GESKIEDENIS VAN U3A ~ HISTORY OF U3A
Die Universiteit van die Derde Era is 'n internasionale beweging met doelwitte om opvoeding en stimulasie aan veral afgetrede mense van die gemeenskap te verskaf - mense in die derde 'era' van hul lewe. Dit word algemeen na verwys as U3A (van die Franse en Engelse akroniem)
Daar is geen aanvaarde model vir U3A nie. Die oorspronklike konsep in Frankryk as 'n buitemuurse aktiwiteit van 'n universiteit, is in Brittanje noemenswaardig verander waar dit erken is dat meeste mense van aftree ouderdom iets het om by te dra en die beklemtoning is op deelname, sonder formele skakeling met tradisonele universiteite.
Baie Engels-sprekende lande het hierdie deelnemende model gevolg, terwyl kontinentale Europa meestal die Franse model volg.
U3A lidmaatskap is nie verbonde aan 'n spesifieke ouderdom nie, maar weerspieël 'n tydperk in 'n mens se lewe na die tweede era van voltydse werk en verantwoordelikheid as ouers. Enige persoon in hul derde era kan aansluit, en dit sluit in mense wat deeltyds werk. Daar is geen minimum ouderdom vir lede nie.
U3A is in 1973 in Toulouse, Frankryk, begin deur Prof Pierre Vella van die Fakulteit van Sosiale Wetenskappe as die "Universités du Troisième Âge" (Akroniem: U3A). In Frankryk is elke U3A groep meestal verbonde aan 'n plaaslike universiteit. Hierdie akademiese model word in sommige ander lande, veral in kontinentale Europa, gevolg.
In die vroeë 1980's het die beweging Brittanje bereik, en daar is die formaat drasties verander om die vaardighede en kennis van afgetrede mense te benut. Hierdie model word ook in Australië, Nieu Zeeland, Suid Afrika, en baie ander lande gebruik.
Die Britse model van groeps opvoeding erken dat afgetrede persone lewenslange ondervinding het, en gesamentlik 'n geweldige bron van kennis het wat hulle met ander kan deel.
Die eerste U3A in Suid Afrika was U3A Kaapstad wat in 2000 gestig is - vandag is daar ongeveer 40 U3A's in Suid Afrika. Daar is huidiglik geen akkurate ledetal syfer nie, maar in 2010 was daar reeds meer as 12,000 lede in Suid Afrika.
U3A Stilbaai is in Mei 2015 deur Stefan Pretorius begin, hy het na Stilbaai verhuis van Kaapstad waar hy betrokke was by U3A Valsbaai en U3A Kaapstad.
'n Tussentydse bestuurskomitee is saamgestel met die doel om te bepaal of U3A Stilbaai lewensvatbaar sal wees. Dit was toe verwag dat die ledetal ongeveer 40 sal wees. Met die eerste vergadering het ongeveer 20 mense aangesluit, en dit het gegroei tot meer as 130 'n jaar later.
U3A Stilbaai is dus duidelik lewensvatbaar, en 'n grondwet is opgestel voor die Stigtingsvergadering op 25 Julie 2016. By die Stigtingsvergaderig is die grondwet aanvaar, en 'n bestuurskomitee is verkies.
The University of the Third Age is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community — those in their third 'age' of life. It is commonly referred to as U3A (the French and English acronym).
There is no universally accepted model for U3A. Its original conception in France as an extramural university activity was significantly modified in the Britain where it was recognized that most people of retirement age have something to contribute and the emphasis has been on sharing, without formal links to traditional universities.
Many English-speaking countries have followed this sharing model, whereas continental European countries have mostly followed the French model.
U3A membership is not related to a specific age but to a period in one’s life (the third age) after the second age of full-time employment and parental responsibility. Anybody in their third age can join U3A and this includes people who are working part-time. There is no lower age for membership.
U3A started in France by Prof. Pierre Vella at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Toulouse in 1973 as the "Universités du Troisième Âge" (Acronym: U3A). In France, each U3A group is mostly associated with a local university. This academic model is used in several other countries, in particular in continental Europe.
By the early 1980's, the scheme reached Britain, where its nature was radically changed to utilize the experience and knowledge of retired persons. This model is also used in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and many other countries.
In the British model of peer learning, it is acknowledged that retired people have a lifetime of experience and, collectively, a vast amount of knowledge that they can share with others.
The first U3A in South Africa was U3A Cape Town established in 2000 - today there are approximately 40 U3A's in South Africa. There is no accurate figure for the current total membership, in 2010 there was already more than 12,000 U3A members in South Africa
In May 2015 Stefan Pretorius, who had recently moved to Stilbaai from Cape Town where he had been involved with U3A False Bay and U3A Cape Town, started U3A Stilbaai.
At the time an interim management committee was set up with the objective to determine whether U3A Stilbaai would be a viable organisation. At the time it was expected that membership would be about 40. At the first meeting about 20 people joined up, and this grew to more than 130 members a year later.
Obviously U3A Stilbaai was a viable organisation, and a constitution was drawn up before the Inaugural Meeting on 25 July 2016. At the Inaugural Meeting the constitution was accepted, and a management committee was elected.