On Becoming a Third Place:
The Development of Friendships
in a Lifelong Learning Program
Michael Cheang  Tom Sheeran
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Acknowledgement and Thanks to:
Becky Goodman
Director, OLLI
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg
(1989) defines a third place:
“as a place of refuge other than the home or
workplace…
…where people can regularly visit and
commune with friends, neighbors, coworkers,
and even strangers.”
In modern suburban societies time is primarily
spent in isolated first (home) and second (work)
places.
In contrast, third places offer a neutral public
space for a community to connect and establish
bonds.
Third places "host the regular, voluntary,
informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of
individuals beyond the realms of home and
work.”
Series of classes at OLLI at the
University of Hawaii that seem to
generate likeness of a Third Place:
• Culinary Tours
• Culinary Cinema
Culinary Tours
1. Latin America – Mexico, Peru, Chile,
Brazil
2. Foods of the Americas – NW Coast, Peru,
NE Woodlands, Great Plains/SW, Mexico
3. World of Noodles
Slide Lecture followed by meal
Participants freely began to pitch in
Culinary Cinema
• Food-themed films
• Classroom film showing
and discussion
• Shift to local restaurant
for dinner
• Menu usually related to
theme of the film
Methodology
 Qualitative Study, Case Study
 Institutional Review Board approval
 Call for participation
 Data collection techniques:
a. Participant observation over 7 years
b. 12 individuals responded, 3 focus group
sessions
c. Paper survey
Confidants
Close Friends
Friends
Acquaintances
Strangers
Factors affecting progression and
intensity of relationship development
Program Factors:
Personal Factors:
1. Frequency of meeting
1. Marital status
2. Size of class
2. Living situation
3. Location & ambience
3. Availability of
4. Instructor personality
transportation
4. Personality
5. Class design, content
6. Opportunities for
interaction during and
after class
What role, place OLLI has in your life now?
“Intellectual stimulation; fresh, diverse ideas”
“Wonderful source of friends, vital social link”
“Some have become good friends”
“Encourages, motivates one to keep learning and
developing in new directions”
“Gives reasons to get out of the house”
“Connects me to a learning community”
“Being a part of a community of learners, friends”
Example of a response
from an “Independent”
“Don’t know if it is OLLI’s job to
foster personal connections. I
see them as teachers of a topic
that interests me”
Responses from the “Sociables”
“Shared new perspectives”
“Opened knowledge to new ideas”
“Provided opportunities for contact with
people”
“Understanding people”
Examples from the “Friends”
“Have become close friends”
“Life long friends”
“Closeness of friendships has increased”
“Value new friends more”
“Relationship deepened”
“From superficial to a more profound and
significant insight... Enhance and
cement friendships, like family”
Things that “Friends” now do…
1. Plan to take same classes at OLLI
2. Go out to have meals together
3. Celebrate special events together (birthdays,
Thanksgiving, Christmas)
1. Provide transportation to those who do not drive
2. Travel together
3. Help one another in times of need and in
emergencies
Dimensions of the OLLI experience
Educational,
intellectual and
creative
OLLI
Participant
Social and
emotional
Psychological
Elements
of Play
Lessons Learned and Practice Implications
1. Third places are locales that provide
opportunities for human interactions for
individuals with similar likes and dislikes
to gather
2. Development of social network and social
support
3. Loneliness and well-being in later years
4. OLLI can be a third place
Selected References
Aday, R. H.; Kehoe, G. C.; & Farney, L. A. (2006). Impact of Senior Center
Friendships on Aging Women Who Live Alone. Journal of Women & Aging,
18(1), 2006, 57-73.
Hooyman , N. R. Kiyak , H. A. (2002). Social gerontology: A multidisciplinary
perspective. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Oldenburg, R. (1989). The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Community
Centers, Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How They Get
You Through the Day. New York: Paragon House.
Rowe , J. W. & Kahn , R. L. (1998). Successful aging. New York: Pantheon Books.
Seeman , T. E. (2000). Health promoting effects of friends and family on health
outcomes in older adults. American Journal of Health Promotion, 14, 362-370.
Stevens , N. & van Tilburg , T. (2000). Stimulating friendship in later life: A strategy
for reducing loneliness among older women. Educational Gerontology, 26,
15-35.