The City of Port Phillip, the owner of the premises we use for Face-2-Face Courses, has now opened communications on Community Centre usage under Covid-19. We are in discussions with them about facility availability, capacity, timing and our Covid-19 Conditions of Entry.
Our current plan is to continue Term 1 Courses with Online, Email and Outdoors delivery and to commence transition to some Face-2-Face delivery of Courses in Term 2. We will advise you of progress during Term 1.
BEFORE we can resume Face-2-Face Classes, there is much planning to be done by a number of functional groups in U3APP and CoPP, and actions to be taken to ensure orderly transition to the new regime. An example of tasks is assessment of various rooms for Classes based on floor space (and therefore maximum Class size), then allocation of Courses and time schedules to fulfil our needs. It is entirely possible that the space requirements per student may change over the next few months, so an allocation of rooms to Classes is premature, as is the time scheduling for Classes.
Another is preparation of the facilities for rehabilitation - sanitisation stations, signage and general deep cleaning of all venues. This will take time!
The CoM through the Covid-19 Working Group has spent the last months generating a schedule of events and actions required to enact transition (an Action Plan) of some Courses to Face-2-Face or Hybrid. Our estimate is that it will take about eight weeks from the time of Council clearance to the full or partial implementation of the plan. All Courses provided during Term 1, 2021 will follow the protocols of Term 4, 2020, i.e., Online, Email or Outdoors. During Term 1 we will be working to transition some Courses to Face-2-Face or Hybrid, so we can reasonably assume that we will be able to implement at least a partial transition of some Courses by the beginning of Term 2, 2021.
REMEMBER please, that we have over 90 Courses, some with unique requirements, to accommodate in the upcoming scheduling process, so PATIENCE should be the operative word. Use the summer break to enjoy life before returning to your Courses in 2021. Don't spend your much deserved rest machinating over what is to come. Rest assured that the team at U3APP 'Headquarters’ will be on the beat over the summer to ensure the best possible outcome for us all. Once the implementation plan is in operation we can then start communicating our progress to you all, on a regular basis. It is essential that all Tutors and Members understand that this process will take some time to resolve.
Tuesday 19 January - Thursday 28 January - Holiday Activity Program Tuesday 26 January 10am - Tutors Meeting Friday 29 January 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde
Semester 1: Monday 1 February - Friday 25 June
Monday 1 February - Start Term 1 Saturday 20 February 2:30pm - Seminar-Webinar: The Downing of Flight MH17 Friday 26 February 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde Monday 8 March - Labour Day Public Holiday - usually no Classes held this day but check with your Tutor if unsure Saturday 20 March 2:30pm - Seminar-Webinar: New Tricks Friday 26 March 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde Thursday 1 April - End Term 1 Friday 2 April - Sunday 18 April - Easter and Term Break Monday 19 April - Start Term 2 Friday 30 April 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde Friday 28 May 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde Monday 14 June - Queen's Birthday Public Holiday - usually no Classes held this day but check with your Tutor if unsure Friday 25 June 11am - Coffee Morning - Sandbar Café, 175 Beaconsfield Pde Friday 25 June - End Term 2
Semester 2: Monday 12 July - Friday 10 December
Monday 12 July - Start Term 3 Friday 17 September - End Term 3 Saturday 18 September- Sunday 3 October - Term Break Monday 4 October - Start Term 4 Tuesday 2 November - Melbourne Cup Day - no Classes held this day Friday 10 December - End Term 4
Do you attend one of our online Zoom classes and find the screen on your device is a bit small, especially for an exercise class or when watching a video in your class? Would like to see it on your bigger tv screen?
You can connect your device to your TV and you can see everything both on your device and your TV.
You join your Zoom class on your device, but you can then move somewhere else and watch your class on your TV. Remember that you will only be seen or heard by others in the class if you return to being in front of your device.
There are 2 broad ways to connect your device to your tv: via a cable or via wireless. Further details are provided below.
Some basic assumptions:
The source device (running Zoom) could be any laptop/desktop, tablet or smartphone.
The device to be projected to is a flatscreen TV with at least one free HDMI input.
The zoom user requires the option of supporting two-way audio and video communication but must return to their device to be seen or heard by others.
The TV may or may not be a Smart TV, that is a TV supporting wi-fi connectivity. A Smart TV is assumed to be configured to access the user’s home wi-fi network.
Flowchart
A high level flowchart of the connection options is given below, identifying 4 broad options which are discussed in the later sections.
Option 1 – Wired connection via HDMI
A wired connection via HDMI will in most cases provide the simplest method of broadcasting content to a TV. In the simplest case, both the source device and TV support an HDMI interface looking like this:
All that is required is a standard HDMI male to male cable sufficiently long to reach from the source device to the TV. Suitable cables are:
Cable
Typical Cost
HDMI (5 metre cable)
$15 (Scorptec)
HDMI (10 metre cable)
$25 (Scorptec)
For source devices not natively supporting a female HDMI interface a relatively low-cost adapter can often be purchased. A few of the most common interfaces are listed below including the cost of an interface adapter from Officeworks to plug into a standard HDMI cable.
Joining a zoom session is relatively straightforward, involving the following broad steps:
Connect the source device to the destination device via a standard HDMI cable in series with the appropriate adaptor device (as above) if necessary.
Select the appropriate HDMI input on the destination TV (procedure differs between TVs)
Set the source device to broadcast to the HDMI interface, eg. Windows laptop/desktop: press windows key plus P then select duplicate IPhone: swipe up from bottom then select Screen Mirroring Apple Mac: refer to https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204388
Sign in to zoom class in the normal way.
Option 2 – Smart TV
Many modern TVs support inbuilt wi-fi capabilities which enable content to be sent directly from a source device to the TV screen without a physical connection. However, there are some differences in the capabilities and operating procedures between different TV brands so only the general approach is outlined here.
A good option is to use Google Chrome browser on the source device, supported on windows, Linux, iOS and Android operating systems. Ensure than the source and destination devices are configured on the same Wi-Fi networks and the TV is set to the appropriate HDMI channel. To activate screen sharing, click on the vertical ellipsis (⋮) symbol in the top right corner of the Chrome browser screen then click cast, which will bring up a list of compatible destination devices. There is also a dropdown menu labelled sources, which allows selection of browser tab, desktop or file screen casting. Select cast todesktop then click the desired destination device.
If “cast to desktop” is selected (continuously mirroring the source screen to the destination) a popup window will appear, click the image on your desktop to highlight it, then click the Share button.
So, in summary, to access zoom:
Select three dots menu
Select Cast
Open Sources dropdown menu then Select 'Cast desktop'
Click the destination to cast to
Popup window appears; click the image of your desktop to highlight it
Click the Share button
Go to u3app.org.au, sign-in then start zoom class from the appropriate link.
