Encouraging lifelong and intergenerational learning: the experience of the EQUAL programme

1. Encouraging lifelong and intergenerational learning: the experience of the EQUAL programme Helen Tubb GHK Consulting

2. A quick introduction • European thematic experts for the European Social Fund (ESF) EQUAL initiative • Role to research, analyse and disseminate the lessons from EQUAL at the European level • Three key questions: • What is EQUAL? • How does EQUAL address age management? • What key messages can EQUAL offer regarding lifelong and intergenerational learning?

3. What is EQUAL? • ESF Community Initiative (2001 – 2008) • Aims to find new ways of tackling discrimination and inequality in the labour market, both for those in and out of work (inc. older workers) • €3.274 billion, co-financed by Member States • 3,239 EQUAL ‘Development Partnerships’ (DPs) • Organised according to 9 thematic fields • Lifelong learning (466 DPs) • Adaptation to change and new information and communication technologies (312 DPs)

4. Key principles • Innovation – developing and testing out new ideas • Partnership – involving public authorities, companies, social partners, education/training organisations and non-governmental organisations • Empowerment – engaging and building capacity of all stakeholders • Transnational cooperation – exchanging and collaborating across national boundaries • Mainstreaming – informing and influencing policy

5. EQUAL and age management • 210 DPs focus on age management issues • Highest numbers in Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and France • Of the new Member States, Poland, Estonia and Slovakia are the most represented • Most active in terms of the following thematic fields: • Lifelong learning • Adaptation to change • (Re-)integration to the labour market

6. A closer look • New analysis of 55 age management DPs • Significant SME, regional and sectoral foci • Target groups: older workers, older female workers, employers, public authorities and social partners • Methods: vocational training, awareness-raising, guidance and counselling, and skills audits • Tools: research, evaluation and studies, methodological development, networking and mentoring schemes • European Age Management Network

7. Lifelong and intergenerational learning • Brings clear benefits, both for the employer and older/younger person: • Capturing and recognising the tacit knowledge of older workers • Motivating and retaining older workers (and re-integrating the older unemployed) • Engaging and developing potential of younger workers • Addressing intergenerational barriers • Making companies more attractive, innovative and competitive

8. EQUAL success story: InnKoop (1) • Saxony region of Germany • Prospect of skills/staff shortages in the mechanical engineering and automotive sectors, especially in SMEs • Age-related stereotypes within companies • 7 sub-projects inc. career planning, knowledge databases, company networks, and technical, IT and soft skills training • ‘Fit for the future’ sub-project • Tandem learning: groups of 2 – 6 older and younger works • Technological training, plus company-specific courses

9. EQUAL success story: InnKoop (2) • Supported 337 female and 583 male engineers • 90% of the older unemployed secured employment • Created new jobs “Intergenerational exchange offers new possibilities for on-the-job learning and task-specific advanced training processes. Beside the technical qualifications, this form of education offers the potential to improve the cooperation between the generations and the development of common social competences” Rene Tommer, DP representative • http://innkoop-equal.be

10. EQUAL success story: RITA (1) • Decline of the Algarve’s traditional food industry • ‘Intergenerational Platform’ bringing together: • Older local artisans and traditional food producers • Young food engineering students • University of the Algarve – as a mediator • Involving: • Intergenerational visits and exchanges • On-the-job training and practical activities • ‘Traditional food’ on the university curricular and research agenda • Company-oriented problem solving

11. EQUAL success story: RITA (2) • Boosted the traditional food industry: • Encouraged students to start up businesses and work in the industry • Generated academic interest in the subject, which led to new health and safety innovations, and business benefits “The DP’s work with older workers was particular as representatives of the traditional industries were afraid to join the project. They had no previous contact with and confidence in academic circles” David Gago, DP representative • Promoted cooperation between academic and traditional/artisan arenas – a new dialogue • davidgago@qualigenese.pt

12. Key messages (1) • Raise awareness of the benefits of intergenerational learning amongst employers • Focus on the business benefits e.g. tacit knowledge • Make sure the delivery is cost-effective, and time and resource efficient • Engage the senior management • Address underlying stereotypes and barriers • Involve representative organisations e.g. artisan associations • Promote positive examples • Highlight and challenge the prejudices • Remember that the emotional rewards often outweigh the financial ones

13. Key messages (2) • Capture tacit knowledge in a collective way • Knowledge databases • Toolkits • Make sure three key groups are involved and can see the benefits: • Managers • Older workers • Younger workers • Involve mediators/intermediaries • Make sure the skills/knowledge can be directly applied to the workplace and are based on existing competencies

14. EQUAL success story: Alliance for Work (1) • Restructuring in the Łódźki region, Poland • Employer reluctance to recruit the 45+ • Vulnerable sub-group: older women • Inadequacy of professional advisors • New ‘job coach’ model: • Training the 45+ as job coaches to support their peers • Coaching and career-planning - Individual Development Plan • Soft skills, ICT and vocational training

15. EQUAL success story: Alliance for Work (2) “The first day, the participants were a bit reluctant, while at the end of the training period, the new job coaches were motivated and impatient to begin their new job!” DP representative • New regional partnership • Clear advantages to involving the social partners and local NGOs • Results: • 88 job coaches and 297 45+ trainees • Case study: Karol Jonscher Hospital • Post-graduate course in 45+ career management • Employer manual: “The 45+ in your company” • www.undp.org.pl/en / www.agealliance.org

16. EQUAL success story: Life Competence 50+ (1) • Multi-disciplinary partnership in Sweden: employer, research institutes, public authorities, PES and trade union • Aims to: • Capitalise on the ‘revealed’ competences of older people • Match these competences with business needs inc. mentoring and providing technical/administrative support in the early years of a business • Create a network of contacts • ‘Competence analysis’ method • Four steps • Flexible and tailored approach • Covers the whole life experience

17. EQUAL success story: Life Competence 50+ (2) • Interviews with new start-ups to assess business needs – 17 paired up with 50+ unemployed • Network Centre 50+ • European Age Management Network • Constitution agreed • 30 member organisations and a mailing list of 130 organisations • Inaugural meeting in June 2008 • www.livskompetens.com

18. Key messages (3) • Identify, valorise and validate prior knowledge • ‘Question Bank’ • Skills portfolios / ‘Training cards’ • Empower the target group in the design and delivery of the solutions • Integrate psychological support • ‘Soft’ leisure activities • Private consultations • Blend learning formats – e-learning is not the whole solution!

19. Key messages (4) • Recognise the value of soft skills • Look beyond the use of qualifications as a competency measure – the French ‘jury’ model • Take advantage of peer-based learning • Don’t forget the gender dimension • Take preventative and anticipatory measures – 40+, 45+, 50+? • Overall… • Empower and tailor actions to the needs of individuals • Win over employers!

20. Where to find out more • ‘Anticipating Change: effective approaches to lifelong learning and age management’ conference - Greece, December 2007 • Conference report • ‘EQUAL: paving the way for lifelong learning and age management’ • Wide range of case studies and success stories • Policy briefs e.g. ‘The working life cycle’ and ‘Crossing the generations’ • http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equal/index_en.cfm • helen.tubb@ghkint.com / toms.feifs@ghkint.com