#MakingaNoise in MARCH 2021

#makinganoise

The Age Diversity Forum is the Global Hub for age diversity in the workplace

LET’S CHAMPION AGE DIVERSITY TOGETHER!

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.

AGE DIVERSITY FOR INTER-SECTIONALITY

Last month, we described how we initiated the #MakingaNoise campaign to be Internationally accessible, as we see common challenges wherever one resides.

This is one ‘HUGE’ challenge for the world….there are others too!

Our guest article this month is from Ruh Global Impact. Led by Debra Ruh, they are a tremendous advocate for global inclusion, and you will see in the article, that attention to the inter-sectional diversity agenda is an important consideration.

#MakingaNoiseThe Age Diversity Forum is regularly approached to support D&I programmes for organisations who want to demonstrate their commitments to the broadest range of protected characteristics.

Whilst there are nine recognised protected characteristics, it’s pretty common to find that, at best, they are prioritised and force-ranked by organisations…and at worst (probably the majority?)….some of those characteristics are completely ignored.

Intersectionality allows an organisation to apply focus and resource to ensure all parts of the working community feel inclusive. The age agenda is somewhat unique as an identity, in that every human will age, whereas every human will not necessarily experience another strand of the protected characteristics.

This fact in itself should be strong enough, to encourage engagement and commitment from all organisations, of all size and sector, to consider age in some of the basic elements of their business. In recruitment, training, retention and development, organisations can utilise the fully inclusive age agenda to for total inclusion of their workforce. Age Diversity is a shared experience for all of us!

Inter-sectionality can be seen as a ‘new’ term and/or the latest ‘buzzword’, but it’s so much more important than that, in that it provides a greater understanding that people may face multiple challenges, and bias, depending on the multiple identities that one holds.

As there are advancements in the understanding of identities, and individuals become more confident to share their identities, intersectionality becomes a more powerful approach to provide such a considerate environment. Intersectionality also overcomes the tendency to just look at one element of the complex human make-up, which may introduce behaviours and culture that unintentionally discriminate.

As we discussed last month, the world has an ageing population….is this the time to raise the profile and awareness of age as an inter-sectional consideration to bring people together? Intersectionality and the multi-generational workforce are global issues that affect people everywhere, and will continue to grow.

And that brings another HUGE topic in to the discussion…..multi-generational! The challenge…..but absolutely HUGE opportunity to at least mitigate, if not remove age agenda perceptions, and develop a culture of innovation and development for successful business, economies and societies…whatever their age!

This is a good time to sign-post you to our new weekly live stream…every Friday on our YouTube channel….as this week, our CEO Steve Anderson will be in conversation with ADF Student Placement, Sadie Baker, on how age diversity is important for all age groups. Contact us for more information about the live-stream.

Join us on the journey!

REMOVING BARRIERS

#championagediversityThere are a number of ‘protected characteristics’ in the diversity and inclusion agenda, including age, but unfortunately, age is still the one area that is largely overlooked.

 

However, the inter-sectional nature of age diversity in the workplace, gives advantages, that enable barriers to be mitigated and removed, so providing opportunities for all.

Applying such a focus can improve productivity and ensure that the return on investment gains are achieved….so making a focus on age diversity, not just the right thing to do, but actually, it’s business imperative.

In this video, Partnership Manager, Jill, talks through the protected characteristics.

Click the pic above to watch the video.


use the hashtag #MakingaNoise


Intersectionality of Sustainability and Disability

At the Age Diversity Forum, we are very fortunate to  welcome guest articles from a broad range of authors. This month, we’re extremely pleased to bring another inter-sectional view of teh D&I agenda from our friends and advocates at Ruh Global Impact (see more below!!).

Close to one billion people, 15% of the global population, live with some form of disability. Aging, chronic health issues, and mental health disorders are significant factors contributing to disability worldwide. Thus, it is now critical to address these far-reaching global disability issues proactively together. The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are committed to “Leave No One Behind” regardless of social identity.

This article addresses the Intersectionality of Sustainability and Disability. While in this field, much attention has been given to gender and race; here, it is extended to disability. Starting from the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), we at Ruh Global IMPACT explore the relationship of intersectionality, sustainability, and disability.

Intersectionality is an approach for studying and challenging power, as it exists, is produced, and is reinforced systemically and structurally. It is crucial for addressing structural power imbalances that inhibit progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Sociologists use intersectional lenses to examine an increasingly more comprehensive range of processes and identities, yet the intersection of race and disability remains a particularly neglected area in sociology.

Click the pic below for the Ruh Global article.

#MakingaNoise

INSIGHT & INFORMATION

#MakingaNoiseAt 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 infographic displays many of the benefits 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

#makinganoise

 

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. Such attributes provide for an innovative and creative workforce, whilst adding purpose and reputation to the brand.

Keep ’em peeled each month, for more in our ‘Postcard’ series.

Click the pic above to watch.

CHAMPION SHOWCASE 

#MakingaNoiseWe are delighted to showcase our Champion partners, and this month we introduce you to the Ruh Global Impact organisation.

#MakingaNoise

Debra Ruh | CEO | Ruh Global Impact

Ruh Global Communications (RGC) was founded in 2013 by CEO Debra Ruh. Debra has worked as a Global Inclusion Strategist since 2001. Before she became an entrepreneur she was an executive in the banking industry for many years. She created Ruh Global Communications to help clients reduce their compliance and brand risks associated with inclusion and create programs that act as a positive differentiator.
Ruh Global Communications works with clients to help them envision, develop, and execute dynamic business strategies that help reduce risks, enhance brand and drive profitability amid disruption. Debra is a global leader and has worked with countries, UN agencies, national and multi-national firms all over the world helping then create programs, strategies, and processes that fully include persons with disabilities. Her catalyst for starting RGC was her daughter Sara born with Down syndrome.

Debra refused to accept this. Debra’s unshakable faith in the power of human potential and her love for her daughter led her to create Ruh Global Communications.

When told by ‘experts’ that her daughter, Sara, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, would be lucky to push shopping carts at the local grocery store, Debra refused to accept this. Debra’s unshakable faith in the power of human potential and her love for her daughter led her to create Ruh Global Communications and TecAccess.

This was her call to action to prove the ‘expert’ wrong, Debra created a path to empowerment and success for those with disabilities. Debra became a Global Keynote Speaker and was honored to be Invited to Address the United Nations General Assembly at the COSP9 by the President Office of the UN on May 13, 2016. She is a published author, radio host, blogger, and social media “influencer”.

In 2001, Debra founded TecAccess to acknowledge the contributions of people with disabilities in both the workplace and the marketplace and provide accessibility consulting solutions to companies around the world. TecAccess became a trusted, world-class provider of accessibility consulting solutions that helped other companies ensure their technology was accessible to all.

Her employees, many of whom had a varying range of disabilities themselves, tested clients’ products and websites to make sure that they were accessible and usable. TecAccess was a pioneer in the movement to show business and society how to use technology to reach out to people with disabilities and show people with disabilities how to use technology to improve the quality of life.

Most of Debra’s employees were scattered throughout the country, in homes, offices, rehab facilities and even nursing homes. Over 80% of the team members were technologists with disabilities. They were hired because their unique qualifications made them perfect for the positions. Many firms try to guess how people with disabilities use technology; but, Debra hired people with disabilities and assured they had a VOICE.

Her masterful leadership in the community has put her in a position of a true thought leader and has become the go to strategist for inclusion by Corporations and Governments alike.

Visit RuhGlobal.com 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  .

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