Community Building for Seniors Learning

Atlantic Caucus - Canadian Network for Third Age Learning

Report from a regional conference hosted by Seniors College of Prince Edward Island.

The hosting of a regional conference at UPEI on August 26, 27 and 28, 2007 was a great success with over forty participants from seven provinces. The outcomes we feel with be long lasting as participants were all committed to maintaining communication and providing advice and support to newer programs as the develop.

Goal:
The stated goal was to increase communication among organizations and individuals to enhance and develop programming that helps address the needs of adult learners today and in the future. Increase communication among educational institutions and community-based organizations to share their best practices, showing others what is working well, and helping spread the peer-learning model into new areas.

Stage One - Establish Network:

Contact was established with universities in the Atlantic region involved in senior learning, community-based programs and individuals with a research interest in the field of learning in retirement. The initial effort has established contact by email and a blog is dedicated to shared interests. Participants indicated that a listserv was the most effective method of ongoing communication and that an annual regional conference was essential.

The following provinces have been identified to host in upcoming years if possible.

• New Brunswick 2008,
• Nova Scotia 2009,
• Newfoundland 2010,
• Prince Edward Island 2011

Stage Two - Best Practices Conference:
The conference held in the Faculty Lounge at UPEI focussed on learning from similar organization and their best practices in hopes of helping existing and new organizations establish and flourish. Representatives from several universities and community groups in the region showed their interest in learning more about establishing programs.

Participants indicated that within the Atlantic region there is a need for groups work collaboratively and expand the peer-learning model into areas where there is currently no programming.

Reports:
The Seniors College web site, upei.ca/seniorscollege and the Seniors College blog seniorscollege.blogspot.com will continue to support this regional initiative with reports of the conference.


Goals

• Share research and best practices,
• Build a network that can help new groups get started,
• Share innovative ideas with on-line journals and blogs for creative writing and a virtual art gallery for students in region,
• Encourage high standards in quality adult learning opportunities for region, that support adult learning in retirement.

Name of Project – Community Building for Seniors Learning

Project’s area of interest -

• Senior’s Learning – programming for retirees,
• Arts & Culture - includes visual arts & music education as well as writing and theatre,
• Literacy – technology literacy (computer classes) and media literacy are taught.

Dates of project -

• Phase I & Phase II were completed with a regional conference on August 26, 27 and 28, 2007

Brief description of project:
To organize an active Atlantic working group under the umbrella of a national body CATALIST - that will better serve the current needs of the region. This will initiate communication among those working in the field of peer-learning for seniors at both the university and community level and lead to a regional conference in August..

This will help share best practices and help get new groups started – several groups in NS and NB have already contacted us looking for help in getting started. It will share research. We anticipate a major legacy for enhanced seniors learning and advancing peer learning models in the Atlantic region.

Outcomes:

• Representatives from all provinces in the Atlantic region as well as several community-based groups delivering or hoping to deliver programming for Atlantic seniors attended the conference and indicated interest in maintaining ongoing communication. Seniors College of PEI is maintaining communication among participants. A strong interest nationally was also achieved with leaders of the national organization CATALIST having a strong presence and with the attendance of representatives from seven provinces. Participants indicated the clear need to enhance communication nationally especially in areas of common concerns for individuals in the 50+ age group including health education issues for seniors as well as addressing broad educational needs.

• The conference brought together the community of interest along with researchers in the adult education field to share research and best practices in the region and nationally with a clear interest in working together in the future.

Evaluation: Success was shown in the participation of 40 individuals from 7 provinces and the positive reports received. One board member who holds a PhD in evaluation of educational programs put it succinctly.

A personal thank you . . . for all your work and dedication in arranging this conference. I felt that we "did ourselves proud", inspired others and ourselves, and learned a lot. It was a great success and a fine start to creating a cross-country web of connection. Your efforts were key and, as a Board member, I am very grateful to you both.

Practical events which have taken place since the event include

• Dave Mabon, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Montague, attended the conference initiated the idea of creating a branch of Seniors College in Montague, which is beginning classes in Feb 2008.
  

• Mt Allison University, has invited representatives of Seniors College of PEI to assist with a meeting with local residents interested in establishing programming in their area.

The conference would not have been possible without the financial support of:

Adult Learning Knowledge Centre / Centre du savoir apprentissage chez les adultes
Canadian Council on Learning / Conseil canadien sur l’apprentissage
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3

Their support is greatly appreciated.

Ian Scott
President of Seniors College of PEI