Thessaloniki 12-13 October 2006 Barry Nyhan, Cedefop barry.nyhan@cedefop.europa.eu

1. Promoting lifelong learning for older workers Cedefop AGORA Thessaloniki 12-13 October 2006 Barry Nyhan, Cedefop barry.nyhan@cedefop.europa.eu

2. Network on Older workers and lifelong learning – OWLLL(1) • How to address the issue from a life-course and lifelong learning perspective. • Taking the learning needs and preferences of older people themselves and labour market demands into account.

3. Network on Older workers and lifelong learning – OWLLL(2) • Cedefop research arena (Cedra) network • Established in Autumn of 2004 • 30 researchers + from 16 countries • Numerous meetings • Presentations at European seminars / conferences • Anthology

4. Anthology • Overview of research since 1990s • Review of recent EU policy documents • Review of European and international statistics • Presenting the views of older workers • Personal stories of older workers • Theoretical and critical perspectives on policies and practice • Review of research on impact of work place practices on older workers

5. Current activities • Collecting examples of measures / practices to promote lifelong learning for older workers • Promoting awareness of issues for policy makers and actors

6. About the Agora (1) Three main sessions • Overview of key issues to be addressed • Workplace issues • Policy responses – public and private sector

7. The Agora concept (2) • ‘Cedefop Agora’ since 1997 • Dialogue between researchers and social partners / policy-makers • Time and space for debate

8. Key policy changes required re older workers and LLL • New thinking about the contribution of older people in a ‘life-course’ perspective. • Creation of ‘sustainable work environments’ that provide flexible and quality work for older people. • Promotion of supportive ‘community – oriented’ lifelong learning.

9. 1. New thinking about the distinctive contribution of older people in a ‘life-course’ perspective • Being old is often taken to mean that one lacks relevant competences leading to early retirement practices in the past (age discrimination). • New thinking in a life-course perspective means understanding the phases of one’s life as the taking on of new challenges – active ageing. • Older people have something different to contribute – experience, reliability, longer term view (balance between ‘younger’ and ‘older’ perspectives – intergenerational learning).

10. 2. Creation of ‘sustainable work environments’ that provide flexible and quality work • Intensity of modern work – mental and physical stress (globalisation / competitiveness) • Flexibility must work both ways • ‘Ageing appropriate work design’ • ‘Age-friendly work places’ – flexible working time • Sustainable work environments

11. 3.Promotion of supportive community-oriented lifelong learning in a life-course perspective • Lifelong learning is about individual training in new skills but also about providing community support, guidance and learning measures for older people to make transitions / to adapt to change in society. • Lifelong learning must be a communal activity in which people learn from each other and value the distinctive contributions of each other – including older people. • Benefits of this are ‘intergenerational learning’ for younger and older people and in the long run building sustainable ‘intergenerational’ societies.

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13. World Economic Forum’s 2006global competitiveness rankings • Switzerland • Finland • Sweden • Denmark These countries have some of the highest rates of participation by 55-65 years old in lifelong learning and employment.