Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3160 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

including aged people, the range of community services available in the ACT and how these can be accessed. The Volunteer Centre is funded for a volunteer training and education program, and such groups as the Smith Family, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army receive funding to support their emergency welfare assistance programs which are accessed by older ageing people.

In the area of adult and community education, the lifelong learning needs of older people are addressed in the policy on adult and community education which the Government released on 1 September this year. Older people are among the designated groups which the policy specifically targets. In addition, older people have ready access to vocational education and training opportunities at the Institute of Technology, and 5 per cent of all enrolments in 1996 were of people aged over 50. Older people are also represented on the ACT Advisory Council on Adult and Community Education which the Government established in December 1996. The Government receives advice through the advisory council on the learning needs of older people and other designated groups. It has also developed productive links with the University of the Third Age, the organisation which is most prominent in meeting the learning needs of older citizens and which has a representative on the advisory council.

The Government also runs Adult Learners Week, in which older people play a prominent part. For example, during ALW this year, from 1 to 6 September, the University of the Third Age was a member of the ALW Coalition which organised the week's events. U3A also participated in the ALW conference and made a presentation on its activities during the Canberra Adult Learning Programs seminar. The Government is currently considering proposals developed by the advisory council that have increased the vocational educational and training funds earmarked for the adult and community education sector, and such funds will be directed towards programs targeting the priority designated groups, among whom older people are prominent.

The Department of Education and Training has a range of government-owned community facilities within the ACT which provide a variety of services and opportunities for activities for the aged. Such facilities include the Hughes Community Centre, McGregor Hall, and regional community centres such as the Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen community centres. There is also opportunity, as required, for older community members to access space in school facilities. Older people play an important role in our schools, particularly at the primary school level. Many schools have programs that enable older members of the community to participate in the education of our children. They help students in reading and they share with them special interest areas such as music, crafts and history. (Extension of time granted) I thank members. Some schools have grandparents days and they are invited to participate in the school's activities. The benefits of this are twofold: The students are enriched by the knowledge of the older people and, most importantly, both parties develop a rapport and understanding of each other's world. This helps in understanding the value of all roles in the community.

Older citizens are important clients of the ACT Library Service. While older people make up less than 10 per cent of the libraries' membership, they are among the heaviest users of the service, accounting for a fifth of all loans. In addition to the regular library collection, the ACT Library Service has an impressive collection of large print books and a growing

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .