U Live Symposium 2015 – developing seniors’ capabilities and encouraging lifelong learning
Singapore, 30 July 2015 – 67-year-old Mohan is the epitome of healthy, happy, productive and purposeful living. Friendly and lively, the former union leader from SATSWU has remained connected with the Labour Movement even after retirement. Mohan is currently U Live’s Park Ambassador, conducting monthly tours through the dense mangrove forest at Pasir Ris Park where mud crabs, mudskippers and even rare birds can be spotted.
This August, Mohan will be taking on more responsibilities as the person-in-charge of a 10-member Ambassador Taskforce at the U Live Symposium 2015. He will be in-charge of volunteer management, motivating the volunteers and overseeing their roles on the day of the symposium, as well as conducting talks at the Ambassador Zone.
Mohan is just one example of the 60 U Live volunteers who have stepped up and taken on more responsibilities in the organising and running of the Symposium. This is the first time in the history of the symposium that volunteers actively contribute to the programme planning and activities for their peers. They will put into action the skills they’ve picked up from earlier U Live programmes and workshops, such as event coordination and planning interest group activities.
At the ‘Ambassador Zone’, some of the volunteers who are now certified trainers, will conduct free mini-workshops for the participants of the Symposium. The Ambassadors will also share their stories of how they are leading more meaningful lives through U Live’s programmes, encouraging their peers to take charge of their own lives.
This is the sixth year of the U Live Symposium which encourages our seniors aged 50 and above to embrace lifelong learning and keep healthy. The full-day event will be held at the Lifelong Learning Institute and features 20 topics that are relevant to seniors for a productive re-employment or heading towards purposeful retirement.
U Live Symposium highlights:
While most joint aches and pains are related to benign causes such as degeneration, wear and tear or injuries, a small minority may be due to causes such as inflammation or tumour. Recognising problems early often allows for less extensive surgery and better results for the patient.
This talk will also highlight common degenerative conditions with recommendations for treatment focusing not only on symptom relief but also with a longer term goal of maintaining an active lifestyle in older years.
Start your day with different types of refreshing vegetables and detoxifying fruit juice for increased metabolism and prevention of the top 3 Highs (blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar). Learn healthy recipes such as delicious pumpkin soup and wholegrain sweet potato paste.
In today’s multigenerational age, there is much focus and effort to understand and motivate the Generation Y (those born in early 1980s to early 2000s), both in the workplace and in social settings. In this talk, participants will learn more about the characteristics of the Gen Y, how to engage and motivate them and to create the kind of environment they need to succeed.
Do you present yourself clearly, powerfully and effectively? In addition to picking up effective presentation skills, participants will also learn how to overcome the fear of public speaking and grasp the ‘secrets’ of successful speakers.
Learn to whip up old time favourite Peranakan dishes like the aromatic nasi ulam and sweet onde onde!
Rosaline Soon, the author of cookbook “Grandmothers Recipes – Tales from Two Peranakan Kitchens”, has been compiling recipes from her nonya relatives in Singapore and Penang. Rosaline has also been providing cooking lessons from her home-based kitchen to anyone who’s interested in learning to cook and enjoy Peranakan food.
Whether you’re looking to be better informed about your health in your golden years, to upgrade your skills, or to hear how other seniors are leading an active life, the U Live Symposium has something for everyone. Apart from topics on purposeful retirement, the Symposium also effectively promotes lifelong learning to the active ageing community, including educational talks on health matters and fun activities.