TAEN – The Age and Employment Network and European Social Fund Conference

The International Convention Centre, Birmingham, Tuesday 24 November. 10.00 – 15.00.

Delegates from hundreds of private, public and third sector organisations throughout England will be meeting in Birmingham next Tuesday, 24 November 2009, to discuss how projects funded by the European Social Fund can help workers over the age of 50 through the recession.

With unemployment still continuing to rise, the conference, entitled How can ESF help older workers through the recession?, will feature a number of eminent speakers focusing on what is currently being done, and what more could be done, to help older workers stay in work or get back into jobs.

Key-note speaker Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN – The Age and Employment Network, who will be opening the conference, says: “While older workers may not so far have been hit as hard as in previous recessions, or compared to other age groups in this recession, there is still cause for concern.  Though starting from a low base – especially compared to other age groups - unemployment amongst the 50+ age group has risen by nearly 38 per cent  over the past year.

“Unless a concerted effort is made to support and get them back into work quickly, losing a job may effectively spell the premature end of their working lives.  This is certainly what happened in previous recessions.”

“Our own recent survey of older jobseekers, TAEN – The Age and Employment Network’s Survey of Jobseekers aged 50+, showed that nearly three quarters of respondents felt that employers viewed them as too old to recruit.

“So helping people aged 50+ remain in work by up-skilling or re-skilling, or supporting them back into work if they’ve fallen out of the labour market, are really crucial.   

“Thankfully, there are hundreds of projects around the country, part-funded by the European Social Fund, trying to do this.  We want to explore with them just how effective they are at the moment and what more they could be doing.

“They have a key role in ensuring that receiving a P45 from your employer is not a permanent one-way ticket out of the labour market for older workers.

”The Department for Work and Pensions recognises the importance of these issues and, as Managing Authority for the England European Social Fund 2007-2013 programme, is contributing to the event.”