Convergence Investments

Printable version

1.4.2009

Cornwall Works 50+ (Cornwall Council)

Piloting a series of innovative ideas, Cornwall Works 50+ will look at new ways to support older people to overcome the challenges they may face when seeking employment, such as care responsibilities, health conditions or confidence and skills issues.

To achieve this, Cornwall Council, through Inclusion Cornwall will work with Designs of The Time (DOTT), a Design Council initiative, which will engage with older people, employers and public sector organisations to identify the challenges older people face in the labour market and find ways to tackle them with the aim of enhancing the support already offered through Cornwall Works, the umbrella for delivery of employment and skills activity to raise employment rates and tackle worklessness in Cornwall.

As the trend in the UK for an ageing population is expected to continue, Cornwall Cares 50+ will seek ways to strengthen the Care Sector workforce to help meet future care needs.  This project aims to identify what needs to be done to make care a more attractive sector to work in and will seek initiatives to attract, train and recruit people into care work, in particular those over 50 and young people who are not in work, education or training or are at risk of becoming so.

“Our quality of life, our sense of worth, our personal ambition are more than not reflected in the jobs we do and the contribution we make to our community and society. Our value is not restricted to any given use by shelf life date... More so than any other time in our recent economic history, we need to realise the potential of people of all ages and backgrounds. Mixing the naïve exuberance of inexperience with the acquired knowledge of those who have seen in a few winters is a recipe for success. Today, ‘the 50s are the new 40s’; tomorrow it may be that the 60s will grab that headline!”Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Finding ways to bring the generations together is also part of this project, with the aim of developing greater understanding and rapport, as well as sharing older people’s expertise and experience with younger people who are just entering the job market or looking to develop entrepreneurial opportunities.  

Cornwall Works 50+ is one of three transnational initiatives within the Convergence Programmes, the other two being Cornwall Works 50+ Cares and Skills for Climate Change.  Working with partners in parts of France and Finland which face similar demographic issues to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall Works 50+ will share best practice.

 

Cornwall Works 50+ contributes to the overarching Ready for Work Strategy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, known as Cornwall Works.  Further details can be found through the links below:

• Delivering ESF Convergence through Cornwall Work  
• Cornwall's Ready for Work Strategy   
• Cornwall Works website

Related Links

04.11.10 Surf Action needs your vote
19.10.10 Initiatives to support those over 50
27.09.10 Cornwall Works for 50+ Event for two Convergence investments
24.06.10 Gulf War veteran supports silver surfers
01.10.09 Jump on the Bus for 50+

For Further Information

Cornwall Works 50 + Cares
Cornwall Works
Designs of the Time (DOTT)