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COTA holds first congress for International Year
To celebrate the International Year of Older Persons, the Council on the Ageing (COTA) is holding its first national Congress in Adelaide 7-9 November. The theme for the Congress is Older Australians: A Working Future? Veronica Sheen, COTA’s national policy officer, reports.
Fifty Plus readers may already be aware that COTA has been hot under the collar for some time about the raw deal many older Australians are getting in the workforce. The mature age worker is too often the target for retrenchment, discriminated against when applying for jobs and knocked back for promotions. We have decided these issues are so important we are organising our first National Congress to draw the attention of community, employers and governments to them. We are also aiming to get real changes in attitudes, behaviour and policy towards the mature age worker.
The Congress will:
• Generate a forum for discussion and debate about the changing role of older adults in the workplace.
• Confront the social, economic and political impacts of limiting employment options for older people in the workforce.
• Highlight and promote the benefits of retaining older people in the workforce.
• Identify innovative ideas and strategies expand the role of older adults in the work environment of the 21st century.
• Promote the value and contribution of older adults to the paid and unpaid workforce.
The Congress will cluster around three main streams.
1. Productivity, Employment and Older Adults: The Myths and the Reality
This stream debunks the myth that older adults are less productive than their younger co-workers. We will be showcasing innovative solutions to improving company productivity through the employment of older adults. We will be discussing current employment practices and their impact on older workers along with how to introduce a smooth transition from full time employment to retirement.
2. Unemployment and Older Adults
This stream will explore the dimensions of mature age unemployment beyond the limits of official statistics, and the dramatic impacts of unemployment on older adults. We will also be discussing the impact of government policy, community attitudes and corporate restructuring practices on older adults trying to re-enter the workforce.
3. Retirement: If, How and When
In this stream we will be discussing the changing nature of retirement and its impact on older people’s financial security, health and well-being and the implications for an ageing society. It will also showcase a number of programs and strategies which assist older people to plan for a meaningful and satisfying retirement.
For further information about the conference contact Karen Richardson on 08 8232 0422 or krichardson@cotasa.org.au or Veronica Sheen in Melbourne on 03 9820 2655 or vsheen@cota.org.au.