Note that after clicking Cast, the black symbol will appear in the top right corner. This will change to a blue symbol while casting is in progress. Using cast to desktop, everything will be cast from the source to the destination device until casting is stopped.
Selecting file at step 3 above allows a file (eg. Movie) on the source device to be selected then cast to the destination device and the source device to then continue with other functions.
Note that Chrome browser on iphones does not directly support casting.
However, for any iphone apps displaying the chromecast icon symbol , simply click this icon then select the appropriate destination device (TV) to initiate casting.
Option 3 – Apple TV device
Airplay is a casting protocol developed by Apple supporting video and/or audio. It is implemented in Apple devices running the IOS operating system and some 3rd party products. It is implemented as a display device in the Apple TV and in selected Smart TVs from Sony, LG, Samsung and others.
Users with an Apple device can choose to connect wirelessly to an HDMI equipped TV with the Apple TV hardware device. There are three current versions of Apple TV
Apple TV HD 32 GB $209 (includes 12 months AppleTV+ subscription)
Apple TV 4K 32 GB $249 (includes 12 months AppleTV+ subscription)
Apple TV 4K 64 GB $279 (includes 12 months AppleTV+ subscription)
An Apple TV (all models) needs to be connected to the home network by WiFi or network cable and is connected to the TV with an HDMI to HDMI cable.
The Apple TV will make any TV with HDMI input smarter because it can have its own apps installed to watch streamed content (ABC iView, SBS OnDemand, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Stan to name a few) and does not require any other smart device to do this. The Apple TV hardware device has its own remote control or can be controlled with the Remote app for iPhone and iPad
Your Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Macintosh) wirelessly connect to the TV via AirPlay. AirPlay lets you share videos, photos, music and more from Apple devices to your Apple TV, your favourite speakers and popular Smart TVs.
For ZOOM meetings, use Screen Mirroring to see the entire screen of your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch on your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV.
Connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV.
Open Control Centre:
On iPhone X or later or iPad with iPadOS or later: Swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
On iPhone 8 or earlier or iOS 11 or earlier: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
Tap Screen Mirroring.
Select your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV from the list.
If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your iOS or iPadOS device.
Your TV uses your iOS or iPadOS device's screen orientation and aspect ratio. To fill your TV screen with the mirrored device screen, change your TV's aspect ratio or zoom settings.
To stop mirroring your iOS or iPadOS device, open Control Centre, tap Screen Mirroring, then tap Stop Mirroring. Or press the Menu button on your Apple TV Remote.
Mirror or extend your Mac display
With Apple TV or an AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV, you can mirror the entire display of your Mac to your TV or use your TV as a separate display.
Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV.
On your Mac, click in the menu bar at the top of your screen. If you don't see , go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays, then select "Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available".
Choose your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible Smart TV.
If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your Mac.
Change settings or stop mirroring
To change the size of your desktop mirrored on your TV, click in the menu bar. Then select Mirror Built-in Display to match the size of your desktop or Mirror Apple TV to match the size of your TV.
AirPlay also lets you use your TV as a separate display for your Mac. Just click in the menu bar, then select Use As Separate Display.
To stop mirroring or using your TV as a separate display, click in the menu bar, then choose Turn AirPlay Off. Or press the Menu button on your Apple TV Remote.
Option 4 – Google Chromecast
For non-Apple devices (laptops/desktops, etc.) where a Smart TV or wired connection is not available, the Google Chromecast device is a good option.
Google cast is a proprietary protocol developed by Google and built into the Google Chromecast device. The protocol was published in 2014 and has since been built into a range of 3rd party Android TV products from Sharp, Sony, Toshiba and others.
Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google for screen casting via Google cast to any device supporting an HDMI interface. It presently comes in two main variants:
Google Chromecast 3rd Generation ($55 in Officeworks) supporting Full HD resolution video
Google Chromecast Ultra ($96 in Officeworks) supporting Ultra HD (4K) video
In both cases, the small dongle plugs into any HDMI interface and has a USB interface for charging. It is then setup via the Google Home app on an Android phone or iPhone. This mainly involving configuring Wi-Fi. The host TV needs to be set to the appropriate HDMI channel into which the dongle is plugged, then it should be ready to start displaying anything from a Google cast compatible device.
Using Google Chrome browser, the procedure for casting a zoom call is then identical to that for a Smart TV, ie.
Select three dots menu at top-right of Chrome screen
Select Cast
Open Sources dropdown menu then Select 'Cast desktop'
Click the destination to cast to
Popup window appears; click the image of your desktop to highlight it
Click the Share button
Go to u3app.org.au, sign-in then start zoom class from the appropriate link
Google Chromecast will not easily work to wirelessly connect ZOOM from Apple devices to a TV. There is an additional app (Apowermirror, lifetime cost of $59.95) that enables ZOOM from Apple iPhone and iPad to Chromecast.
At $55 the Google Chromecast is good value to “smarten-up” any TV, so a relatively low-cost entry point. I believe for many people this could be a good starting point to check out wireless connection with a larger (TV) screen.
Note that use of Chromecast is likely to add to the data that Google collects about its users. All the “free” stuff we get from Google has to be paid for and Google gets revenue from selling information about us to providers of goods and services. On the other hand, Apple is very deliberate about not collecting any more data than is necessary and does not sell it on to other parties, which, in part, is the reason that Apple devices always seem to cost more.
U3APP has enjoyed enormous success in 2020 in moving 70% of classes online. Not only that, we have been kept connected via our highly entertaining weekly e-bulletins, stimulated via our well attended Saturday seminars, engaged via our holiday programs, and creatively enhanced via our photography exhibition. Our membership has increased!
But what of next year? The U3APP COVID 19 Working Group is on the case. The Working Group is planning for a COVID safe environment, consistent with Government regulations and City of Port Phillip processes and procedures. The Group is scenario planning options for the delivery of classes and will be consulting soon with tutors and members.
September marks 6 months since U3A Port Phillip ceased face to face classes and activities. Thanks to the work of the COVID Working Group, the IT team and the enthusiastic tutors and you, our members, we have risen to the challenge and over 70% of U3APP classes are online with over 600 participants.
Nevertheless, we understand that the conduct of online classes by Zoom impacts on the sense of connectedness of some members that comes through direct in person participation. This sense of connectedness built up over the past years is such an important aspect of U3APP operations and the basis as to why we have been able to continue to be successful in the online environment.
In the meantime, the closure of all facilities used by U3APP is set to continue and there is no indication as to when they may reopen. In light of this situation, for the remainder of 2020 all classes and activities will continue to be conducted either online using Zoom technology or via email in limited circumstances. Those classes that have been postponed since the closure will not recommence in Term 4, with the possible exception, post restrictions, of the courses conducted outdoors.
