u3a - IGO members' handbook

Welcome to Interest Groups Online (IGO)

We’re delighted to have you with us.

Interest Groups Online, or IGO, is an online-only learning u3a community. It brings members together to explore interests, share knowledge and learn from one another. IGO is not tutor-led and we do not run formal courses. Instead, our groups are based on shared enquiry, discussion and members learning together.

All our groups are run a little differently. Some have one group leader, many are co-run by two or more volunteers, and others work more cooperatively, with members helping to shape sessions and share responsibility.

All our groups meet online — mostly on Zoom, with a few using WhatsApp, Facebook or email. Some groups meet monthly, while others meet weekly, fortnightly or twice a month. Your group leader will keep in touch with you by email.

You can explore our groups here:

IGO Groups

and all our help and information is here:

IGO Help and information

Signing up for groups

You will sign up to the groups that interest you using the Beacon Members’ Portal. This is also where you can update your personal details and renew your membership when the time comes. You can sign into the Beacon portal here.

When you apply to join a group on Beacon, you will first be placed on a waiting list. If the group has space, the leader will add you. As all our group leaders are volunteers, this may take a few days. They will then send you everything you need to know about joining the meetings. If the group is full, you will stay on the waiting list until a place becomes available.

We invite all new members to a New Member Meeting, which takes place three times a year. This is a chance to ask questions, meet others and make sure you are able to find your way into our groups.

If you have any questions about joining groups, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will do our best to help.

IGO and your local u3a

When you join IGO, you become a member of Interest Groups Online. This does not automatically make you a member of your local u3a.

Every u3a is an independent charity, so membership of a local u3a needs to be arranged separately. You are very welcome to be a member of IGO only, or to join both IGO and your local u3a if you would like to enjoy online groups as well as local activities.

Getting started with Beacon

Every u3a has its own Beacon account. For IGO members, this is the IGO Members’ Portal. If you also belong to a local u3a, it will have its own separate portal, so please check you are in the right place.

The first time you visit the Portal, you will be asked to register. You will need a few details from your welcome email, so please enter them exactly as shown.

Once you have registered, you will set up a password. You will receive an email with a link to complete this step.

After that, simply log in with your email address and password. You can then browse all our groups and apply to join any that catch your eye.

Our IGO groups

Our groups are friendly, lively and all a little different. Some enjoy expert presentations, others invite members to share short talks, and many run as relaxed discussion groups where everyone can join in.

However they are organised, all our groups offer a warm, supportive space to learn, chat and enjoy something new together. IGO offers an exceptionally wide range of online groups to suit many interests.

Arts & Creative Expression – groups for exploring visual arts, photography, digital creativity and other hands-on activities.

Music Appreciation and Performance – groups for discovering, listening to, discussing and playing music from many genres and eras.

Reading & Literature – book groups, poetry groups and sessions focused on authors, plays and other written works.

Writing & Performance – creative writing, storytelling, play reading and improvisation groups.

History & Culture – groups exploring world history, heritage, archaeology and cultural traditions.

Science, Technology & Digital Skills – groups covering science topics, computing, digital skills and emerging technologies.

Languages & Linguistics – groups for learning, practising or exploring languages at all levels.

Mind & Body Wellbeing – mindfulness, meditation, gentle exercise and wellbeing-focused groups.

Hobbies, Games & Leisure – relaxed, social groups centred on hobbies, quizzes, games and shared interests.

Society, Ideas & Discussion – groups for conversation, current affairs, debate and exploring social or philosophical ideas.

u3a Support & Training – sessions offering guidance and support for group leaders and volunteers.

We’re always happy to welcome new groups. If you have an idea you would love to share with other IGO members, we would be delighted to help you get started.

We also have a selection of Potential Groups — topics that members have shown an interest in, but which do not yet have a full group. You are very welcome to join any that appeal to you. Once enough people have signed up, we bring everyone together so they can meet, chat and shape a brand-new group of their own.

Communication

We send out News Extra, our monthly newsletter, to keep you up to date with new groups, useful information and anything important happening in IGO.

Apart from this, we will not usually email you unless it is time to renew your membership, so you will not be overwhelmed with messages.

You can contact us any time at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. — we’re always happy to help.