#MakingaNoise in JANUARY 2021
The Age Diversity Forum is the Global Hub for age diversity in the workplace
A NEW BEGINNING!
As it is for LGBT, gender and BAME, it is wrong, unjust and illegal to discriminate against age. Join our Champion advocacy and achieve the values and benefits of an age diverse work-force for your organisation, and you will be making a difference to address the global age diversity challenges.
#MakingaNoise is the new campaign, led by the Age Diversity Forum, to ensure the values of age diversity can be achieved across all organisations whatever the sector, size, or location.
Join us on the journey!
CHAMPION AGE DIVERSITY!
WELCOME to our new International Journal!
The Age Diversity Forum is the global hub for raising awareness of age diversity in the workplace. However, we felt the conversation required a boost and uplift, as unfortunately, there continues to be challenges in breaking down barriers of age bias in the employment arena. So, we are very proud to launch the #MakingaNoise initiative, utilising this new monthly journal to inform, raise awareness, but above all to seek to drive change.
One of our key vehicles to bring change is our ‘Champion Age Diversity’ partnership programme, which can support and drive strategy and values for all organisations. We aim to enhance and sustain impact through improved awareness, engagement and coordination of widening participation, and diversity and inclusion information and initiatives.
We designed the ‘Champion Age Diversity’ partnership programme, under the custodianship of Prime Candidate, which now resides as the employability division of The Age Diversity Forum. The Forum is the global hub for age diversity in the workplace and is a practical approach to ensure that organisations achieve the benefits and values of an age diverse workforce.
We have a long running International outreach, with a particular focus in North America, but stretching across many regions, including continental Europe and Asia. Our US outlook and collaboration is particularly strong, with weekly employability updates and access to US job opportunities.
Jim Tabaczynski leads the US Team, and comments: “For many years around the globe, experts have been studying the workplace and the individuals in it and their various demographics. One of the subgroups of workers that has come under scrutiny of late just happens to be also one of the fastest growing groups in the workplace – workers over the age of 50.
Once dismissed out of hand, for a variety of reasons (and mostly unreasonable!), many employers have begun taking a closer look at this group and, quite frankly, they are liking what they see. Of course, the dominant benefit of the 50+ worker is experience, and that is something that can’t be taught, nor can it be Googled. There is only one way to get experience and that’s to earn it.
Beyond that, the benefits of hiring older candidates is a long list indeed: Reliable; Responsible; Capable; Competent; Skillful; Stable; Logical; Informed….the list goes on. What’s more, there are university, professional and government studies that now support these claims.”
Steve Anderson, CEO at the Age Diversity Forum adds: “However, it’s not to dismiss other generational groups, rather encourage multi-generational engagement. Such engagement can provide for a more dynamic and innovative workforce, that leads to improved performance, and that can adapt and provide wider participation through an inter-sectional D&I environment. The business case for diversity is more prominent, it’s no longer just the right thing to do…it’s business imperative!”
We are raising the awareness of the values and benefits that an age diverse workforce can bring to organisations, of all size and sector. More companies now recognise the improved performance impact and are seeking to establish themselves as a committed employer for diversity, demonstrating those values, both for their internal landscape, as well as to external partners and wider communities. Such values are highly prized, and now sought after in how business is transacted. Employers are fast becoming aware of the opportunity to trade and procure, coupled to social awareness.
We are the only organisation offering a practical approach to meet the challenges, and achieve the values of an age diverse workforce, whilst providing a deeper and broader platform for change. The Age Diversity Forum provides its Champion partners with support by sharing expertise, advice and providing training and networking opportunities. We promote best practice and work with organisations to set and influence age diversity policy.
With our partners and members, we aim to facilitate an improved awareness and understanding of barriers to broader participation, to actively promote culture change through membership, collaboration, events, workshops and forums. We address factors to widening participation and diversity and inclusion challenges, from early contact, through to employment, retention, re-deployment and outplacement.
