Welcome to our April 2025 Monthly Update
We are excited to announce a diverse and engaging range of new courses available for members to explore. Whether you’re looking to express your creativity, learn a new skill, or delve into fascinating topics of history and language, there is something for everyone. These courses are designed to enhance personal growth, provide enriching experiences, and offer opportunities for social connection.
Some of the newly offered courses include ‘Make a Mosaic Picture Frame’ (25CRA07), where you can learn the art of mosaic creation. For those who want to understand the geology of Victoria, gemstones, dinosaurs and building stones, we have ‘Geology: An Introduction’ (25SCI06). For literature enthusiasts, we offer ‘An Exploration of Some Shakespeare’ (25LIT07). We have ‘Managing The Aged Care Journey’ (25DIS16) which explores important aspects of aged care and navigating the aged care system. For those looking to improve their physical well-being, ‘Chair Yoga’ (25EXE09) offers a gentle and accessible approach to yoga, while ‘Pétanque: Come & Play with Us’ (25GAM22) invites you to enjoy a fun and social outdoor activity. Additionally, our language offerings expand with ‘Yiddish Conversation’ (25LANY02) and ‘Hebrew Beginner Conversation’ (25LANH04) and an introduction to ‘Russian for Beginners’ (25LANR01), along with a deep dive into Russian history with ‘Russian History: On The Road to Nowhere’ (25HIS08).
These courses provide a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals. A list of courses with vacancies is always available on our website.
Mark Rubinstein
President
Upcoming Events
Hearing Van Visit – Wednesday 7 May, 2025 – 9.30 – 3.00. These free hearing tests are available at 15-minute intervals throughout the day.
Those who wish to attend should contact Reception on (03) 9572 0571 or call in and add your name to the appointment list held at Reception. The Van will be situated in the Woolworths Car Park near venue our entrance.
Recorder Ensemble Concert “Love Is In The Air – Love Songs Through The Ages”
Sunday 1 June, 2025 – 3.00pm start, followed by afternoon tea and entertainment by Badgers Buskers.
Location: Glen Eira U3A, 1151 Glen Huntly Road, Glen Huntly.
Reporting Class Absences
Sometimes, due to other commitments or illness, you may not be able to attend a class on a particular day. It is very important that you register your absence from a class. Many of our courses have waitlists and unreported absences from class may result in you being removed from the class in favour of a member on the waitlist. Reporting your absence is also a common courtesy to the tutor.
We very much appreciate your efforts to report your absences online as this helps to relieve the burden on our office volunteers. Your tutor will automatically be advised of your absence via email.
To register your absence, go to the members website at https://gleneirau3a.org.au/members/.
After you log in (using your member number or email address), select My Absences from the left-hand menu, select the course(s) from which you will be absent, the reason for your absence and the start and finish dates and then press Submit.
If you have forgotten your password, there is a password reset link at https://gleneirau3a.org.au/members/login/reset-password that will allow you to reset it.
2025 New Courses for Enrolment
We continue to have new courses offered to our members. Here are the latest new courses ready for enrolment – some starting in early April so enrol now!
25CRA07: Make a Mosaic Picture Frame – 9/4/25 to 23/04/25 – Wednesday – short weekly course
Join this fun and creative class to construct a mosaic picture frame. You will follow a step-by-step guide to bring your mosaic picture frame to life.
Members will need to purchase a mosaic kit for making a picture frame, e.g. Mandala Art Ocean Mosaic Photo Frame Craft Kit, available from Bunnings for $23. This kit will need to include the mosaic pieces, the board, glue and grout. No previous knowledge is required.
25DIS16: Managing The Aged Care Journey – 12/6/25 to 18/9/25 – Thursday – short fortnightly course
This course will encourage discussion of member experiences while navigating the aged care system:
- from staying safe and healthy, to
- utilising support services required, and
- exploring residential options.
Topics will include:
- Eligibility for government funded aged care services
- Organising support services at home
- Modifying your home as necessary
- Exploring future residential service options
- Cost of care
- Quality requirements
The tutor has experience supporting relatives as they age, and seek support to live a happy, satisfying and safe life.
25LIT07: An Exploration of Some Shakespeare – 19/8/25 to 9/9/25 – Tuesday – short weekly course
This short course provides a focus on the dramatic moments and tragic characters in 4 plays…
Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar.
No previous knowledge of Shakespeare is required.
No materials are required except a pen and a highlighter.
