New funding to tackle ageism in Scottish workplaces
Age Scotland has been awarded new funding from the Scottish Government to run age inclusion training for line managers and key organisational influencers in an effort to tackle the ageism experienced by older workers.
Over the next two years the charity aims to work with over 1,500 people in businesses and organisations across Scotland to help them better understand the needs and challenges faced by their workforce over the age of 50. This will be run in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School.
This is part of an £800k fund awarded to Scottish workplaces to boost inclusivity and diversity from the Scottish Government's Workplace Equality Fund. Administered by Advice Direct Scotland, recipients will now receive grants to address long-standing barriers in the labour market.
Projects aimed at making workplaces more accessible to previously excluded groups including older people and those with disabilities are among a raft of initiatives to receive government-backed equality funding. This financial support is being used to fund projects that are focused on one or more priority groups such as women, minority ethnic workers, disabled workers and workers aged over 50. Other priority groups include people who experience gender-based violence, workers who are experiencing social isolation and/or loneliness, and workers experiencing symptoms of the menopause.
The fund, which was first launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in 2018, is designed to ensure that everyone – irrespective of gender, age, race, or disability – can fulfil their potential and improve Scotland’s economic performance as a result.
Thirteen projects to boost inclusivity and diversity at work have successfully applied to the Scottish Government’s Workplace Equality Fund, driving forward Scotland’s Fair Work Framework.
The Fair Work Framework sets out what fair work means in Scotland, offering all individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment, and respect.
