Age positive week kicks off

21 June 2004 - Age Positive Week is launched today with the goal of encouraging employers to give ageism the boot. The campaign is encouraging employers to across the UK to look at their age diversity policies and help stamp out ageism during the week.

Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Pensions, who spearheads the Age Positive campaign, commented that the week is an important way to reach individuals and employers in the fight against workplace age discrimination.

Growing older isn’t just a fact of life - it is now a growing trend in everyone’s working life. People are working harder than ever to obtain the skills they need to compete in the job market. The aim of any sensible employment strategy is to find the right employee for the job - regardless of one’s age. Ultimately, you can’t put an age on true talent and businesses need to tackle age discrimination now to reap the rewards in the future, says Malcolm Wicks.

Age Positive Week aims to raise awareness of age diversity issues and challenge negative ageist stereotypes. During the week, a number of activities across England, Scotland and Wales will be held. Details of planned activities are below:

Saturday 19 June

Age Positive held an veterans and under-19s football match, at Leckwith Stadium, Cardiff to symbolise the benefits of a range of ages working together as part of a successful team. Football veterans, Neville Southall, Derek Brazil and Cowen Griffiths, joined forces with FAW Trust Academy players and the oldest businessman in Wales Derryk Howell, aged 92, to tackle ageism.

Monday 21 June

On Monday, TV pundit and former British, European and World Champion boxer, Jim Watt MBE, joins Scotland Office Minister, Anne McGuire, to urge employers to ’knock age discrimination in the head’, at an Age Positive Jobcentre Plus recruitment event for age friendly employers. The event will be held at South St. Andrew Street Jobcentre Plus, Edinburgh.

Tuesday 22 June

The culmination of the Age Positive Awards 2004 will be a high profile awards ceremony at Lancaster House, London. Hosted by Lorraine Kelly and the Minister for Pensions, the Awards recognise employers and individuals across Great Britain who have shown determination and commitment to combating age discrimination in the workplace.

On Tuesday, Age Positive will announce the 100th Employer Champion at a reception at 11 Downing Street. Employer Champions are companies that are already demonstrating exemplary age practices. Wicks will host the reception, which will include cutting of a celebratory 100 cake.

Wednesday 23 June

Recruitment Excellence Awards is to be launched, in association with Recruiter magazine. The scheme will aim to recognise recruitment consultants and agencies that not only have best practice in age policies, but are also working to educate their clients on age issues.

Thursday 24 June

IKEA Cardiff Bay will play host to an Age Positive employer and employee ’party’. IKEA is just one of the UK wide companies supporting the campaign and has invited other Welsh Employer Champions including ASDA, Iceland Foods Plc and Goodmans Bespoke Furniture to attend, along with a number of staff to celebrate the Week.

Friday 25 June

Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Pensions, will attend a photo call in his constituency of Croydon with a number of key Employer Champions - First Group, Iceland, Domino’s, Barclays, Maturity Works, B&Q, and Tesco. The photo call will take place on a tram at the Tramlink depot and feature a ’giant’ Age Positive badge.

Other activities taking place in the Week include 40,000 Age Positive badges, which will be worn by customer-facing staff from employers who are supporting the Campaign. Participating companies include Asda, B&Q, Domino’s, HBOS, Iceland, IKEA and Jobcentre Plus.

For more information about other activities happening in your area, please contact:

Kate Matthews, Geronimo Public Relations, ph: 020 8238 8551