The East Midlands U3A Region
In this Section
Learn more about how the East Midlands U3A Region operates:
What
the Region Offers
- Purpose
The East Midlands U3A Region has two fundamental purposes:
- To
enable U3As to work together to help them meet their objectives
(learning recreation and companionship) – by cooperative activities
usually involving discussion and sharing of experiences.
- To
ensure U3As have the opportunities to propose and vote for their
representative on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Third
Age Trust. Later it provides one means by which to communicate with the
NEC through the Trustee.
- Networks
Because of its
geographical size the Region has divided itself into five County
Networks of U3As (with Leicestershire and Rutland operating as one).
This allows U3As to get together with considerably less
travelling. Have a look at the websites for the
Derbyshire
Leicestershire and Rutland, Northamptonshire and
Nottinghamshire Networks to see what
they do and their latest news. Networks are
inherent parts
of the Region they are not additions to it.
- Membership of
the Region
Following the
National Emergency General Meeting of the TAT in May 2008 all U3As were
assigned to Regions for the election of Trustees to the National
Executive Committee of the TAT. U3As can choose not
to take
part in the election and can indicate they do not wish to receive
communications from ‘the region’ or to make financial contributions to
it. But they cannot leave the Region or change
Region. That is part of their relationship with the
TAT and
which includes allowing them to be known as U3As.
- Funding
The Region receives funding from the TAT for
specific and prescribed events. .
- Regional budget assigned annually by NEC Treasurer to
the Regional
Trustee which could, for example, pay for the East Midlands U3As
Regional Conference.
- Trust funded workshops for topics identified by NEC
which provide support for U3As: total cost borne by
Third Age Trust.
- Money for Network Workshops attended by at least 5 U3As
comes from a separate national workshop
budget. Up to £500 per workshop which is attended by at least 5 U3As is
available.
- Regional Volunteer expenses (for activities approved by
the Regional Trustee) from the Third Age Trust.
- Start-Up grants from the Third Age Trust for new U3As
(up to £200).
- Publicity grants from the Third Age Trust for events
which increase awareness of the U3A movement (up
to £20).
Role
of the Regional Trustee
The
role of the Regional Trustee is to
act as a channel of communication between the National Executive
Committee (NEC) and U3As in the Region, working with the County
Networks to ensure that
we provide the right level of support for U3As as well as starting new
ones.
The
current Regional Trustee is Jean Hogg, who took up
the post in September 2018 and will remain as Trustee until the Third Age
Trust AGM in August 2021.
Role
of the Networks
- To provide a forum for the discussion of issues of
importance to U3As in the Network.
- To coordinate and initiate the development of new U3As in
the County.
- To enable U3As cooperatively to initiate aspects of
learning support by:
- Sharing matters of current importance to them;
- Setting up cooperative ventures;
- Participating in local Shared Learning Projects.
- To carry out other cooperative activities decided by U3As
in the County.
- To work with the Regional Trustee to the benefit of the
region.
- To contribute to regional means of communication.
- To complement and extend regional activities e.g. on
supporting Group Leaders.
- To
establish such mechanisms as are deemed necessary to discharge their
functions and responsibilities. (e.g. The frequency
of
meetings, arrangements for Chairing meetings and the preparation of
Agenda and minutes.)
- To develop policies and plans as U3As see fit.
