If we all had a teacher like Terry when we were teenagers – we’d be going in the right direction. In this chat we hear from the lovely Terry about his many experiences as a teacher and why he is still up for the challenge of working with teenagers as he approaches 80. He is never short of a story or a meaningful anecdote so you will come away from this chat with a golden nugget or two.

Through his many accomplishments and changes in life, Neville has brought an attitude of gratitude and acceptance which appears to have held him in good stead. When you listen to him you'll feel both reassured and energised to face a change. You'll also get some insight into longlasting true love when you hear him speak of his wonderful partner Di. Please enjoy! 

From the get go, Denise is open, colourful and clever in how she retells the many exciting (and some scary) stories from her life. The thread of excitement and courage are woven through her experiences as a young person in London in the 60s and as a female journalist in Melbourne at a time when sexism in the workplace was the norm. Get ready to have some fun with this episode. 

What you see (or hear!) is what you get with Ray. A warm, uncomplicated man who has used his strong values to guide him, particularly as he navigates his more experienced years. Ray reflects on stressors throughout his life and how they have informed how he copes in life now. Ray is able to distill key values in amongst noise and hype, enjoy this calm and insightful chat. 

In this episode we speak with friends Robyn and Jan who share insights into the role and the nature of friendships in your more experienced years as well as reflections on relationships over the lifespan. Jan and Robyn met in recent years; in our conversation they weave in previous and new experiences via their reflections on friendships and relationships. You're in for a laugh, a cry and reassurance. 

Anne is a vivacious and clever educator and leader who has thrived throughout life by being sure of having a purpose. The purpose has varied and at times has shifted in levels of responsibility and intensity, through it all Anne has found ways to meaningfully contribute, and it is these contributions that has given her that joyful energy you will hear. Anne has a lovely way of explaining things and gives us some helpful guidance for preparing for retirement and perhaps even to reconsider how we define retirement. 

Graham Walker draws on his experiences from 21 years in the Australian Regular Army and his work on the domestic battleground of supporting returned servicemen and women.  In his work with the Vietnam Veterans Federation of Australia, Graham has assisted thousands of veterans to receive their entitlements, advised governments, authored research and campaigned for the official history of Agent Orange to be rewritten.  Passionate about music and the arts, Graham has acted as a military and curatorial advisor on projects ranging from Bryce Courtney novels and David Williamson plays to music video clips, museum exhibitions, theatrical dance productions and the Australian TV mini-series, Vietnam.  Graham offers us ideas about managing adrenaline and taking opportunities – you’ll want Graham in your ear throughout your life. 

Pauline is an author, counsellor and psychotherapist, founder of Stillness Meditation Therapy and delightful person to speak with. You will hear Pauline reflect and guide us through chaos. Pauline draws on her personal experiences as a partner and mother and how these then informed her career as a psychotherapist. This is a conversation covers very real-life struggles like unexpected deaths and changes in relationships with a grace and at times, humour, that will leave you feeling reassured. 

Barry Golding, an Honorary Professor in adult and community education, shares reflections on ageing, focusing on the roles of physical activity and friendships. This enlightening conversation continues as we couldn’t fit all his wisdom into one episode!

In the continuation, Barry delves into the Men’s Shed movement, tracing its history and philosophy. As Patron of the movement, his insights will have you eager to discover a Men’s Shed near you or for someone in your life.

Professor Barry Golding was an Honorary Professor in adult and community education of Federation University Australia in Ballarat since June 2021. Barry has held many positions in his career including Adjunct Professor, Associate Dean Research, School of Education & Arts at University of Ballarat, Australia; and founder of the RAVE (Researching Adult & Vocational Education) Group, President of the Adult Learning Australia Board, a voluntary Patron of the Australian Men’s Shed Association since 2009.

 Once you start listening it’ll be no surprise to hear that we could’ve chatted with Barry for hours, hence breaking our conversation into two parts. In this part 1 of our conversation Barry very generously shares his reflections on the ageing process particularly the role of physical activity and friendships.