U3As are voluntary Seniors’ Groups that provide educational, recreational and social programs. Each U3A is organised by and for people who can best be described as being active in retirement or semi-retirement, the third age of our lives.

Alpine U3A was established for people in their third age who are retired or are semi-retired. Our Mission is to provide opportunities for seniors to learn, teach, share and to give mutual support to each other in a friendly and warm environment, regardless or ethnicity, religion, ability or disability.

Our courses cover a wide range of interest areas, from academic to physical and artistic activities. Our members enjoy both the intellectual engagement and the social aspect of our courses.

Alpine U3A is open to anyone who is retired or no longer working full time. No qualifications are required to join. Our courses are non-competitive, without marks or exams. We focus on enabling members to expand their knowledge in existing areas and to explore new fields and activities.

What is U3A? – where did the name come from?

The First Age is that of childhood and youthful dependence, leading to the Second Age of independence, maturity, work and home building. Next comes the Third Age, the age of active retirement. This description, with the inclusion of the adjective active, seems to many to be not only a useful way of describing a significant part of the lives of many people, but one which has a ring of optimism about it. And then, in this scheme comes (for some) the Fourth Age of final dependence and decrepitude.

History of the U3A Movement. Click [HERE] to read about the background into U3A and how U3As operate in practice. It makes interesting reading.

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