Our partners and members support age diversity in the workplace, working with us to set the standards to address widening participation and inclusion. By providing an influential voice for members, through our policy and campaign activity, we ensure that the needs and views of an age diverse workforce are heard by government, policy makers, and other relevant organizations – together with our members, we work to bring continuous improvement to removing barriers to employment.
Join us on the journey!
Steve & Jim
IN CONVERSATION WITH……
Each month, we will be getting the thoughts, insights and ideas from key industry and policy people. To kick us off, the Age Diversity Forum’s Partnership Manager, Jill, sits down with Rachid Hourizi, Director at the Institute of Coding (IoC), to discuss the values of age diversity in the digital sector.
The IoC is a UK Government programme, consisting of a large national consortium of educators, employers and outreach organisations, made up of 30+ UK Universities and over 100 National and International industry partners.
Our CEO, Steve Anderson, sits on the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board for the IoC, with a mission to break down barriers to digital learning and employment. The IoC believes learning should be a lifelong process and that everyone has a right to improve their skills. They want to spread opportunity by offering access to education, providing what you need, when you need it, in a place you can reach.
The IoC is a large national consortium of educators, employers and outreach organisations that is committed to co-developing new courses and activities that will help a larger and more diverse group of learners into digital careers. The IoC was launched in January 2018 in response to the UK’s digital skills gap, with £20-million in funding from the Office for Students.
Watch the video above to see when The Age Diversity Forum’s Partnership Manager, Jill Cowles, sat down with IoC Director Rachid Hourizi to discuss the values of Age Diversity.
The IoC has now expanded the project to include the Industrial Masters for Artificial Intelligence programme (IMAI), which is led by the Office for Artificial Intelligence, and the consortium, led by Coventry University, who are involved in the campaign to fill 2,500 new places on postgraduate artificial intelligence and data science conversion services. The IoC aim to continue to grow in 2020/21 with the inclusion of more digital projects.
The IoC is focused on providing a fresh and disruptive approach to digital learning that incorporates industry input at all points and keeps the focus on diversity and inclusion. Together, we’re creating a change in the way we equip people with digital skills.
use the hashtag #MakingaNoise
TO BOLDLY GO!
At the Age Diversity Forum, we are very fortunate to welcome guest articles from a broad range of authors.
Each month, we will feature a guest author article in this new international journal, and for our launch, we are delighted to welcome a long time friend of the Age Diversity Forum, Tony Williams. Tony was formerly at Barclays, where he led the key D&I strand for the ‘generations’ programme, and now heads up a coaching consultancy.
Here we have Tony’s latest contribution, recognising some key ‘known’ demographic challenges, and showcasing the opportunities for policy and industry makers to generate value and benefits for a, dare we say….‘new normal’…..res(v)olution!
So read on, let’s open our eyes to the opportunities and boldly go in to the (known!) unknown!
Click the pic below for Tony’s article.
INSIGHT & INFORMATION
At the Age Diversity Forum, we endeavour to provide insight and supportive information too aid with strategy and implementation planning.
Each month, we will feature items of data and research, that provide a basis to determine how organisations can benefit from the values of age diversity in the workplace.
We work with organisations and institutions from a broad spectrum, including Government bodies, Universities and specialist think-tanks.
This first infographic displays many characteristics that can be achieved with consideration for a multi-generational working environment. These can be applied wholly and/or in a progammed release…talk with us to find out how your organisation would benefit from such interactions.
Click the pic for a larger view.
THE ADF ‘POSTCARD’ SERIES
This is an episode from our ‘Postcard’ series, where we highlight values and benefits of an age diverse workforce.
There are many positive reasons to pursue and engage an age diverse workforce, where there is a mix of maturity, experience, enthusiasm and freshness.
Businesses have found that it encourages creativity and innovation, provides for a greater understanding of their customer base, and improves the reputation of the brand (whether that’s local, regional, national or global).