The U3APP Annual General Meeting this year will also be held utilising online facilities.
On a personal reflection Thursday this week was national RUOK day. This day and the phrase arose out of one family’s tragedy but now serves as a great reminder that whilst many members are coping well and enjoying life many others are struggling. A simple genuine gesture of asking “are you OK” can have a very positive impact. I urge you to consider this with family, friends, acquaintances and your fellow U3A members.
As of midnight on Wednesday 22 July 2020, the Victorian Government requires all those in the Melbourne Metropolitan area (and including Mitchell Shire) to wear face masks when out for one of the four acceptable reasons for leaving home:
Shopping for food or other essential items
To provide care giving, for compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment
For exercise (outdoor exercise only, with only one other person or members of your household)
Work or study, if you cannot work or study from home
You can view a four page pdf provided by the DHHS for making your own face mask by clicking the mask below. You can increase the size of the pdf by double clicking and then clicking on "zoom in" - you can repeat this process until the document is the most suitable size for you.
Below is an email shared by Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for all U3A's :
From: Funded Agency Channel (DHHS) <fac@dhhs.vic.gov.au> Sent: Tuesday, 21 July 2020 4:03 PM Subject: Mandatory face coverings for Victorians
Community sector colleagues,
As the Premier announced on Sunday, people living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will now be required to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four reasons, following a concerning increase in coronavirus cases in recent days.
This new direction will be enforced from 11.59pm Wednesday 22 July to allow people time to purchase or make a face covering. However, we ask you to start wearing a face covering immediately if you can.
There will be some reasons not to wear a face covering. For example, those who have a medical reason, children under 12 years of age, or those who have a professional reason. However, you will still be expected to carry your face covering at all times to wear when you can.
Please refer to the updated restrictions on the Department of Health and Human Services’ website for more detail.
For those undertaking vital work in our community services sector, please remain vigilant and continue to implement the Guidance for coronavirus (COVID-19) planning in the community services sector (Word), to protect the health and safety of staff, clients and the broader community. This guidance will soon be updated to reflect the latest announcement re mandatory face coverings.
For those in need of face masks to continue providing vital services to the community, please complete the request for PPE form online. Demand for PPE is very high and all requests will be triaged with priority given to facilities and programs where there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19.
How do I wear a mask correctly? (surgical mask - single use)
Before putting on the mask, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or use a hand sanitiser that is made up of over 60% alcohol.
Check for defects in the mask, such as tears or broken loops.
Position the coloured side of the mask outward.
If present, make sure the metallic strip is at the top of the mask and positioned against the bridge of your nose.
If the mask has:
o Ear loops: Hold the mask by both ear loops and place one loop over each ear.
o Ties: Hold the mask by the upper strings. Tie the upper strings in a secure bow near the crown of your head. Tie the bottom strings securely in a bow near the nape of your neck.
o Dual elastic bands: Pull the bottom band over your head and position it against the nape of your neck. Pull the top band over your head and position it against the crown of your head
Mould the bendable metallic upper strip to the shape of your nose by pinching and pressing down on it with your fingers.
Pull the bottom of the mask over your mouth and chin.
Be sure the mask fits snugly.
Don’t touch the mask once in position.
If the mask gets soiled or damp, replace it with a new one.
What’s the best way to take off a face mask?
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser containing at least 60% alcohol.
Don’t touch the front of the mask or your face.
Carefully remove your mask by grasping the ear loops or untying the ties. For masks with a pair of ties, unfasten the bottom one first, then the top one.
If your mask has filters, remove them and throw them away. Fold the mask and put it directly into the laundry or into a disposable or washable bag for laundering. Single use surgical masks should be disposed of responsibly.
In the coming days, we will also provide you with information about face coverings for vulnerable clients.
For those supporting vulnerable members of our community through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic – thank you for your hard work, patience, and determination – you are making a significant difference to the lives of Victorians as we work together to slow the spread of the virus in our community.
Stay safe,
Argiri Alisandratos Deputy Secretary, Children, Families, Communities and Disability Department of Health and Human Services 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000
We are writing to let you know about a research study that might be interesting to your members. The research is being conducted by the Department of Psychology and Counselling at La Trobe University under the supervision of Dr Kerryn Pike.
RESEARCH STUDY TITLE: The effectiveness of face-name memory training in older adults
What is the study about?
This research is being done to learn more about the effectiveness of memory training for remembering names to faces in people over 60 years old. We are looking at whether learning specific strategies improves their ability to remember names, and what factors might influence this. The study is being conducted online (i.e. on the Internet).
Why are we doing this study?
The reason we want to know more about the effectiveness of face-name memory training is because forgetting names is one of the most common memory difficulties, and can lead to people withdrawing socially, reducing quality of life. The memory intervention involved in this study will be relatively short in time and is empirically supported to improve everyday memory performance and confidence.
Who can participate in this study?
Taking part in this research study is optional. We are looking for people who are: ● Aged over 60 years old ● Able to read and speak English proficiently ● With normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing ● Have access to a computer and the Internet ● No current diagnosis of neurological disorders (e.g. dementia) or psychiatric disorders (e.g. bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) ● Capable of completing the tasks independently
What does the study involve?
If people in your community do decide to take part they will be asked to:
● Complete two questionnaire packages on the Internet, two weeks apart ● Practice learning names every day for two weeks ● Depending on which group people are allocated to, they will be provided with information on different memory strategies ● All participants will have the opportunity to enter the draw to win one of fifteen $50 gift cards
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, CLICK THIS LINK TO START THE QUESTIONNAIRE:
This research has been reviewed and approved by The La Trobe University Human Research Ethics Committee. If you have any complaints or concerns about the research study please email humanethics@latrobe.edu.auor phone 9479 1443 quoting the following number HEC20218.
Yours sincerely - Kiki and Sherry - Student investigators
Here we go again……..Melburnians may be back in lockdown for six weeks, but U3A Port Phillip is firing up.
The COVID 19 Working Group still meets regularly and continues to work on strategies to keep members learning and socially connected. The Group has begun the process of developing a risk management strategy in response to the Port Phillip Council’s request for a Resumption Plan for Reusing Facilities. Caveat – we will not be resuming face to face classes in the foreseeable future.
The Working Group is delighted that Term 3 will have an increased number of classes. There are new classes and some of the perennial favourites, exercise classes and watercolour classes (we will emerge fitter and more creative).
The Working Group decided in May that with the use of webinars on Zoom the Saturday seminars could return. With two very successful seminars in Term 2 they continue with a vengeance in Term 3.
The Saturday seminar on 18 July, Writing historical biography: a labour of love or an act of madness? is a must for writers, history buffs and those who like a fascinating story.
The seminar on 15 August will focus on the controversial development of Fishermans Bend.
