INTRODUCTION
The Council for Third Age (C3A) is an agency which promotes active ageing in Singapore through public education, outreach and partnerships. As an umbrella body in the active ageing landscape, with its focus on lifelong learning, senior volunteerism, and positive ageing, C3A works with and through partners to help seniors live full, active and meaningful lives.
C3A is the administrator of National Silver Academy (NSA) and the Silver Volunteer Fund (SVF), as part of the initiatives under the Action Plan for Successful Ageing.
NSA courses are conducted in partnership with many established educational institutions and community organisations, offering seniors a wide range of learning opportunities catered to their varied interests.
C3A supports senior volunteerism through a network of volunteer host organisations across Singapore. Through the network, we offer diverse and meaningful volunteering opportunities tailored for seniors, including training and appreciation platforms to enrich their volunteering journey.
LEARNING
To support seniors in their active ageing journey in the digital age, C3A is constantly enhancing its offerings by expanding learning pathways and formats to make learning more accessible and interesting for them.
All Courses
The broad network of Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs) and Community-based Organisations (CBOs) under the National Silver Academy provides a wide range of learning opportunities for seniors aged 50 and above. These courses are subsidised for Singapore Citizens and/or Permanent Residents aged 50 and above, and most of these courses are eligible for SkillsFuture credits.
>1000
Courses
60
Partners
>40000
Learning Places
Intergenerational Learning Programme (ILP)
Our Intergenerational Learning Programme presents a unique opportunity for both youths and seniors to acquire new knowledge together, and facilitates intergenerational bonding by bringing different generations together through collaborative education.
>80
Schools and Community
Organisations Engaged
>5700
Learning Places
(Seniors)
>6000
Learning Places
(Youths)
Curated Curriculum & Packaged Courses
C3A continued to play an active role in crafting courses and developing our own curriculum to create senior learning pathways tailored for various interests. In addition, bundled courses offered at a discounted rate cover various themes such as digital skills, ageing well and caregiving, helping seniors kickstart their learning journey.
New Curriculum Developed:
Basics of Smart Money Management
>1000
Learning Places
for
all C3A Curriculums
60
Course Runs
for
all C3A Curriculums
>10
Packaged Courses
VOLUNTEERING
With their diverse experiences and knowledge, seniors can make meaningful contributions to society and gain a sense of purpose through volunteering. C3A supports senior volunteerism through our network of Volunteer Host Organisations (VHO) across Singapore. Through the VHO network, seniors can take on various volunteer roles such as befrienders, urban farmers, and activity facilitators and enjoy rewarding volunteering experiences.
-
>3700
Senior Volunteers
-
>60
Volunteering
Programmes -
>100000
Hours Contributed by
Senior Volunteers
OUTREACH &
THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP
C3A strives to foster a broader range of learning and volunteering opportunities that are inclusive and easily accessible to everyone. We achieve this through partnerships and engagement with various stakeholders, creating enhanced synergies to drive positive transformations in our mission to make active ageing a way of life.
Thought
Leadership and Partnerships
GERAGOGY GUIDELINES
In our efforts to build thought leadership and enhance the lifelong learning environment for senior learners, the Singapore Standard 693 Geragogy Guidelines on Training Senior Learners (SS 693) was officially unveiled on 11 August 2023 by Health Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung. The launch had generated a more mature state of awareness on active ageing and the positive impact from adopting the Guidelines that are built on the combined principles of Geragogy and a person-centric training approach.
At the launch event, C3A also announced memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with seven organisations: Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, Loving Heart Multi-Service Centre, RSVP Singapore, Fei Yue Community Services, Gardens by the Bay, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), and Montfort Care. These MOUs aim to facilitate over 8,500 individuals from these organisations in attending workshops on the geragogy guidelines over the next three years.
As of March 2024, C3A has conducted over 90 workshops for more than 1,800 people. The interest garnered reinforces the importance of providing relevant and up-to-date resources to support and grow a senior-centric learning environment.
Empowering Our Future for Senior Learning with Singapore Standard SS 693
Outreach:
Different Touchpoints
C3A was a supporting agency for NCOS 2023, which aimed to encourage seniors to adopt an active ageing lifestyle through senior learning, volunteerism, physical well-being and social connectedness.
At the event, 13 NSA and SVF partners were present to conduct hands-on activities, talks and stage performances, and promote more than 150 learning and volunteering opportunities to over 2,500 seniors.
To provide greater accessibility to seniors in the community, C3A continued to organise mini-roadshows at public libraries in the heartlands during the year.
A total of 8 mini-roadshows were organised between April 2023 to March 2024, with a total attendance of 738 seniors.
Digital Engagement for Senior Learners
The C3A website and mobile app are comprehensive digital resource platforms, offering senior-related news, activities, and deals to cater to the diverse interests of seniors. They also enable seniors to discover and explore a wide range of learning and volunteering opportunities at their fingertips.
Additionally, seniors can access digital learning resources, including videos and online courses at their convenience.
Website
>780000
Pageviews
Mobile App
>10000
Downloads
Digital Learning Resources
>15000
Views
Includes videos, online
courses and more