TALK courses return this fall to KPU
Most courses will take place online or at the Surrey campus
KPU's TALK program is back this fall semester and aims to offer those aged 50 and up with educational and social opportunities. (File photo)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Third Age Learning at Kwantlen (TALK) program returns on Sept. 27 with a variety of classes being offered online and in person.
Classes are under two hours and take a different approach to learning without any focus on grades, quizzes, or prerequisites. While most classes will be offered online or on the Surrey campus, some will also take place on the Richmond and Langley campuses.
The fee for a session costs $15, but KPU students can attend a class for free if there is room permitting.
TALK will also be hosting a field trip on Sept. 27 to the Historic Stewart Farm in South Surrey.
“Our program committee is made up of volunteers from around the Lower Mainland, and one of our committee members suggested that [Stewart Farm] might be an interesting field trip. So we all agreed and that’s how [courses] get set up” says Jean Garnett, program chair of TALK.
“It depends on the interests of the committee members and who is willing to present. We find information in local media and contact people, and if any of those are willing to volunteer to present, we set them up.”
TALK is currently keeping online classes available due to their popularity.
“There is the other half of the population that is still a bit frightened of COVID and may not be keen to drive all the way and deal with parking so they’re happy to take the online ones. Then there are a bunch of people who do both,” she says.
“TALK’s Compelling Conversations Stopping Violence” is the one Garnett wants KPU students to be aware of and is free for anyone to join.
“It is on how we can prevent violence in relationships … and I hope many students will come along with their parents, friends, and anyone else in the community” she says.
The class will take place on Nov. 4 and will allow attendees to share their experience with experts if they are comfortable.
“It’s a really important topic that everyone needs to discuss. The format will be a presentation by Dr. Balbir Gurm, who is [a] KPU [instructor], and Alexandra Lysova, from Simon Fraser University, but then it will be a conversation with the audience, so they’ll be able to weigh in on what they think about the issue,” Garnett says.
At the Langley campus on Nov. 6, a course about beer brewing and tasting will be taking place, followed by a feature presentation on honeybees on Nov. 8 at the Richmond campus which will discuss the importance of bees in our environment and how we can better support them.
Although TALK programs are mainly directed towards people over the age of 50, students are more than welcome to join and participate.
“It’s not mainly aimed at KPU students, it’s more aimed at their parents and grandparents, so we hope students will pass the information on because it is so important for older adults to keep learning and keep social connections,” Garnett says.
“If there is a topic that is of interest to students, then why not get a little more information about it.”
For more information on TALK and to find the full course list, visit www.kpu.ca/talk.
