Membership 2012
To join U3A Brisbane, please download and complete our registration form. There is a low annual fee, which covers the costs of producing the newsletters which members receive four times a year, and other charges related to administration. A small charge for rental may be paid for the premises in which the activities take place. For more information, please see our FAQs.
Subscriptions for 2012 may be paid to U3A Brisbane Inc. at 97 Creek Street, Brisbane, during office hours of 9.30am to 3pm, by credit card or by post. Prepayment for 2012 can be made after October 1. Terms match State School Terms, but other classes may be conducted during holidays.
The University of the Third Age has no exams or certificates. All our workers and tutors are Volunteers. As per our Constitution, we wish "to create opportunities for persons of the third age to develop their potential"
Membership Subscription for 2012 is $40 per person, and is not transferrable. Some Classes may be subject to resource costs or printed notes. There is a weekly class fee of $4.00 per class at 97 Creek Street, Brisbane.
U3A Brisbane Profile
The University of the Third Age Brisbane was established in 1986 and is a self-funded organisation which provides a wide range of intellectually stimulating activities for older people. There are no awards, no entry requirements and no exams.
Research shows that keeping the brain active, doing interesting things and making new friends are essential for helping older people to maximise their chances of independence, and this is what U3A does very effectively. For no cost to government, U3A is making a very substantial contribution to society by helping its members to remain healthy and active for longer, thus lessening the strain on our already overstretched health system.
We have a membership of two thousand seven hundred (as at end of August 2011) and a staff of 215 volunteers providing over 200 classes a week in 96 subjects. We do not have a single paid employee. Income consists of membership subscriptions of $40 per person, plus $4 class fees for classes other than computer based, which are $5 plus notes, CDs, etc. Our major expenses are the lease on our premises, plus four Newsletters p.a., insurances and running costs. We have retired University lecturers, retired professionals from many disciplines, generous enthusiasts in a host of interest areas, and members who enjoy sharing time pursuing intellectual, technical and practical skills, as well as travel, games, sports and organised social events. Our Patron is Sallyanne Atkinson.
At U3A, members learn together in a collegiate culture of like-minded peers who share a common goal of learning for pleasure. Naturally, this forges friendships and networks which reach out to other contacts in our age group and which address many of the risks to general health we all face as we age: Loss of social contact; lack of intellectual stimulation; and a decreasing sense of self worth. In a society with a growing cohort of over 55s, a society with new retirees who are highly educated, widely travelled and who have a longer life expectancy than ever before, we provide not only new and varied challenges, but strive to extend present ideas and make the most of the “third age” stage of our lives (Active Retirement). Our courses reflect the interests and enthusiasms of current members, and we continue to research their needs and aspirations so as to provide even greater satisfaction.
We have great plans for 2012. Our most ambitious goal for this year is to purchase our own CBD premises. We also intend to expand the joint venture between ourselves and Griffith University. Griffith University have a compulsory stream in their Bachelor of Arts Degree in which final-year students are required to complete a professional “Assessed Industry Placement” segment of their course. As part of this program, students can elect to run classes for U3A Brisbane.
Other major projects in the pipeline include the production of a new, professional, colour newsletter which we plan to finance through the sale of advertising, and a recruitment drive to increase our membership by 50%.
Leaving a bequest to U3A Brisbane Inc.
Providing a centrally located facility for the holding of affordable classes is always a challenge for us.
Any help you can give us towards that goal will not only be greatly appreciated; it will also be serving a high Community purpose in a nation whose population is rapidly ageing. Please consider a bequest to U3A. The suggested wording is provided on our bequest information sheet.
Car Parking is not available
at Creek St!
Catch a bus or train into the city!
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NAME BADGES
ORDER A NAME BADGE - For cost of badge & postage enquire at U3A Office.When ordering please print clearly the name required.