Pam Caven, Committee of Management, Covid-19 Working Group
Our dear Alex passed away peacefully just before 7pm on 19 August 2020.
There was no-one like Alex. He was a renaissance man - architect, painter, writer, poet, film buff and lifelong agitator for causes that mattered. He never accepted the status quo and always questioned ridiculous rules. He was passionate about fighting racism and he loved to keep up with world affairs. He was a husband to Linda, father to Jessica, Celeste and Simon and grandfather to his two grandchildren Tilda and Lilas-Mae. Along with Alex’s children’s partners, Alison, Charlie and Oli, we are all deeply saddened by his parting. We hope we can carry the torch as brightly and with the same determination as Alex.
We wish we could have everyone at the service so that we would be able to share memories of this unique man together. Unfortunately, in the Stage 4 lockdown we are unable to do so. Therefore, we invite you to join us via live streaming so that we can support each other and pay our respects to our dear Alex.
The service will be held at 3pm on Tuesday 25th of August.
The service will be streamed from the West Beach Bathers Pavilion, which is next to the dog beach on Beaconsfield Parade and we will have a small group of family and friends who will share their memories with us all.
Alex had often said that he would like to be a guest at his own funeral because it would be a celebration rather than a sad occasion. He wouldn’t want us to wear black (unless it was in fashion). He was a colourful man who loved wearing batik shirts as a nod to his cultural heritage but could carry off a stylish shirt and beret as well. How many of us could do that with the flare that Alex could?
Known as Alex, Al, Mon (short for mon darling), Pa, Dad and Opa, he was many things to many people. For him, I hope that we are able to honour his wish and dress with colour and flair for the day. The family are so pleased that his service will be held in his home suburb of St Kilda which he loved so much and next to the beach where we walked so many times with family, friends and our dogs over the last 40+ years.
Thank you everyone for the beautiful flowers & food packages you have already sent. For anyone else who would like to show their love, we know that Alex would have liked you to support The Cancer Council of Victoria.
Please find below the link for the live-streaming for Alex’s funeral service:
The service will be held at 3pm on Tuesday 25th of August.
by Pam Caven, Committee of Management Deputy President, Covid-19 Working Group
"Partying Like It's 2020"
On the weekend of 30-31 May 2020, U3A Port Phillip launched an exhibition of photographs taken by or of U3APP Members.
The purpose of the exhibition is three-fold:
To continue and expand U3APP’s commitment to engaging its members in ongoing educational and creative activities.
To provide an avenue for illustrating the creative talents of U3APP members
To contribute to the historical record of the life and times of the corona virus pandemic.
The exhibition is really to have a look at our time throughout the Coronavirus pandemic through a collection of digital photographs (camera, phone, iPad) capturing and recording the human experience, since shut down on 16 March.
As the aim of the exhibition is to capture and record the human experience, to be eligible for submission photographs must include at least one person or the activities of a person.
A caption must be included with the photograph to illuminate thoughts or explain why the photograph represents ‘the human experience in the time of corona virus.
Photographs that do not involve people, such as where the primary subject is an animal/bird or other creature, or the activities of an animal/bird or other creature are not eligible for submission.
It should be noted that as this is an exhibition is not a competition - emotional impact rather than technical composition is more the criterion for submission.
It is intended that one or more photographs will be published in the e-Bulletin on a weekly basis, the selection of photographs will be undertaken by U3APP’s resident photographer Barry McIntosh assisted by Rob Creed and Aziza Khamlichi.
It is possible that the U3A photographs could be displayed as a feature of the City of Port Phillip Seniors Festival.
So, start reviewing your recent photographs or start taking new photographs or both.
Now you have your photograph, you can submit it for the exhibition by following the instructions here.
Courses available to commence as face-to-face when feasible:
Beginners Spanish (L), with Esther Martin
Exercise to feel better (E), with Lorna Wyatt
History of Medicine, with Bronwen Bryant
Hoppa Hey Multicultural Dance, with Marie Feigl, Naomi Gordon and Sheffi Shapira
Mahjong, facilitated by Margaret Smith
Scrabble, facilitated by Sunny Acreman
Yoga – Body Breath and Mind (E), with Lesley Donelan
If you clicked on WAITLIST and it did not generate an email, read on...
If you are trying to Waitlist yourself for a course, and your device doesn’t create an email automatically when you click on the word WAITLIST, you may either (a) create the Waitlist email manually or (b) fix the problem on your device permanently.
(a) Create the Waitlist email manually
Please follow the instructions below.
Open your normal email, then create a new email message as follows:
To: waitlist@u3app.org.au CC: your email address bcc: u3appwaitlist@gmail.com Subject: WAITLIST coursecode coursename yourname
Important: Please include your phone or mobile number in the body of the email, and then SEND. ———————————-
Here is an example of a subject line, requesting waitlisting for the Course 5C02 Current Affairs.
WAITLIST 5C02 Current Affairs Helen Vorrath
The critical bits are the word WAITLIST at the beginning IN CAPITALS, followed immediately by the Course Code. It helps if you put the course name as well, as it verifies that you’ve put in the correct code. Putting your name in means that if someone calls you to tell you that you now have a place in the course, they know who they will be talking to.
NOTE that everytime you wish to WAITLIST, you will have to repeat the above steps for the appropriate course.
(b) Fix the problem on your device permanentlyWhy does this problem happen?
When you click on a link on a webpage, it may take you to a new page, a new window, or it may generate an email, using something called the MAILTO: protocol.
We use this email option on the U3APP website to generate emails relating to Course Management: waitlisting, cancelling or apologising. Some U3APP members have found this doesn’t work for them, because their MAILTO: protocol is set wrongly on their device
The steps in (b) above will fix the MAILTO: protocol for the device.
Fix Email not Generating
U3APP uses the automatic generation of emails for several functions, such as WAITLIST and CANCEL (for full courses). Should an email not be automatically generated, you can fix the problem as follows:
• logon to u3app.org.au • click on Courses & Enrolling and then Courses by Category • find any course which is full • copy the whole entry, from the course code to the word WAITLIST, for example 5B10 Friday Movie, David Robinson, 12:00-4:00, Weekly from 31 Jan 2020 to Fri 4 Dec 2020, Mary Kehoe Centre, Room 3, FULL (31 places) WAITLIST • paste the whole entry into an email • send the email to yourself • NOTE that the above steps can be done on any Windows or MAC device, but the following step must be done on the device which doesn’t generate the email • when you receive the email on your device, click on the WAITLIST link in the email. The waitlist email will be displayed. Do not press SEND in the waitlist email.
This should permanently fix the problem on your device, so from now you will be able to o click on WAITLIST on any Courses & Enrolling page and the waitlist email will be generated o click on CANCEL on any of your courses or events which is full, on the Your Courses & Events page, and the cancel email will be generated
How to Enrol
On-line: after bookings have opened
On-line enrolments are preferred as this significantly reduces the amount of back-office work for our volunteers.
