNEY SISTERS.

JOYCE DEERING included the pleasures and difficulties of working on Croker Island, and the honour of acceptance by an aboriginal community - taking everything in her stride, including the wheelchair she now commands, and on which she proudly carried the Olympic Torch.

There are little bits of information to make you think, like PETER BAILEY pointing out that mining has been a great coloniser of inland Australia: the solar village in Humpty Doo where GLAD GARTON lives: the Pine Creek Railway Station where ALISTAIR QUEST is making whistles from railway spikes, and AUDREY GORRING became 'The White Cockatoo' after adoption into an aboriginal tribe.

Each story has something to offer, and each reader will have favourites. They are not only reminders of earlier times, but also how special life in the N.T. has been for so many of us. As a keen but critical reader, I whole-heartedly recommend this book. It would make a good present for anyone interested in the Northern Territory. A marvellous effort by all! Pat Forscutt

Tutor Coordinator U3a Dalby Del Smith (14th October, 2000)

Dalby has a population just under 10,000 situated in south west Qld. U3A Dalby initially came under the umbrella of U3A in Toowoomba from 1996 until 1999 when we became incorporated and formed our own Constitution.In 4 years we have gained a membership of 114 with 15 very diverse classes.For the last 12 months we have our own monthly radio program on the local radio station. This year during Adult Learners Week we organised a very successful Expo with guest speakers of high calibre from Toowoomba & Brisbane together with first class displays from our classes. Our aim was to showcase U3A plus engender interest from towns further west.I would love to hear about other groups and learn from their experiences.

ABC /Dorothy Braxton (31st July, 2000)

Many members of U3As belong to literature and poetry groups or simply have an interest in these subjects. The ABC News Radio recently had an item in its Internet section which they said was one of the best sources for information on anything related to them. It is www.bartleby.com.

If you want to track down a particular poem, for instance, you can type in the appropriate information and get the words and so on. The site has a certain amount of advertising on it but that can easily be overlooked.The ABC gave it a tick for excellence and I was able to track the words of a piece of poetry I needed on the first try so can also highly recommend it- Dorothy Braxton

Ray Lewis (20th June, 2000)

www.greypath.com is a newly developed 'web portal' for Australian Seniors and Retirees. It is a gateway site dedicated to being user friendly, and directed to seniors interests. It is of special benefit to new users as an entry point to the rich world of the Internet generally, as well as to those specific interest areas such as, health, State and Commonwealth services, wills, retirement accomodation, seniors cards, travel, and much more.

Link: http://www.greypath.com

Jack McDonell (19th May, 2000)

I thought that this contribution to U3A Talk, from Barbara Foley, of Brisbane U3A, might be worth wider distribution.

'Brisbane U3A is now in its third year of teaching computer classes and the response is still overwhelming. A large majority of 'retired' people are intimidated at the TAFE courses and find the U3A classrooms friendlier and our beginner classes are constructed to move at a slower pace.

'It was found with full term courses for beginners people were dropping out and computers were left vacant which was frustrating with so many on the
waiting list. We now have 5 week beginners courses for members who have been given a computer or recently purchased one and who may just want to 'have a look at what everyone is talking about'. Some come along to learn some of the computer language so they can converse with grandchildren and may never buy one, or be able to use the library computer without embarrassment.

'We then have follow on full term courses for more advanced computer work plus publisher and spreadsheets.

Quite often Tutors can be found from these courses for beginners classes and to give them more confidence in teaching? - they start with helping a tutor, this has worked well.'

This seems to me to fit with experience reported from other U3As, that a standard 'beginners course' which moves through a pre-determined syllabus, is not necessarily the most acceptable format for older people. Getting them started at a minimal level and then providing assistance while they are pursuing their own interests often seems a better way to go. Of course that's also in accord with a lot of writing in the field of adult education about the importance of adopting a 'learner-centred' approach with adults.

John Butters, President Redlands District U3A (11th May, 2000)

Redlands U3A now has 150 of its 800 members learning Computing from 29 tutors and aides in the five High Schools in the Redlands' Shire. Classes operate from 3.30p.m. to 5.00p.m. on schoolweek days in Basic, Level1, Level 2, Basic Internet and Internet advanced. We donate $1 a lesson to help the school computer maintenance.

This advice may be useful to other U3A groups looking for an avenue of computer instruction for members. At $1 per lesson it is cheap,cheap,cheap.