‘Old school’ makes a return

Older people often reach a stage of feeling like they are “invisible”, according to Frankston’s University of the Third Age (U3A) president, Gail Dudeck.

The 70-year-old tells DPS News she too reached a stage in life where she did not venture outside and stopped going on her much-loved shopping sprees.

“But then my son gave me a computer and I needed to learn how to use it. After that, I soon became involved in a writing program and that’s how I got involved at U3A,” Ms Dudeck says.

U3A is a learning institution for older people which encourages healthy ageing by enabling members to share many educational, creative and leisure activities.

The U3A Network Victoria is an incorporated association whose members are some 98 Universities of the Third Age (U3As) in Victoria with more than 25,500 individual members.

Ms Dudeck says Frankston’s U3A offers a range of courses to mature-aged students, with belly dancing, philosophy and Chinese culture among some of the more popular courses.

Now after two years as president, Ms Dudeck will again be nominated for a third presidential term in March.

She says the Frankston-based university has grown since its early days, from about 270 registered students to more than 600 and counting.

With music, movement and languages taught at the university, Ms Dudeck says the courses offer a range of benefits to older students.

“The courses are really important for those with health problems and it also is a good way of socially interlocking people,” she says, adding the university’s creative writing course has about four students aged over 90 years.

“It’s unbelievable how alert they are,” she says. “While some are not in the best of health, their stories are unbelievable and they are always there in class every morning at 9am.”

With no marks given or exams scheduled, students are able to learn with the ability to develop their skills without feeling disheartened or criticised.

“I encourage any older person to become involved in something they’ve always wanted to do. It’s great just to come along to classes and chat away to people.

“Many of these students left school when they were 15 years old and have not studied in any way – there’s just something for everyone,” Ms Dudeck insists.

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