Ageless at Work - Skills for Care

project was set up in recognition of the fact that whilst older Youth Workers provided much needed
stability and experience, they were sometimes frustrated by their lack of progression, and were cynical
about the benefits of new initiatives which changed the structure, context and, potentially, the content
of their work. Youth Work employers frequently note that older workers in this tier of staff can act as a
significant barrier to changing how work is conducted. The project used an action learning based
approach to help participants:
Reflect on their positive achievements and experiences in youth work and in other areas of their
professional and personal life
Identify positive and negative factors in the development of their professional careers
Develop personal strategies for second half career planning
Develop peer support and challenge networks at the sub-regional level.
The programme evaluation (Stevens, H and Denbigh A, 2007) found that the sets had provided
participants with a timely opportunity to reflect on their response to organisational and culture
change within a confidential and supportive environment, providing what one participant described
as, “emotional time off”. The project generated lessons about the barriers preventing older Youth
Workers from engaging in the process of structural change currently underway in Youth Services.
The lessons are discussed fully in a final project report (Riley, undated) and are highlighted briefly
here:
“The issue is not about age. It is about valuing staff and recognising and utilising their skills and
talents.” This same feeling of the need to be recognised and complimented also came out of the
Skills for Mature workers project, also undertaken by Learning South West. It was not enough to
receive funds for training as a reward for good performance; people needed recognition, support
and follow up. The implication was that it was assumed that older people did not need this as
much, but a consistent sense of decline in confidence levels suggested, it was important to
compliment and reassure older workers.
Some of the issues for Youth Workers directly reflected the fact that they were at the end of a
decision making chain with limited opportunity to influence, something that they had in common
with many other public sector employees. Decisions determined by annual budget allocations set
by councillors are overlaid by national policy changes.
Some of the issues raised by employees could be interpreted as potentially contradictory and
perhaps characteristic of any employee criticising management: (going through major changes
and upheavals versus not enough change; too much management versus not enough),
However, the sessions had a potential revitalising effect, endorsed by the suggestion that
employers should develop the concept of ‘kick-start’ or motivational training for those staff, of any
age, who find themselves in need of a professional restart. The idea of ‘Second half career
planning’ was warmly received by project participants
Ageless at Work: Change workplace cultures, development skills. Good practice report 23