Login to the U3APP.org.au website.
Go to the Courses & Enrolling page.
Scroll down to find the course that you are interested in.
Does the course have spaces available?
Click on the course name to go to the booking page.
Click on “Book for this course or event”.
You will receive a confirmation email. Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
OR is the course shown as FULL?
Click on WAITLIST.
Paper Enrolment Form: before bookings open for First Semester
Obtain a paper Enrolment Form either from the Office or by printing an online copy available here.
Complete the paper Enrolment Form and submit it to the Office.
The start date for acceptance of paper Enrolment Forms for first semester is published on the U3APP website and in the e-Bulletin. Enrolment Forms received before this date are treated as though they had been received on the start date (ie there is no advantage to be gained by submitting early). On the start date and thereafter, paper Enrolment Forms are numbered in order of receipt. Paper Enrolment forms are processed nu I3APP volunteers on the same day that on-line bookings open.
If your enrolment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email. Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
If your enrolment is unsuccessful, you will receive an email telling you that you have been waitlisted.
Via the Office: after bookings have opened
Contact the office in person, or by email or phone.
How to go on the Waitlist
If you are disappointed to find that a course you would like to join is already full, we urge you to waitlist yourself. This helps us know what the demand is for our courses, and whether we need to try to find more tutors for a particular subject. Our enrolment team moves hundreds of members off Waitlists during the year (300+ in the first half of the year).
You can go on the Waitlist for any course or event which is shown as FULL.
If your computer or device is set up to handle email links, clicking on the WAITLIST button will automatically generate an email for you, and all you have to do is click or tap on the SEND icon.
Here is the normal process, which works for most people:
Login to the U3APP website.
Go to the Courses and Enrolling page.
Click on WAITLIST beside the full course or event you wish to attend. This will generate a waitlist email, which contains the name of the course, your name and membership status.
IMPORTANT – click or tap your SEND icon, which sends the email to the Waitlisting system, with a copy to you.
If your system is not set up to handle email links, and clicking on the WAITLIST button doesn’t create an email automatically, you need to either create the Waitlist email yourself or fix the problem on your device. Click on the button below for instructions.
If you are trying to enrol in a very popular course on enrolment day, and your system doesn’t handle email links, we suggest you follow the instructions in the button above to create a Waitlist email ready to send if you aren’t successful in getting a place. That way you will be higher on the Waitlist than if you have to create the email from scratch.
ENROLMENT FAQs for 2021
Do I have to be a U3APP member to enrol for 2021 courses?
YES. You must have paid your 2021 membership prior to the start of enrolments on Monday 7 December 2020. If you’re not sure of your membership status, go to the U3A Port Phillip website, login, and your status will be displayed at the top of the screen.
Please note that the option to pay membership will be TURNED OFF prior to the commencement of the enrolment period to ensure that the response time for people enrolling is not impacted by people renewing at the last minute. It will be turned ON again later on Enrolment Day, but by then popular courses will have filled. So MAKE SURE you renew BEFORE Enrolment day.
When/how can I enrol in a course?
We prefer you to login and enrol on-line via our website, as it saves a lot of manual processing. However we do accept paper enrolment forms. On-line enrolments open Monday 7 December. The opening time for enrolment depends on the type of course:
9:00am On-line booking opens for all Exercise courses, marked (E)
10:00am On-line booking opens for all Language courses, marked (L)
11:00am On-line booking opens for ALL other courses.
Enrolments stay open for every course until the course fills. Waitlists are on-going – you can add yourself at any time.
For details of how to submit a paper enrolment, click on the question “I would rather put in a paper enrolment. When can I do so?” below. Processing of the paper forms will be done on Monday 7 December at the same time as for on-line bookings: first Exercise courses at 9:00, then Language courses at 10:00, then everything else at 11:00.
I can’t login to the U3APP website – what do I do?
If you have any problems logging in, please send an email to webmaster@u3app.org.au and someone will assist.
I’ve been attending a course in 2020 – do I have to enrol again?
YES. All courses are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. No preference is given to people who have been attending the course in the past. You need to enrol in the course on or after 7 December.
I’m already on a Waitlist for a course I want to join. Do I have to do anything?
YES. All courses are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Waitlists are cleared at the end of the year and no preference is given to people who have been on a Waitlist. You need to enrol in the course on or after 7 December.
Am I more likely to get into a course if I enrol on-line?
We try and make the enrolment process as fair as possible. Paper enrolments are numbered in order of receipt and keyed by volunteers at the same time as on-line enrolments are opened. If you have a low-numbered paper enrolment, you will probably get a place in the courses you want. If you have a higher numbered paper enrolment, you are more likely to miss out on a popular course.
I would rather put in a paper enrolment. When can I do so?
Paper forms are available
on the front veranda at Mary Kehoe on Monday 30 November, Tuesday 1 December and Friday 4 December, between 9:30 and 11:30.
at Port Melbourne, Albert Park and St Kilda libraries
Completed forms will be accepted in person by the Office Managers at the times shown above.
Forms can also be delivered by post or in person into the mailbox at the Mary Kehoe Centre at any time on or after 30 November.
The mailbox will not be cleared before Monday 30 November so there is no advantage to delivering a form early. The mailbox will be cleared daily during the week. The latest time for submission of paper forms is 5pm Friday 4 December.
Are 2021 courses being held face-to-face or on-line?
Some tutors have decided that they prefer to run their courses online using Zoom. These courses are indicated in the Course Guides as ONLINE ONLY.
If you can’t or don’t want to attend courses online, then you should NOT enrol in any of the courses so marked.
Most other courses will begin online, then transition progressively to face-to-face as restrictions on using the City of Port Phillip venues change. Class numbers may have to be reduced when face-to-face classes start in order to comply with social distancing requirements. Some courses may become “hybrid” with members attending both face-to-face and online.
If you want to attend these courses once they become face-to-face (even if you don’t want to attend while they are online) you SHOULD ENROL NOW. This will maximise your chances of getting a place when courses become face-to-face. If you are comfortable with online courses, you should also enrol now.
There are some courses which will be held face-to-face outdoors from the beginning of Term 1 2021. These are marked OUTDOORS in the Course Guides.
How do I maximise my chances of getting into a popular course?
Here are some hints:
Check that you can login to the website well before Enrolment Day Monday 7 December – send an email to webmaster@u3app.org.au if you have a problem.
Check that you are showing as a Member or Life Member. If you think you have renewed but you are still showing as a Free Subscriber, send an email to webmaster@u3app.org.au
If you haven’t used the on-line enrolment system before or recently, practise booking into the Dummy classes on the Courses and Enrolling page that are set up for this purpose (first courses on Monday).
