Volunteer Opportunity: Program Committee Member

Role Focus: Speaker Ideas and Annual Program Planning

Position Type: Virtual Committee Member (with seasonal local presence in Aurora, ON)

Time Commitment: 3 to 4 virtual meetings per year (1–2 hours each), plus ongoing email collaborations

Third Age Learning York Region (TALYR) is a federally registered non-profit organization offering intellectually engaging lectures and webinars for retired and semi-retired adults across York Region. Our annual season spans three distinct series: online presentations (via Zoom) in the Winter and Fall, and highly popular in-person lectures in Aurora in the Spring.

As an entirely volunteer-driven organization with no paid staff, our Program Committee is the creative engine behind everything we do. We are seeking curious, engaged individuals who love learning and follow interesting developments in the world to help shape our seasons, identify compelling topics, and bring fresh, thoughtful voices to our community.

About the Role & Structure

The Program Committee is responsible for creating TALYR’s educational calendar. The committee deliberately seeks out a mix of Board members and outside voices—non-Board members provide the fresh perspectives and varied community links that expand our thinking. Discussions are collaborative, lively, and driven by mutual curiosity. Meetings are scheduled explicitly around programmatic planning cycles, are almost always virtual, and are managed to respect your personal time.

What You Will Do

• ·        Collaborate: Participate in 3 to 4 virtual planning sessions per year via Zoom (typically lasting 1 to 2 hours per meeting) and via email conversations between meetings as needed.
• ·        Curate & Brainstorm: Suggest compelling topics and world-class speakers based on your personal reading, interests, podcasts, or community networks.
• ·        Speaker Outreach: Help initiate contact with potential speakers using established guidance, templates, and the collective backing of the Board.
• ·        Engage as a Host: Attend presentations throughout the year as an engaged audience member or occasionally act as a virtual or in-person session host (in-person attendance at the spring Aurora series is especially welcomed).

The Kind of Person We Are Looking For

Formal educational or academic credentials are not what matter most to us - we do not require subject-matter experts. What matters far more is a particular kind of enthusiastic learner - someone who stays curious, pays attention, and eagerly engages with new concepts. In practice, our best suggestions come from people who:

• ·        Listen to radio programs or podcasts like CBC Ideas or TED Talks and hear an expert they think our members would love
• ·        Watch documentary series and spot a potential speaker
• ·        Attend a lecture through an alumni association or community organization and think "TALYR should get this person"
• ·        Follow emerging topics — health and medicine, artificial intelligence, climate science, social issues, history, the arts — and can identify strong communicators in those fields
• ·        Have professional or community networks that might yield interesting connections to speakers

How to Express Interest

If you are a natural generalist who regularly says, 'I just heard someone fascinating—we should invite them,' TALYR is the perfect outlet for your curiosity. Please send a brief note introducing yourself, your general areas of interest, and the kinds of topics you find compelling to

Email: talyr@rogers.com
Subject Line: "Volunteer Inquiry: Program Committee".