Welcome from TAN Chair, Sandy Thurston
Happy Autumn!
It’s exciting to see such great line-ups and uptake for the fall programs across the network. Congratulations everyone!
After a quiet summer, TAN started September off with orientation sessions for new REPs, (welcome to this important role!) and an Idea Exchange for Program Chairs:
- The Reps facilitate critical and multi-directional connections across the network – between their organization, other members, and TAN, and we are working on providing them with more resources and support. Facilitating access to the member portal on the website is a key role for the reps to ensure that their organization’s volunteers can access resource materials and connect with other member organizations.
- The Idea Exchange for Program Chairs on September 15th was the first of what we hope will be regular opportunities for the program chairs and committees to collaborate on any number of topics. Thanks so much to everyone for completing the survey on how we compensate speakers or are relying on pro bono speakers. There’s so much diversity across the network, but lots of similarities too, and we can help each other out in many ways! Watch for a next date for program chairs in January 2027.
Third Age Network’s Annual Meeting is on Thursday, October 22nd at 2 pm via Zoom.
Each member organization must delegate someone to vote on its behalf at the annual meeting. Others in the network are most welcome to attend.
I love Annual Meetings as a way of showcasing what hard-working volunteers have accomplished over the past year, and highlighting the committed group of volunteers – both returning, and those newly elected, who will lead the network into the next year. Thank you to each and every one for your passion and commitment to later life learning in Ontario – and for being such a wonderful group to work with!
We are starting in this edition to introduce you to a new network member, and some members of our board and committees. Learn more about them and why they chose to become involved in TAN. If you are interested in learning more about TAN and how to become involved in any way (small or large), I would be delighted to have a conversation with you… just email me at sandythurston1@gmail.com or info@thirdagenetwork.ca.
Enjoy the rest of the fall!
Warm regards,
Sandy
Meet One of TAN’s Board Members – Elly Bowen
A member of the Board and Chair of the Program Committee for Hamilton Third Age Learning, Elly joined TAN’s board a year ago.
Following a successful 43-year career in business she was drawn to later life learning organizations as an opportunity to continue to use her professional talents while learning and working with interesting, like-minded people who are making a difference. And she has!
Last year Elly chaired the symposium planning committee for TAN and is currently helping to lead the organization’s strategic operational planning process. As Elly explains, becoming involved in the TAN board, in addition to her local work, has enabled her to gain a broader perspective on later life learning and contribute to its growth and impact for older adults across Ontario. She suggests that people who are nearing completion of their leadership term in their local community might find this an interesting and rewarding “next step”.
Later life learning is just one of Elly’s many interests. An active community volunteer, she also enjoys travel, reading, cooking and Ikebana among other things. We hope you will get a chance to meet Elly at TAN’s upcoming AGM.
Resources and Learning Opportunities
One huge benefit of belonging to a network is the opportunity to share ideas and resources with others. Two of the ways TAN facilitates this is through the provision of topical educational sessions (Idea Exchanges) and hosting online gatherings of those with common roles across our member groups. The following is a recent example:
Program Chairs Gathering
On September 15th we hosted an online gathering of Program Chairs from across our member organizations. Prior to this, a survey was circulated to gather information on how speakers are compensated (or not). The results of the survey provide useful comparative information.
Many thanks to Carol Mair (Bluewater Lifelong Learning), Phyllis Ryall (The LIFE Institute) and Elly Bowen (Hamilton Third Age Learning) for facilitating this discussion. A wealth of information was shared and interesting ideas explored, setting the stage for future discussions. More can now be found in the Member Portal of TAN’s website here.
Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario
Following a presentation by Sue Hesjedahl, OACAO Executive Director, at the TAN Symposium held last May, TAN has become an associate member of the OACAO. We are in the process of learning more about how this might benefit all of TAN’s member organizations and plan to share this in the near future. In the meantime, we invite you to take a look at the OACAO website and learn more about their programs and services, including the Link2Wellbeing (social prescribing) program that they are active in. oacao.org
Meet One of TAN’s Newest Member Organizations
Stratford Third Age Learning – S3AL
Welcome to TAN!
Stratford Third Age Learning (S3AL) officially launched in February 2025 under the leadership of Dr Jean Hewitt and Ev Scott and their advisory committee.
The impetus came partly from Jean’s professional experience as an educator and researcher in the area of brain development. As her attention shifted from a focus on children to adults in the 1970’s, Jean developed a deep understanding and passion for what created the greatest positive impact for older adults. This learning continues today with her involvement in the Superagers research project at Western University as well as through the implementation of Stratford Third Age Learning.
S3AL utilizes a program model where learning and connections are fostered through group discussions, collaborative learning and social events. They offer a variety of experiences for members including coffee chats, courses and other social activities. Rather than lectures delivered by content experts, courses are offered 3 times a year and led by knowledgeable volunteers. To maximize the experience, class sizes are limited to a maximum of 16. As an example, this fall two programs are being offered. The first is on Gender Identity and runs for 5 weeks, 2 hrs per week. The second focuses on The Flavours of Home: how food and recipes connect us. It runs for 4 weeks, once a week for two hours.
At the core of all of Stratford’s offerings is a focus on promoting connection, engagement and stimulation.
Participation numbers are a testimony to S3AL’s appeal. Once you have registered for a course (all courses are $45) you are considered a member. Already they have passed 380 members, drawing from the local community as well as further afield.
Jean is a strong advocate for the interactive model of later life learning that not only strengthens the older brain but also serves to address the increasingly important impact of social isolation experienced by many seniors. We welcome this contribution to our network discussions. So glad to have Stratford Third Age Learning as a member of TAN. To learn more about S3AL visit their website at s3al.ca.
Might this interest you?
TAN’s Membership Committee didn’t survive the pandemic, but it’s coming back to life with John Weatherburn as its new chair.
John is a past President of the Academy of Lifelong Learning in Toronto, and a past TAN Director and Rep, so he brings a lot of experience about later life learning to the committee. He is looking for new members to help with:
- mentoring TAN members who are starting up or struggling with an issue
- revamping some of the materials to help new start-ups
- outreach to potential new TAN members, or to help grow later life learning in areas that have no access to it
If you are interested in working with John, you can reach him at Membership@Thirdagenetwork.ca
And finally….
Don’t forget to register for here the upcoming AGM on Tuesday, Oct 22nd at 2pm via zoom
We hope to see you there!
Enjoy this beautiful fall,
Sheree Meredith, Editor, TANConnects