On Enrolment Day, login to the website well before enrolment bookings open at 9:00am, so you are all ready to go.
If you want to enrol in more than one course, book the one that you think is most likely to fill first, then the next most popular, and so on.
What if I miss out on the course I want to do?
Unfortunately, some of our courses are very popular and they may fill before you try to enrol. When this happens, the entry in the Courses and Enrolling page will change so that you can’t click on it to enrol. Instead the word WAITLIST will appear beside it. If you missed out, please click on the word WAITLIST. This will create an email message which you must SEND to put yourself on the Waitlist. Waitlists are processed in order of receipt of these emails.
Is it worth bothering to put myself on the Waitlist for a class that is full?
YES and YES. For two reasons:
Over time, most people on a Waitlist get into the course. Often people who start a course find they can’t or don’t want to continue within the first week or so of the course, so you may not have to wait long.
If the Course Coordinators know that there is a big demand for a course, they may be able to find another tutor to run a similar course, or persuade a tutor to run a second session, or to repeat the course. If that happens, people on the Waitlist for the course will be given preference for places on the additional course.
I enrolled in one of the Dummy courses – should my name appear in the list of attendees?
You need to refresh the page before your name will appear. To ‘refresh’ your screen:
on your Apple Mac machine – press the Command and the R key at the same time
on your Windows machine – press the Ctrl and the R key at the same time
in most browsers, tap or click on a little circle with an arrow at the top of the screen
I enrolled in a Dummy course – should I receive a confirmation email?
Yes, you should. If you can’t find it, please check your spam or junk mail folder carefully. Many of our members have found that U3APP emails go into these folders, especially if they have a Gmail account. To find out how to stop this from happening for a Gmail account, click here.
Please note that on Enrolment Day, you will not receive a confirmation email immediately for each course. Instead you will receive one email within 24 hours which will list all the courses in which you have enrolled successfully.
I tried to put myself on the Waitlist for the Dummy full course and it did not create an email as it is supposed to. What do I do?
This can happen if there is a setting on your computer that isn’t correct. To find out how to fix it click on the button below.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can enrol in?
Because of high demand there are restrictions for some courses. (E) Exercise courses, (L) Language courses and (A) Art courses are limited to 2 of each type of course per member.
Apart from these limits, you can enrol in as many courses as you have time and energy for.
Online Payment
Should you have concerns about security on the internet when paying by credit card or debit card, here is how we handle online payments.
To accept any kind of payment via a website, we have to use something called a “payment gateway”. Originally we set up the U3APP site using PayPal as our payment gateway, but we found that it was very awkward and error-prone for members who didn’t have a PayPal account (and many of our members didn’t, and didn’t want one).
We switched to an alternative gateway called Stripe. It has security which is as good as PayPal, but has a much simpler form for members to fill in, and lower costs for a not-for-profit organisation.
If you Google “is stripe more secure than paypal” you will find dozens of articles, all of which confirm that the Stripe security meets Payment Card Industry compliance standards, and is as good as PayPal. In fact, Stripe is probably better from a privacy point of view – because PayPal uses an account rather than just asking for credit card details, which means it is collecting your purchasing history each time you use it.
We used to use bank transfers eons ago. The problem is that it is a manual process, and an awkward one at that, which is not instantaneous and, like all manual processes, is subject to error. It relies on
The member putting some kind of ID in the comment field of the bank transfer
The treasurer looking at the bank statement and identifying all the membership payments
IT then going into s2Member and manually updating the membership status for the right person based on whatever has been put in the comment field.
All this can take days, during which time you can’t enrol in a course.
With over 800 members to look after, life is much easier for the volunteers who run U3A Port Phillip if everyone can use the same systems. However, if this doesn’t convince you that using your credit card or debit card to pay your U3APP membership is perfectly safe, please download a paper form and follow the instructions on the form.
Who is U3A?
The University of the Third Age is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community—those in their third ‘age’ of life. It is commonly referred to as U3A.
There is no universally accepted model for the U3A. Its original conception in France as an extramural university activity was significantly modified in the United Kingdom where it was recognized that most people of retirement age have something to contribute and the emphasis has been on sharing, without formal links to traditional universities.
Many English-speaking countries have followed this geragogic model, whereas continental European countries have mostly followed the French model.
A British U3A website says about “The Third Age” membership eligibility: “U3A membership is not related to a specific age but to a period in one’s life (the third age) after the second age of full-time employment and parental responsibility.
Anybody in their third age can join U3A and this includes people who are working part-time. There is no lower age for membership.”
(from Wikipedia)
While membership of U3A doesn’t technically have an age restriction, the organisation was set up, and is predominantly run for, the benefit of those in their third age of life, usually retired or semi-retired, but still with an active interest in learning, teaching, new experiences and meeting like-minded people of a similar age, with many new and long lasting friendships formed from these meetings.
While we are delighted to receive new membership enquiries, we feel those of a younger demographic would perhaps not reap the benefits of the courses we have on offer, especially since they are intended for and run by and targeted to members of this older demographic.
Keep calm and Zoom on
Many of you may have seen the rather sensational headline in the Guardian saying “Zoom is malware”.
Let’s look carefully at the real risk to U3APP and its members in using Zoom, and what we are doing to protect ourselves. Click on the arrow to see the answers to the questions below.
Can hackers or trolls “bomb” (break into) a U3APP meeting?
Links to U3A meetings will be emailed only to the participants in that class. They will be posted on the website for people who can’t find the email, but they will be placed in a “members-only” area, so not easily accessible to hackers and trolls.
All meetings will be set up with a password to prevent hackers from getting in by trying a random meeting number. The link to the course meeting on the Online Courses Link page has the meeting number and password built-in, so you should NOT forward that to anyone other than a U3APP member.
Is what is transmitted in the Zoom meeting secure?
Zoom are working flat out to improve security (wouldn’t you if your product was receiving bad publicity?) But most of what will be transmitted in U3APP classes would not be of interest to anyone else, anyway. We aren’t running Board Meetings for a multi-million dollar company. Keep your Zoom software up to date, for security reasons. Zoom audio and video are both encrypted.
Is it a risk to my personal privacy using Zoom?
It is probably no riskier than using Facebook or Google, both of whom capture data about you and what you are doing.
Why did we choose Zoom instead of Microsoft Teams?
In choosing apps for U3APP, we consider the following in order of priority:
fitness for purpose
ease of use
lifetime cost
security
Microsoft Teams is designed for use by closed, fixed teams working in collaboration within a company, where all users have access to the same software and hardware. You need a Microsoft Office 365 licence to use Teams, which many of our members don’t have, and don’t want (it has a cost). Microsoft Teams operates differently on different devices, which makes it harder for a community like U3APP to use. So while it has better security than Zoom, it doesn’t satisfy our other, more important priorities.
