There鈥檚 an old saying that says you鈥檙e never too old to learn, but sometimes that鈥檚 easier said than done.
To support life-long learning, the Jasper Adult Learning Centre recently received a $25,000 grant from the federal government to launch a learning club for people who are 55 years of age or older.
The intent of the weekly club is to help older residents acquire news skills, from learning how to use Facebook and technology, to getting outdoors and learning about gardening. The first session was held on April 3 and will run for a full year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really interested in trying to reach the 55-plus people, who are semi-retired, or newly retired and want to keep learning,鈥� said Ginette Marcoux, executive director for the learning centre.
In late March the learning centre held a meeting with 22 seniors to get their input about the types of topics they would like learn more about.
鈥淭echnology is a big one,鈥� Marcoux said, explaining that each month will focus on one particular theme.
For example, the month of April will focus on Facebook so people have an opportunity to practice how to use the social media platform in a safe and supportive environment and can also ask questions.
To enhance the learning environment, Marcoux said she intends to break the group up into smaller groups to allow for more hands on learning and one-on-one support.
She also said there was some interest in doing some open university courses that are available online and possibly inviting professors to come to Jasper to talk about their work.
In addition to helping people learn new skills, one of the mandates of the grant is to also provide elder abuse education, which Marcoux hopes to do by bringing someone in to teach an elder abuse workshop.
The club will meet from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. for the first two Mondays in April and then from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for the final two Thursdays of the month. For up to date information contact the Jasper Adult Learning Centre at 780-852-4418.
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
