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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£4.4K
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Spending
£4.4K
Public benefits
1) To promote and assist in the formation of new U3As in Northern Ireland Membership of a U3A enhances the lives of retired people in Northern Ireland through providing learning opportunities at minimal cost and by widening social contact, thus improving mental and physical well-being of “third agers”. By promoting and assisting the formation
of new U3As, the NI Region of U3As extends the availability of these benefits to a greater number of retired people in Northern Ireland. Findings of a survey of 2,800 U3A members throughout the UK noted that U3A membership had improved their social life (67%), given them a new interest (54%), enhanced their interests (66%), improved their physical or mental health (33%), given them new skills (18%), enhanced their skills (25%). Membership of U3As in Northern Ireland has grown from 3,316 in 2008 to around 6,000 in 2014. In the past year 2 new U3As have been started (Massereene and Holywood District) with the assistance of the NI Region of U3As. The direct beneficiaries of this purpose are the “third agers” who have been enabled to join the 23 U3As in Northern Ireland. There is no age restriction for U3A membership but most are 50 or over. The trustees are themselves all U3A members so might be deemed to obtain an incidental and necessary non-financial benefit from the work of the NI Region of U3As 2) To co-operate and share information and ideas with U3As in keeping with the objectives of the U3A movement as set out in the Aims and Guiding Principles of the Third Age Trust and in its Articles of Association, while at the same time respecting the operational independence of individual U3As Each U3A in Northern Ireland and its members benefit from learning about the experiences of other U3As in Northern Ireland, thus helping them improve the services they provide for members. The benefit is for the trustees and 6,000 members of U3As in Northern Ireland. The expenses of the trustees attending the regional meetings are repaid by the Third Age Trust. This is incidental and closely monitored by the Third Age Trust. 3) To advise and support the NI Trustee on the Board of the Third Age Trust This ensures that the interests of the 6,000 U3A members in Northern Ireland are represented in the UK wide organisation which in turn provides information and services on a national scale. The Trustee representing Northern Ireland is a member of the executive of the NI Region of U3As and attended and reported to the 9 meetings held in 2013. He attended 5 National Executive meetings last year, the Trust’s AGM and sat on 2 sub-committees. The benefit is for the trustees and 6,000 members of U3As in Northern Ireland. 4) To represent the interests of member U3As with all relevant bodies While U3As are not lobbying organisations, the support of outside bodies benefits U3A members by providing them with facilities for their activities. By representing all 23 U3As, the NI Region of U3As strengthens the case for support. The NI Region of U3As negotiated an agreement with LibrariesNI whereby U3As in Northern Ireland can use library premises free of charge, where available, in return for ensuring that the U3A members attending are library members. The NI Region of U3As arranged special terms at some shows held by NI Opera. The NI Region of U3As responded to the OFMDFM consultation on the Active Ageing Strategy 2014-20 seeking support in recognition of the education services U3As provide. The NI Region of U3As has publicised the benefits of U3As membership through contact with AgeNI, Retirement Shows and the media. The benefit is for the trustees of U3As and their 6,000 members in Northern Ireland.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
U3As provide a large range of educational and social activities for people in the "third age", i.e. those no longer in full time employment, at minimal cost. They operate on the principal that retired people have a lot of skills which they can use to educate other retired people. All 926 U3As in the UK are affiliated to the Third Age Trust, and
are arranged in Regions, with each Region having a trustee on the Trust. The Northern Ireland Region of U3As acts as a conduit for information from the Trust to the U3As in NI. It organises inter-U3A events, such as summer school, inter-U3A bridge, inter-U3A choir singing and golf. Working with the NI trustee the executive of the Region works to start up new U3As and to support existing ones. The Regional Executive mans the regional website which is the first source of U3A information in NI.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of education
- The advancement of health or the saving of lives
- The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
Who the charity helps
- Adult training
- Older people
- Voluntary and community sector
How the charity works
- Cross-border/cross-community
- Cultural
- Education/training