Zoom, on the other hand, works well, is easy to use on a variety of devices, has no cost for our members and is affordable for U3APP.
Security is not a high priority for U3APP because we are not transmitting confidential information that could be of interest or use to others. We are however taking all reasonable steps to ensure that there is no casual access to any of our sessions – they are “members only”.
Is there anything I should do to protect my privacy?
If you are concerned, then keep to the usual sensible rules for being “in public”:
make sure that you look OK (don’t Zoom in your PJs)
make sure that there is nothing very personal or private on view behind you
don’t say anything that you would be embarrassed about if someone overheard you in a cafe
Finally, it’s your choice and your decision to balance the risks of social isolation against any risks that might come with Zoom.
Note that Zoom recently issued A Message to Our Users to explain their immediate response to any issues of harassment or security and stressed that’s why it’s important to update your version of Zoom whenever prompted to do so.
Any other concerns you think this popup should address? Please email webmaster@u3app.org.au
How to Withdraw from a Course
On-line:
Login to the U3APP website.
Go to “Your Courses and Events” in the Membership menu.
Beside the appropriate course name, click on Cancel.
If the course is full:
this will generate an email* to the Enrolment team so that they can offer your place to the first person on the waitlist.
IMPORTANT – press SEND, which sends the email to our Enrolment team, with a copy to yourself.
OR if the course isn’t full, you will simply be removed from the course list.
*If clicking on CANCEL doesn’t generate an email,
PLEASE NOTE that if you withdraw from a FULL course, your name will not be removed from the course list until the Cancel email is read and processed by our volunteer Enrolment team. This may take up to 2 days.
Via the Office: notify the office in person, or by email or phone.
Fix Email not Generating
U3APP uses the automatic generation of emails for several functions, such as WAITLIST and CANCEL (for full courses). Should an email not be automatically generated, you can fix the problem as follows:
• logon to u3app.org.au • click on Courses & Enrolling and then Courses by Category • find any course which is full • copy the whole entry, from the course code to the word WAITLIST, for example 5B10 Friday Movie, David Robinson, 12:00-4:00, Weekly from 31 Jan 2020 to Fri 4 Dec 2020, Mary Kehoe Centre, Room 3, FULL (31 places) WAITLIST • paste the whole entry into an email • send the email to yourself • NOTE that the above steps can be done on any Windows or MAC device, but the following step must be done on the device which doesn’t generate the email • when you receive the email on your device, click on the WAITLIST link in the email. The waitlist email will be displayed. Do not press SEND in the waitlist email.
This should permanently fix the problem on your device, so from now you will be able to o click on WAITLIST on any Courses & Enrolling page and the waitlist email will be generated o click on CANCEL on any of your courses or events which is full, on the Your Courses & Events page, and the cancel email will be generated
How to go on the Waitlist
If you are disappointed to find that a course you would like to join is already full, we urge you to waitlist yourself. This helps us know what the demand is for our courses, and whether we need to try to find more tutors for a particular subject. Our enrolment team moves hundreds of members off Waitlists during the year (300+ in the first half of the year).
You can go on the Waitlist for any course or event which is shown as FULL.
If your computer or device is set up to handle email links, clicking on the WAITLIST button will automatically generate an email for you, and all you have to do is click or tap on the SEND icon.
Here is the normal process, which works for most people:
Login to the U3APP website.
Go to the Courses and Enrolling page.
Click on WAITLIST beside the full course or event you wish to attend. This will generate a waitlist email, which contains the name of the course, your name and membership status.
IMPORTANT – click or tap your SEND icon, which sends the email to the Waitlisting system, with a copy to you.
If your system is not set up to handle email links, and clicking on the WAITLIST button doesn’t create an email automatically, you need to either create the Waitlist email yourself or fix the problem on your device. Click on the button below for instructions.
If you are trying to enrol in a very popular course on enrolment day, and your system doesn’t handle email links, we suggest you follow the instructions in the button above to create a Waitlist email ready to send if you aren’t successful in getting a place. That way you will be higher on the Waitlist than if you have to create the email from scratch.
How to make an Apology for a Course
On-line:
The NEW way to make an apology online is to use the “APOLOGIES” button, which contains all the instructions on how to make an apology. Firstly, logon to the U3APP website.
You can find the “APOLOGIES” button in several places:
In “Member Welcome” which you see when you first logon
In “Your Courses and Events” in the Membership menu
In “Courses by Category” in the Courses & Enrolling menu
In “Courses by Day of Week” in the Courses & Enrolling menu
You can also select “Apologies” in the Courses & Enrolling menu
Via the Office: notify the office in person, or by email or phone.
During a class: advise the tutor AT THE END OF THE CLASS who will mark your apologies on the course roll.
ENROLMENT FAQs for 2019
Below are a list of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). To see the answer to any question, click on the arrow on the left of the question.
Do I have to be a U3APP member to enrol in 2019? YES. You must have paid your 2019 membership prior to the start of enrolments on Monday 10 December 2018. If you’re not sure of your membership status, go to the U3A Port Phillip website, login, and your status will be displayed at the top of the screen.
When/how can I enrol in a course? We prefer you to login and enrol on-line via our website, as it saves a lot of manual processing. However we do accept paper enrolment forms.
On-line enrolments open Monday 10 December. The opening time for enrolment depends on the type of course:
9:30am On-line booking opens for all Exercise courses, marked (E)
10:00am On-line booking opens for all Language courses, marked (L)
10:30am On-line booking opens for ALL other courses.
Enrolments stay open for every course until the course fills. Waitlists are on-going – you can add yourself at any time.
Paper forms are available from the Office from Monday 26 November, or can be downloaded from the website here. Completed forms can be submitted during the last week of Semester (3-7 December), but are not processed until Enrolment Day 10 December. Processing will be done on the same basis as for on-line bookings: first Exercise courses at 9:30, then Language courses at 10:00, then everything else at 10:30.
I can’t login to the U3APP website – what do I do? If you have any problems logging in, please send an email to webmaster@u3app.org.au and someone will assist.
I’ve been attending a course in 2018 – do I have to enrol again? YES.All courses are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. No preference is given to people who have been attending the course in the past. You need to enrol in the course on or after 10 December.
I’m already on a Waitlist for a course I want to join. Do I have to do anything? YES.All courses are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Waitlists are cleared at the end of the year and no preference is given to people who have been on a Waitlist. You need to enrol in the course on or after 10 December.
Am I more likely to get into a course if I enrol on-line? We try and make the enrolment process as fair as possible. Paper enrolments are numbered in order of receipt and keyed by volunteers at the same time as on-line enrolments are opened. If you have a low-numbered paper enrolment, you will probably get a place in the courses you want. If you have a higher numbered paper enrolment, you are more likely to miss out on a popular course.
