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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mix saw thousands of dollars go down the drain when water didn't ... Fake grass offers real water savings ... Hosler Dam siren test due Monday ... Mix saw thousands of dollars go down the drain when water didn't ... Fake grass offers real water savings ... Hosler Dam siren test due Monday ... ASHLAND RUNS ON VOLUNTEERS Ashland Runs on Volunteers: OLLI classes pay dividends in joy of teaching, learning Comment By Mary I. Coombs DailyTidings.com By Mary I. Coombs Posted Mar. 31, 2015 at 4:18 PM By Mary I. Coombs Posted Mar. 31, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Social News Many readers over 50 know about Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI); the others probably should. OLLI, an adult learning organization, is based at SOU. (It was originally a free-standing organization; since 2007 it has been one of the 120 nationwide Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes.) OLLI offers classes in a wide variety of subjects to its members: though it is geared for those age 50-plus, any adult can become a member for an annual fee of $125, which entitles them to take as many classes as they can schedule in any or all of the three semesters: fall, spring and summer. Like many member organizations, OLLI uses volunteers for many of the tasks needed to make the organization work. There are only a very few paid staff; volunteers fill over 150 roles, from class hosts, to community relations and outreach to other nonprofits, to landscaping, office work and the Council (selected by members). These volunteer positions vary widely in the required time commitment and the need for particular skills. What is unique about OLLI is the role of volunteers as instructors (over 150 this year) for each of the classes offered. The courses — almost 275 last year — cover a wide range of both “academic” and “skills” topics. For example, among this spring’s offerings are Singing Along in Spanish, Cities of the Ancient World, Crosswords Practicum and Understanding Medical Technology. Who teaches them? The great majority are taught by the members. In many cases, people draw on expertise they developed in their working lives; others take the time in retirement to develop a hobby or an area of interest to a level where they can teach others. Courses can be offered once a week for anywhere from two to 10 sessions in a semester in Ashland or at the Medford campus at Rogue Community College (RCC) or both. As a retired university professor and OLLI faculty member, I can attest to the joy of teaching a class without exams or credits, where the people are there for the learning experience —and where many of them bring skills, interests and knowledge that make the learning at least two-way. And the OLLI program does a great job of supporting the instructors with administrative and IT support. For both the students and the instructors (largely overlapping groups), OLLI provides a whole range of direct and indirect benefits. There is the intellectual stimulation of teaching and/or learning. There is the creation of community at a range of levels. The students and teacher within a particular course often learn together and from each other. The students in a course, or courses that meet at the same location at the same time, have an opportunity to get to know each other better before and after class and during breaks — unlike many organizations, the same group of people are together for two to three hours every week for several weeks. There is a community of people who may have much in common, or be interestingly different, but who share an interest in the subject of the course. OLLI leadership long ago recognized that Ashland Runs On Volunteers. They have worked hard at outreach, so OLLI members know about other organizations in the community where they might volunteer or partake of what the organization offers — and vice-versa. In particular, they are planning to repeat last year’s OLLI Open House in July. As in 2014, about two dozen community organizations will have tables where attendees can learn about what these organizations offer. Registration for unfilled spring term classes continues throughout the term for courses that have not yet begun. The term runs April 6 through June 12. If you want to know more about OLLI sooner than July, go to www.sou.edu, call 541-552-6048, or stop by the office at the Campbell Center at 655 Frances Lane on the southern edge of the SOU campus.  Mary I. Coombs’ column on local nonprofit organizations appears every three weeks. Email questions and suggestions to [email protected]. By Mary I. Coombs DailyTidings.com By Mary I. Coombs Posted Mar. 31, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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