25EXE09: Chair Yoga – 13/5/25 to 25/11/25 – Tuesday – weekly course
Did you know that Chair Yoga can help with balance, strength, flexibility and mental well-being? Participants will be guided to tune into their bodies and minds using classic yoga postures which have been adapted to provide the benefits of yoga for people who prefer to be seated or standing rather than lying on the floor. With gentle, controlled postures and learning to move in time with the breath, Chair Yoga with Ingrid can help strengthen the body and calm the mind. The option to stand for certain postures will be available.
Please wear comfortable clothing. No previous yoga experience is needed for this course.
25GAM22: Pétanque: Come & Play with Us – 8/4/25 to 25/11/25 – Tuesday – weekly course
Whether you are new to the game of pétanque or returning to this game. Pétanque is a French bowls game and is played on our games court. It is played 2 against 2 or 3 against 3. Each player has 2 balls or “boules” and the aim is to toss your boule as close as possible to a small ball called a “cochonnet”. When one team has a boule closer to the cochonnet, the other team has to play until their boules come closer to the cochonnet. This is a friendly game and a sense of humour is welcome!
This is a self-managed course so everyone gives a hand getting the course ready.
- What to wear: loose or appropriate clothing for outside and comfortable shoes.
- Equipment will be provided.
- The course will only be played in fair weather and members will be advised when rain or heat makes it impossible to play.
25HIS08: Russian History: On The Road to Nowhere – 21/7/25 to 6/10/25 – Monday – short weekly course
This course starts with the beginnings of the Russian Empire through to Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Putin. Some of the topics that are covered in the course include:
- Peter the Great
- What did the Russian Army do in the Alps? A hint – an army for hire
- Stirrings of the revolution
- People’s freedom, 1905 ‘dress rehearsal of the revolution’
- The Silver age of Russian Culture
- Slide to WWI
- Who were the Bolsheviks? Anatomy of the power seizure
- Start of WWII. Nazi attack on the USSR. Holocaust.
- Berlin blockade
- Death of Stalin
- What next?
25LANY02: Yiddish Conversation – 8/4/25 to 25/11/25 – Tuesday – fortnightly course
This Yiddish Conversation course will help you on your journey of learning this language through conversation. The course will evolve and encompass social connections.
Prior knowledge of Yiddish is required. This means a basic understanding of Yiddish, a rudimentary vocabulary and ability to understand a reasonable number of Yiddish words.
All members enrolling will initially be placed on a waitlist. The tutor will then contact each member to ensure that their prior knowledge of Yiddish is at the level required.
25LANH04: Hebrew Beginner Conversation – 28/4/25 to 19/5/25 – Monday – short weekly course
This Hebrew Beginner Conversation short course will start you on your journey of learning this language. This course will give you an introduction to Hebrew – what it sounds like, what are some of the common phrases and vocabulary, e.g. introductions/food/travel essentials etc. No prior knowledge of Hebrew is required.
25LANR01: Let’s Speak Russian – 13/5/25 to 25/11/25 – Tuesday – weekly course
This ‘Let’s Speak Russian’ course will start you on your journey of learning this language. This course will initially give you an introduction to Russian – what it sounds like, what are some of the common phrases and vocabulary, eg. introductions/food/shopping/travel etc. The course will then progress through to increasing grammar and improving vocabulary.
No prior knowledge of Russian is required.
25SCI06: Geology – An Introduction – 21/7/25 to 24/11/25 – Monday – weekly course
Join this fascinating course that looks at all aspects of geology: fossils, minerals, rocks, the geology of Victoria, gemstones, dinosaurs, building stones, plate tectonics etc.
This course will include some excursions. No prior knowledge is necessary.
There are still positions available in other courses – here are just a few:
- 25ART18 En Plein Air – Autumn: gives artists a chance to practise their ‘plein air’ skills at a chosen external location (4/5/25 – Sunday)
- 25ART12 Create with Montage: Cut and paste using environmental waste or sentimental finds to create an individual piece of art (10/4/25 to 3/7/25 – fortnightly course)
- 25COM06 You Can Manage Your Medications Online: provide guidance with apps that can list your medications, create reminders for taking medicines, automate reminder (14/10/25 to 21/10/25 – weekly short course)
- 25DIS10 Becoming Australian: Discussion on Australian Humour and how Aussie’s have perceived themselves and been portrayed by the rest of the world, (8/5/25 to 29/5/25 – weekly short course)
A list of courses with vacancies is always available on our website.