What have we Joined?
Our u3a is a charity run totally by members who volunteer
- Trustees, Group Leaders - everyone is a volunteer
My name is Peter Cooper and I volunteer as Web Manager
In order to join you will have filled out an Application pack (which included our Principles and Code of Conduct) and paid your subscription
- You will have received a welcome letter (and a Gift Aid form)
- Your first opportunity to contribute is to complete and return the Gift Aid form, so our u3a gets the benefit
The u3a movement has 3 Principles
- The Third Age Principle
- The Self-help Learning Principle
- The Mutual Aid Principle
We also have a Members' Code of Conduct
- know, follow and promote the Principles
- act in the best interests of our u3a and the u3a Movement
- use resources responsibly to further its charitable objects/purposes.
- reflect our current organisational policy
- abide by our procedures and practices
- treat each other with dignity and respect at all times
We try to work in teams
- Group Support Team
- Trustees (Committee)
- Monthly (Open) Meetings team
- (Some) Group leadership teams
"By the Members for the Members"
"u3as are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for people no longer in full time work providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning - not for qualifications but for fun"
Run totally by members who volunteer. All the Trustees on the Committee are volunteers, all the Group Leaders are volunteers, and everyone who welcomes you to Open Meetings is a volunteer. All those who open their homes for groups, who make refreshments for meetings, or post on Facebook are volunteers. Everyone who contributes ideas for a group, gives feedback on events, or puts out chairs for a meeting is a volunteer. There are lots of other volunteer roles that members play.
- More a framework than an organisation
Learn, Laugh, Live
An Opportunity to Receive
Read our Magazines and Newsletters
- and “u3a matters” from national u3a
Listen to talks by speakers at our monthly Members' Open meetings
- Have a chat while drinking tea or coffee
Get news and information
- In Newsletters, occasional emails
- On our website (new from Jul 4th)
Attend occasional workshops and training (potentially)
- eg on use of websites
Make friends
- At monthly meetings
- In interest groups
- On outings
An Opportunity to Join in
Join an interest group, now classified by "Interest Areas"
See the Interest Areas page
Go on Outings and Theatre Trips
Play Boules in the Park - “turn up and play”
New in 2024 (started in June)
No need to "join" the group, but it helps if you do
An Opportunity to Contribute
Contribute to your group(s)
- Participate!
- Why not ask the current Group Leader if they would like some help?
- Maybe you could edit the group's web page, host or lead one or two sessions, suggest topics, or do the admin for the group?
- How about offering to take photos of the group in action (with their permission of course)
- or posting about the group on our Facebook pages?
(Even without people noticing)
Not all volunteer roles are obvious - some help by welcoming new members, or inviting friends to join, or offering lifts, or offering encouragement to shyer members to contribute.
Help with the website (non-technically)
- Be a reporter
- Look after the "Notices"
- Provide feedback on any issues
Help with the Magazines and Newsletters
- Contribute articles
- Report on events, outings, meetings
Help with our monthly Members' Open Meetings
- We like to think that members feel welcomed to all our meetings, but particularly to our regular Members' Open Meetings - can you help the welcome team?
- Or informally, can you look out for people who might be lonely to come and sit with you?
- Our reception team book members in to the meeting, and deal with any membership enquiries - maybe you could help here?
- Or you could help providing refreshments for members afterwards so they can meet friends, both old and new?
- Maybe you could even offer to give a talk at one of our meetings, or provide entertainment of some kind?
Help with our other communications
- Publicity and marketing
- Contacts with other groups in the town
- Spread the word about our u3a, eg by placing leaflets where they will be seen, or representing us at events
- Posting on Facebook etc
(If you are comfortable with computers)
- Help enhance the Website as part the Website Editors groups
- Or help a group with their admin
- Be part of the (putative) IT Support group
Be part of a team
- The teams organising Outings and Trips both welcome members to help staff their desks at Members' Open Meetings.
- There may also be opportunities to play a role on the actual Outing or Trip.
- In some other groups there are teams who lead them. It helps to be able to talk together, and provide cover when some are away.
An Opportunity to have a role
... within groups
Share in leading
Maybe the Group Leader would like to share the role with someone, or even have someone else take over their role?
Start a new group
If the group is full, or has interested members who cannot make the particular day you meet, why not think about starting a new group? It might even be that your group has one approach to the subject, and other members might like to approach it in a different way.
If you have a passion or hobby, why not consider starting a group around that subject. You can find thousands of ideas for groups in other u3as - how about Golf for Fun, Sea Shanty, Ten-pin Bowling, Model-making, Rummikub, Quizzing, or even Mindfulness?
Support new groups as part of the Group Support Team
... in other areas of our u3a
Be a Trustee
The trustees of our u3a (which is a charity) form the managing Committee.
They are elected annually at our AGM, and have overall responsibility for what we do and how we do it. They have to deal with things like accounts, legislation, policies, and the constitution. They serve all the volunteers who do the work of the u3a in groups, meetings, outings, trips etc.
Volunteers are always needed to be trustees, and there is a lot of information and support if you want to find out more.
Our AGM is usually in September, nominations close in August
Be an Officer
There are four Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer). These are limited in our constitution as to how long they can stay in the post. Maybe you could help one of the current post-holders, or shadow them with the aim of taking on the role in future?
Fulfil another Role
eg Membership Secretary, Beacon Administration, Web Manager
An Opportunity to Join in Nationally
The national u3a website has a wealth of content
- Interest Groups Online
- Free online talks, workshops and courses
- Learn and Share activities
- "u3a matters" magazine
- "u3a friends" and newsletter
Final thoughts
Some of our members have been taking the opportunity to volunteer for many years, some have done it just occasionally, some for a special occasion, many without being noticed. We can all be grateful for what they have contributed.
There are lots of opportunities for members to help in our u3a, and you can too!
In most volunteer roles there are people who can show you what to do, and we hope that in every role there are other members who will support you.
If you volunteer, members will hope that you enjoy it, gain from it, and can do it as long as you like. But if, at any point, you need to stop, or stand back for a while, members will understand.
Contribute early! We are all getting older. You already have enough life experience to contribute!