University of the Third Age

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:22): Today, I would like to bring to the house's attention one of the organisations in my community that is very important in terms of adult community education. I would like to refer to the University of the Third Age Gawler (U3A Gawler). U3A originally started in France in 1973 as an academic venture for older people no longer in the workforce. It spread later to the UK and then evolved into a more independent branch no longer linked to universities.

U3A Gawler began just three years after the first Australian branch was formed in Melbourne in 1985. The then manager of the Gawler Community House organised a meeting of interested townspeople on 30 March 1988 with a speaker from U3A Adelaide. So many people turned up to that public meeting that they had to go across the road to the then TAFE college to continue with the meeting. Now we have the U3A Gawler, which last week celebrated its 30 years, and during that time it has delivered a number of classes and enrichment programs for a lot of people in the community.

In her speech to the celebrations last week, Margaret Travers, the chairperson of U3A Gawler, talked about how in Gawler it is essentially a form of peer education or peer learning where people who have retired from the professions or trades share their knowledge and wisdom with other people who would like to learn about that. So in U3A we have a huge amount of knowledge and wisdom that have been accumulated over decades and we are not losing that because we have this organisation that enables these people to transmit and teach others in those areas.

There is a whole range of programs from what you might call recreational to some more academic ones, including languages. I am pleased to say that as an office in the Light electorate we are very keen to support them. Both Margaret Travers, the president, and Fran Mason, the secretary, run a great organisation, and I am pleased to talk about not only the teaching they do but also the other important role they perform.

U3A helps older people in our community to remain connected to community, which I think is very important. They encourage people to leave their homes and come in to learn but also to make those valuable community connections, which are associated with better health. If you look at all the studies, those people who are better connected to community, particularly those people who volunteer their time, enjoy better health. That community interaction is obviously important to the wellbeing—particularly the mental wellbeing—of people.

Over the years, they have had a number of leaders and life members of the organisation, and I have known quite a few. In fact, some of the leaders and life members—unfortunately, some have passed away—were actually teachers at my school when I was in high school. They went on to pass on their subject area skills into this new group. I would like to congratulate all the people who have made U3A Gawler such a huge success. I look forward to joining them for their 40^th birthday.

Another form of education that I would like to recognise is that this Friday is World Teachers' Day in Australia. World Teachers' Day is celebrated in over 100 countries and acknowledges the efforts of teachers and support staff in an increasingly complex multicultural and technological society. I deliberately mention that because the art and practice of teaching is ever changing. As technology changes and as our community changes, teachers also have to change the way they teach.

It is not the case where what you learned when you went to university or some teachers' college stays the same, but you are continuously required to update your skills to be a great teacher. Importantly, this is a day when students, parents and the community at large can demonstrate their appreciation for the contribution that teachers and support staff have made to their community. World Teachers' Day was initiated on 5 October 1994 by Unesco to recognise the importance of competent, qualified and motivated teachers and the role they play in society, as well as the important role of other staff.

I would also like to mention that in our school communities we have teachers, support staff and volunteers. When they work together well, we have thriving school communities. I congratulate all the teachers in my electorate on World Teachers' Day.