The president of what used to be Vancouver Island University’s ElderCollege wants people to know that the mid-Island continuing education program is still alive and well and has attracted more enrolments than before.
“A lot of people still think that ElderCollege disappeared when we were no longer [connected to] VIU,” said Robin Fisher, the inaugural elected president of the Mid Vancouver Island Elder College Society.
“ElderCollege is alive and well and developing programs just like it used to do.”
VIU announced it would end its partnership with the continuing education program for those aged 50 and up last October, citing a “significant gap” between enrolment revenues and costs and the need to increase operational efficiency at a deficit-ridden university.
The program, which was offered at various VIU campuses since 1993, predated the post-secondary institution’s transition from Malaspina College to VIU.
Ross Peterson, the chair of ElderCollege’s volunteer board at the time the partnership ended, said the board overwhelmingly voted to find a way to continue ElderCollege’s program despite not knowing if they could make it.
As a result, the non-profit Mid Vancouver Island Elder College Society was registered Nov. 17.
Peterson said finding the funds to run classes for more than a thousand people spread over multiple communities was an “extremely daunting” task.
Fortunately, nearly all of VIU ElderCollege’s volunteer instructors stayed on when the board decided to become an independent society, he said.
Supporters have also been generous with their time and money, he said.
“I would think we’re doing as well as we did when we had VIU support,” he said. “We’re well on the way to full re-establishment of Elder College for this area.”
The society has put together 60-plus courses for the fall semester, with topics ranging from emergency disaster preparedness, the expressionism art movement, restorative justice and a course on ancient love poetry.
The Elder College’s first fall class, a two-hour course on the history of rose flowers and practical tips on plant care, will be held at the Berwick Theatre in Qualicum Beach on Wednesday.
Fisher said between 800 to 1,000 people have already signed up for courses and the society is expecting final registrations to be around double that number.
VIU ElderCollege’s last semester had 647 enrolled students.
Fisher said the fledgling society tested the demand in the spring with six courses and a Saturday speaker series on international affairs held in Nanoose Bay, which affirmed the need for programs like theirs in the area.
The speakers series in particular performed better than expected, he said. “At the first one, 200 people came through the door.”
Speaker Chris Kilford, a military veteran and a fellow with the Queen’s University Centre for International Defence Policy, said organizers kept having to put out more chairs.
“Everybody was surprised by how many people came out — on a Saturday morning as well — to hear about what was happening in Ukraine,” he said.
Over the summer, the society has been busy securing class space in Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville and Qualicum Beach, he said.
Fisher said the society has hired a part-time staff member to help with registration and is in the process of looking at grants that could help fund the cost of the program. The society has applied for charitable status from the government.
Fisher said Mid Island Elder College is more than halfway toward raising a $100,000 endowment that would allow the program to be sustainable.
Local Rotary clubs have been the biggest contributors; a number of businesses, individuals and organizations have also helped.
The society is hoping to expand to Duncan in the future, if capacity allows, he said.
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