I would rather put in a paper enrolment. When can I do so? Paper forms are available from the Office from Monday 26 November, or can be downloaded from the website here. Completed forms can be left at the Office from 3-7 December. Forms will not be accepted before that date.
How do I maximise my chances of getting into a popular course? Here are some hints:
Check that you can login to the website well before Enrolment Day Monday 10 December – send an email to webmaster@u3app.org.au if you have a problem.
If you haven’t used the on-line enrolment system before or recently, practise booking into the Dummy classes on the Courses and Enrolling page that are set up for this purpose.
On Enrolment Day, login to the website well before enrolment bookings open at 9:30am, so you are all ready to go.
If you want to enrol in more than one course, book the one that you think is most likely to fill first, then the next most popular, and so on.
What if I miss out on the course I want to do? Unfortunately, some of our courses are very popular and they may fill before you try to enrol. When this happens, the entry in the Courses and Enrolling page will change so that you can’t click on it to enrol. Instead the word WAITLIST will appear beside it. If you missed out, please click on the word WAITLIST. This will create an email message which you must SEND to put yourself on the Waitlist. Waitlists are processed in order of receipt of these emails.
Is it worth bothering to put myself on the Waitlist for a class that is full? YES and YES. For two reasons:
Over time, most people on a Waitlist get into the course. Often people who start a course find they can’t or don’t want to continue within the first week or so of the Semester, so you may not have to wait long.
If the Course Coordinators know that there is a big demand for a course, they may be able to find another tutor to run a similar course, or persuade a tutor to run a second session, or to repeat the course. If that happens, people on the Waitlist for the course will be given preference for places on the additional course.
I enrolled in the 1T99 Dummy course – should my name appear in the list of attendees? You need to refresh the page before your name will appear. To ‘refresh’ your screen:
on your Apple Mac machine – press the Command and the R key at the same time
on your Windows machine – press the Ctrl and the R key at the same time
in most browsers, tap or click on a little circle with an arrow at the top of the screen
I enrolled in the 1T99 Dummy course – should I receive a confirmation email? Yes, you should. If you can’t find it, please check your spam or junk mail folder carefully. Many of our members have found that U3APP emails go into these folders, especially if they have a Gmail account. To find out how to stop this from happening for a Gmail account, click here.
I tried to put myself on the Waitlist for the 1T98 Dummy full course and it did not create an email as it is supposed to. What do I do? This can happen if there is a setting on your computer that isn’t correct. If you use Outlook, click here to find out how to fix it. If you use Gmail, click here.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can enrol in? Because of high demand there are restrictions for some classes. (E) Exercise classes and (L) Language classes are limited to 2 of each type of course per member.
How to remove yourself from the Waitlist
If you are on the waitlist for a course, and you no longer want a place in that course:
Send an email to the Enrolment team asking to be removed from the waitlist.
Make sure you include the course code and course name in your email.
When are we open?
Office hours:
9:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday – Friday (Excluding public and school holidays)
Class times:
Classes start as early as 9:15am and as late as 5:00pm. Classes range in length from 1 – 3 hours – the average is about 1.5 hours. Times are set according to the availability of rooms and the preferences of the volunteer tutor.
Why you should join U3A Port Phillip
If you’re retired or semi-retired and live in or around the City of Port Phillip, you can join the University of the Third Age, Port Phillip (U3APP). Our regular classes provide all kinds of opportunities to learn new skills, keep fit, and broaden your knowledge. Our very low annual membership fee gives you access to all our classes, and to a range of one-off events.
U3A Port Phillip is also a very friendly and supportive community, providing opportunities for you to make new friends, and to give back to the community by becoming a volunteer.
What courses does U3APP offer?
All our courses are taught or presented by volunteers. This means the range of courses is partly dictated by the availability of people to teach, as well as by the demands of our membership.
Our courses include
Languages: courses in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese Mandarin.
Exercise: courses include Yoga, Feldenkrais, Strength and Interval Training
Health: Meditation and other courses about staying well mentally and physically
Art: Life Drawing, Colouring, Watercolours
Books and Writing: Book Groups and Writers Groups
Music: Choir and several ensemble groups
Films: several film groups
Computer skills
Lectures and Talks: Science, Philosophy, History, Literature, etc
Once you become a financial member of U3APP, you can enrol in as many courses as you wish for no extra charge (except for occasional charges for course notes, special venue hire, the cost of excursions etc). There are some limits set from time to time on the number of courses of the same type for popular courses such as languages and exercise courses – details are in our Enrolment Policies. There are no academic entry requirements nor any assessments or examinations.
We are always looking for new tutors and new ideas for courses. So if you have an interest or passion you’d like to share with others, please get in touch with our Course Coordination team.
Where will you find U3APP?
The heart of U3APP is at the Mary Kehoe Community Centre, 224 Danks Street Albert Park. In this spacious Edwardian house, we have our Office, three classrooms and a Hall which are in more or less constant use by our members during the day.
From time to time we also use other community spaces within the City of Port Phillip:
South Melbourne Community Centre
Sol Green
Cora Graves
Middle Park Library
Our “Out and About” excursions can take you to a range of places in and around Melbourne, from the Royal Botanical Gardens to Bendigo Art Gallery.
Our Course Program and Calendar of Events provide the information you need about where courses are held, with Google maps to help you find venues that may not be familiar to you.
How does U3APP function?
U3APP is a not for profit organisation, entirely staffed by volunteers.
It’s your U3A, and we are always ready to welcome volunteers to help U3APP manage, expand and improve its courses and events (see Volunteers and Tutors). Indeed we expect that every member will contribute as a volunteer at some time.
In any one year, about a quarter of our membership is involved in some volunteer capacity. This shows how rewarding our volunteers find the task of keeping U3APP running and making it as efficient, successful and friendly as possible.
See the Governance page for details of who manages U3APP, and how.
U3APP is strongly supported by the City of Port Phillip, who own, manage and maintain the venues we use for our courses and events.
We receive some grant funding from local, state and federal governments, administered via U3A Network Victoria.
U3APP also benefits from the use of discounts on computer hardware and software that are available to not-for-profit organisations. This includes a range of discounts obtained via Connecting Up, and discounted use of AppSheet which we use for electronic class rolls.
How to see who is attending your course
Logon to the U3APP website.
Go to Your Courses & Events in the Membership menu.
Click on the name of the course you are interested in.
The list of attendees appears at the bottom of the screen.
plus P then select duplicate
will appear in the top right corner. This will change to a blue symbol while casting is in progress. Using cast to desktop, everything will be cast from the source to the destination device until casting is stopped.
Screen Mirroring.
in the menu bar at the top of your screen. If you don't see 
