The first topic for this morning’s monthly meeting was an update on the Peter Lalor College situation. It seems that after the hard work that the previous committee had put in for securing the venue for Whittlesea U3A was for nothing. It has become an ongoing issue. Over the last week, the unreasonable action of the School Principal regarding the closure of the gate has been the catalyst that has enabled us to prepare a “discrimination against seniors claims”.  An outline of our claims has formally been lodged with DET and the Whittlesea Council. We are currently making arrangements to relocate classes held at Peter Lalor College due to members who have health issues that prevent access to the classrooms. The Italian class will be one of the classes. It is expected that these arrangements will be completed to enable a secure transfer in the week commencing on the 9th March.                                                                        Having convened a small group of members who are disadvantaged by the action of the Peter Lalor College Principal, to document evidence of discrimination and they would welcome your involvement. Glen’s capacity in both Whittlesea U3A and U3A Network Victoria role, which is leading a program of building community engagement to counter loneliness and isolation of seniors, is of the issue we are encountering with PLC and are contrary of other relationships with schools. We have a considerable high level of support but translating this support into action is not always an easy job. Our license to occupy the PLC facility is under a Licence issued by the School Council, managed under delegated authority from DET. Due to the Principal’s and School Council’s unreasonable actions we have been able to escalate the issue to DET.                                                                                                                                                          Empathy with your comment re “considerable effort but issues are getting worse”. In the short term, our only alternative is to move classes and use other venues to achieve a workable solution. At the end of last year, a number of significant negotiations were carried out regarding, making the PLC campus more ‘senior accessible”. The outcome has been an intervention by the Department of Education Regional Office to work with Whittlesea U3A, Men’s Shed and the school to resolve issues of toilets and car parking. Arrangements are expected to be completed this week to have the portable toilets reinstalled. We have made a commitment to NOT have any U3A related cars parked in the car park until a solution is signed off by all parties. Any parking on site which will break the commitment probably will lead to Whittlesea U3A losing the facility. We have secured access to additional venues that have easier access and better facilities moving some activities from the PLC campus and we have the support in these negotiations of our local members of parliament, the City of Whittlesea Council and the Education Department. “Thank you for taking the time to email details of your situation and assure you the changes will be made to enable you to continue to attend your class”. 

The first guest speaker was Rose Turtle Ertler who is currently preparing to do a community arts project at the City Whittlesea Festival Community which will be at Whittlesea Public Gardens in Lalor, Sunday 15th March. Rose also has a Complimentary Caravan. In this mobile unite, she investigates the power of words through an ongoing collection of audio and handwritten compliments collected from different towns. “Restore your faith in Humanity” and step inside this cosy caravan and “bathe” in a soundtrack of genuine compliments recorded from your local neighbourhood. Relax and enjoy an immersive experience of relentless gratitude and encouragement.  You can read more about the project on her webpage here

The second speaker was John Siekris who represented Telstra. He spoke very passionately about his work as the Area Sales Manager. He mentioned that not every Telstra store has a technical support person and that’s the reason why clients leave the store disgruntled as their questions haven’t been answered. NBN – communication is now internet dependently based; our landline is connected to the internet and when we experience cut-offs, we are without a phone (landline).

The Whittlesea cup logo was won by Donald Clark.

There are still positions available in some classes please check the March new sheet Newssheet02March2020A5(2).pubpub