Maesteg

Groups

Interest groups offer an exciting opportunity to share your interests or hobbies with like minded people.

Interest groups are the jewels in the crown of being a member of the U3A. Whilst the Monthly meeting offers a chance to meet all members. The groups reach out to members to share a favourite pastime in congenial company.

If you have a passion for literature or music or you enjoying learning about art or perhaps you are a gardener and want to share your skills and knowledge on this subject, then an interest group will help you to develop or sustain your interest in your choice of subject. Any member can start an interest group with the help and support of the committee.

Interest groups assign a convenor who co-odinates the activites or establishes an agenda to meet the the expectations of the group members. There is a small charge to join a group, to cover the cost of hiring a venue or to meet any expenses such as photocopying, refreshments, etc. Typically £1 normally covers the costs.

Starting an Interest group.
Anyone wishing to start an interest group should notify the Groups’ Co-ordinator. A notice can then be circulated via all the available communication channels e.g. newsletter, website, bulletins and an announcement made at a monthly/general meeting, asking those interested in such an interest group to sign their names on a list and agree to meet together at a certain place and time. Members at that meeting will then discuss informally the framework of the group. It has been found that Interest Groups get off to a better start if emphasis is placed upon the group members sharing the responsibilities of running the group rather than asking one person to take on everything. It can be difficult to find a person willing to take on all the responsibility but if at this first informal meeting, people are asked to volunteer to take on aspects of running the group, no matter how small, the group is more likely to get off the ground. The notion that an ‘expert’ will deliver a ‘course’ should be discouraged. U3a is a co-operative and mutually supportive organisation not a service provider. Naturally an ‘expert’ is a huge asset but the ethos of co-operation should still be foremost.

The current Interest groups are shown below.