Age-Friendly University Initiative funded projects

In 2021, the Centre on Aging invited applications for Age-friendly University Initiatives from full-time University of Manitoba faculty and staff in academic and administrative units. Four projects were funded:

• External Relations: Staying connected–Bridging digital gaps
• Physical Plant: UM Fort Garry Campus tunnel wayfinding signage
• School of Art: Kaffeeklatsch: a talk and workshop series
• Extended Education: Micro-certificate in facilitating older adult learning

Outlined below are summaries of the projects completed.

Extended Education

Dr. Bill Kops and the development team created a micro-certificate in facilitating older adult learning, which serves older adults by training teachers and professional care workers. Three courses are available through the micro-certificate and is moving through the approval process with a planned launch in Fall 2022.

School of Art Gallery 

Led by Jean Borbridge and Blair Fornwald, the Kaffeeklatsch series featured the voices of an intergenerational cohort of artists, activists, and writers having casual conversations over coffee with guests of their choosing, followed by workshops related to the presenters’ practices.

The Kaffeeklatsch presentations can be viewed on the School of Art Gallery's Talk series on their YouTube channel.

External Relations

Wilfred Sam-King developed an age-friendly online course called, Staying Connected–Bridging Digital Gaps. The four-part introductory technology course provides free accessible training for older adults by looking at the following topics:

• Devices selection and functionality
• Email/Apps
• Websites
• Social networks

Physical Plant

Architectural & Engineering Services (AES) and the Office of Sustainability are looking at how to improve the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus tunnel wayfinding signage.