Photo credit David Tett.
Showcasing age-friendly supports at UM
In small towns, the community often comes together to support their residents across the lifespan. For a community to succeed, existing age-friendly supports should be in place to allow the community to thrive. At the University of Manitoba (UM), it is often said that the university is its own small town due in part to our campus population. Just like in a small town, a variety of resources are available to the UM community: students, staff, faculty, retirees, and alumni; and general public, but it is often hard to know that these resources exist until you find you’re in need of them. Whether you’re looking for a service offered, programming available, or wanting to attend an event, the information is out there, but how do you access these resources? To find out, visit the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Showcase on May 8, hosted by the Centre on Aging.
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 9 am–3:30 pm Second floor Multi-purpose room (MPR) | UMSU University Centre Fort Garry Campus
At the AFU Showcase, UM representatives will be available to talk about existing programs, resources, and other opportunities that are available to the UM community and general public. Registration is not required to attend the AFU showcase, which will take place as a companion event to the Centre on Aging’s 41st Annual Spring Research Symposium.
How we got here: Becoming an age-friendly university
You might be wondering, how is the UM an Age-Friendly University (AFU)? Since 2016, the UM has been a member of the Age-Friendly University Global Network, which is “… committed to creating an age-friendly and age-inclusive world and advancing the unique contributions institutions of higher education can make in a globally aging world.”
Building on the WHO’s Age-friendly Cities Framework, current and past Centre on Aging leadership began work in 2012 within the UM to build awareness and show the benefits of being an Age-Friendly University. In 2016, the University of Manitoba endorsed the Age-Friendly University (AFU) principles, making the UM the first AFU in Canada. Within the university, an AFU committee was formed to discuss AFU topics and champion future initiatives. Centre on
Aging Director, Dr. Michelle Porter, chairs the committee that now reports to the Office of the Vice-Provost (Equity).
While the UM’s primary mandate is to educate, teaching can be expressed in many forms, not just in the traditional classroom. Many existing programs and resources within the UM align with the AFU principles and connect the university with the community. Some initiatives include Extended Education’s focus on social innovation and lifelong education or the Micro-Certificate in Facilitating Older Adult Learning, Recreation Services’ Aging Actively programs, free tuition for older people age 65 years and older, attending public exhibits and events offered by the School of Art or in the Desautels Faculty of Music. You are invited to join us and learn more about how the UM is an Age-Friendly University on May 8.
For more information
To learn more about Age-Friendly University showcase participants and initiatives, visit the AFU hub.
To find out about the Centre on Aging’s 41st Annual Spring Research Symposium, visit our website.
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.