It also sets an opportunity for mentoring to support colleagues’ personal and professional development. And importantly, it promotes a positive and happy company culture, where all staff are valued, and have the same opportunities for training, progression and development to improve their skills, regardless of their age and experience.
Keep ’em peeled each month, for more in our ‘Postcard’ series.
Click the pic above to watch.
CHAMPION SHOWCASE
Each month, we are delighted to showcase one of our Champion partners, and to help us on the way, we introduce you to Hansuke.
Hansuke have great D&I leadership, particularly from Managing Director, Ali Kazimi, and it was such leadership and overall company vision, that propelled Hansuke to be nominated as ITR Diversity & Inclusion Firm of the Year Award.
Hansuke deliver a range of events each year, and always make room for a D&I conversation. The Age Diversity Forum have been delighted to participate and support such events, raising awareness to a broader international audience.
Hansuke has a tremendous focus towards service and support for its own staff, as well as a commitment to external parties, that all lead to assisting clients find practical commercial solutions.
Hanuske is a name with a meaning. Pronounced HAHN-soo-keh, Hansuke is a Japanese term derived from two words: ‘han’, which means ‘companion’, and ‘suke’, which means ‘to help or assist’. Together, it translates as a friendly and trustworthy advisor. This is reflected in Hansukes’ client-centric approach, offering a refreshing alternative to the traditional advisory model, wherein time is taken to focus on and understand each of their unique clients.
A good consultant is agile, adaptive and flexible; and Hansuke proactively seek out ways to help their clients negotiate the demands and pressures of shifting regulation, which can pose significant financial, legal and reputational risks.
Hansuke are specialists within the Financial Services sector, working with leading Overseas & Challenger Banks and Wealth & Asset Managers, and we acknowledge their complete dedication to D&I too.
Visit www.hansuke.co.uk to find out more.
CELEBRATE ‘CHAMPION AGE DIVERSITY DAY’ ON JUNE 11th!
The Institute of Coding Team supporting Age Diversity in the Workplace day on June 11th this year
CHAMPION AGE DIVERSITY DAY – JUNE 11th 2021
The Forum is the global hub for age diversity in the work-place, and is a practical approach to ensure that organisations achieve the benefits and values of an age diverse work-force.
The business case for diversity is more prominent, but unfortunately, there continues to be challenges in breaking down barriers of age bias in the employment arena. Whether that is in the form of: negative bias, unconscious or otherwise; a lack of opportunity for employers to access key skills and talent; poor retention and retraining programmes; or for policy support requirements.
No industry sector is immune to these challenges, and none are restricted by geography. We are a unique organisation with a vision for inclusion, to remove barriers through an application of practical service and best practice, achieved together with our ‘Champions’.
We are raising the awareness of the values and benefits that an age diverse work-force can bring to organisations, of all size and sector. More companies now recognise the improved performance impact, and are seeking to establish themselves as a committed employer for diversity, demonstrating those values, both for their internal landscape, as well as to external partners and wider communities.
As it is for LGBT, gender and BAME, it is wrong, unjust and illegal to discriminate against age. Join our Champion advocacy and achieve the values and benefits of an age diverse workforce.
We are celebrating Age Diversity in the work-force on June 11th. Please use the hash-tag hashtag championagediversity to raise awareness. We would also love to hear from you, whether it’s to highlight an employment barrier or a positive message of how you and your organisation value an age diverse workforce. This information is important to help the purpose of removing age bias from the employment environment.
Record a short video on your phone and send it to us, or download and print one of the signs below and send the photo in to us. Please send your comments/stories/pictures/videos to [email protected] .
For more information, please visit our Champion Age Diversity Day page.
There is significant value to being awarded Champion’s status as you will be recognised as an employer who values age diversity. We look forward to welcoming you as Champions for Age Diversity.
Please email [email protected] for more information
#MakingaNoise
#ChampionAgeDiversity