New Lifelong Learning Program Provides Older Adults with Continuing Education Credits and Rewarding Volunteer Opportunities

Clayton State University’s Department of Continuing Education and FACTOR (a non-profit community outreach collaborative) have joined forces to bring Georgia’s first older adult volunteer leadership program to Fayette County. ENCORE! Fayette is patterned after other highly successful senior adult leadership programs across the nation, which brings together like-minded seniors looking for meaningful and rewarding civic engagement.

An information session and program preview will be held on December 3, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Fayette Senior Services Life Enrichment Center, 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville. The free session is open to the public with no preregistration is necessary.

ENCORE! Fayette is designed to provide active, community-spirited older adults with the opportunity to learn more about the community, the important issues and challenges it faces, and determine how they can become productively involved in making a difference.

Based on the quality of the course content, Clayton State University will be offering Continuing Education Unit credits to those completing the course. According to Janet Winkler, Clayton State’s Director of Continuing Education, ENCORE! Fayette will be among the first Lifelong Learning Programs to be presented by the University through its new Peachtree City campus.

The ENCORE! Fayette program is a 10-week course held one day per week from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The first session will begin in January, 2009. Due to generous public and private support the cost for participation has recently been reduced from $250 to $100, which includes the cost of all materials, meals and refreshments.

FACTOR and Clayton State University have multiple partners in the development of this pilot program. The program components will be presented by a representative cross section of government, civic, corporate and nonprofit organization officials and staff members. For more information about ENCORE! Fayette contact Becky Smith at 404-291-1602.

Fayette Senior Services, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, offers adults age 50 and better, the opportunity to be involved in a variety of social, leisure, educational, wellness and life-enriching activities. Since 1978, the agency has also provided adults age 60 and better with services to improve their quality of life and independence such as: Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Referral Service, Information and Referral, Transportation Services, In-Home Services, and Case Management. For more information call 770-461-0813 or visit www.fayss.org.