West Midlands scheme aims to help older workers bounce back from shock of redundancy
A new redundancy support service is being developed in the West Midlands to help stop older workers falling out of work for good.
The Centre for Ageing Better is developing the service with FareShare Midlands and funded by Barclays LifeSkills.
The project, called Elevate, jointly commissioned with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is looking to create a more supportive approach, helping workers aged between 50 and 64 who have been recently made redundant to find fulfilling employment.
Elevate is designed around the experiences of older workers and to enable them to take control of their future following redundancy.
FareShare Midlands are now looking for more individuals in the West Midlands who may be impacted by redundancy, particularly in the automotive and manufacturing sectors, and who want to get back into employment quickly, to join the scheme. At the same time, they want to hear from any employers considering making redundancies.
The manufacturing and automotive sectors chosen for the initial phase are seeing high numbers of traditional roles occupied by long-serving employees disappear because of a number of factors including the impact of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The service aims to help affected workers process the grief and shock of redundancy, and offers immediate support, potentially even before redundancy. It is hoped this approach will reduce the likelihood of long-term economic inactivity compared to existing support which traditionally commences three months after redundancy.
In the West Midlands, older workers have been hardest hit in employment terms; with the employment rate of 50-64 year-olds dropping by three percentage points since the start of the pandemic - compared to 0.5 percentage points for 18-24 year-olds in the region and 1.4 percentage points amongst 50-64s nationally.
Statistics show that redundancy is particularly damaging for older workers, with over-50s generally having greater difficulty getting a new job following redundancy and more likely to fall into long-term unemployment.
Lucy Kenny, redundancy and retraining project manager at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “For people who are being made redundant from life-long or long-term jobs, redundancy can come as a shock and a blow to their self-esteem. The current employment support services on offer often aren’t effective for this group and don’t meet their needs.
“Redundancy for those aged over 50 can result in grappling with a mixture of emotions, new options and changing needs. They need to consider substantial changes to their pension pot, changing health, and training options offered to them. All of this can be overwhelming and difficult to manage.
“Through our process of co-design, we have been able to confidently create a programme that puts the needs and experiences of those going through redundancy at the heart of the course. We hope that the service we develop through the project will be scalable across other regions and other industries.”
Kirstie Mackey, managing director, Barclays Citizenship, UK & Europe, said: “As the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact much of the country, businesses are changing the ways in which they operate. From cutbacks to automation, these changes sadly mean the number of job losses across the West Midlands is increasing.
"For many, this is likely the only job they have ever had and they may require additional support to help them secure a new role.
"Perfecting a CV or knowing how to perform at your best in interviews can feel quite daunting. But to help these talented and highly skilled individuals get back into the workplace, Barclays LifeSkills is proud to continue to support Elevate and The Centre for Ageing Better. With a wide range of online, free-to-access resources, our content will help anyone set themselves up for success, allowing them to secure a new job with confidence.”
Simone Connolly, CEO of FareShare Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Ageing Better on the Elevate over-50s employability programme. Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis have both increased the risk of redundancies, and the automotive and manufacturing sectors – key industries in the Midlands – have been particularly affected.
“The loss of a job and regular salary can be devastating, even more so for those over 50 who might struggle to get a new position. We are proud to offer this programme of tailored advice, support and access to opportunities, and hope it helps many people in the West Midlands to overcome redundancy and move forward positively into new roles.”
David Gaughan, head of employer service, at WMCA, said: “A particular focus for WMCA is upskilling and retraining those either at risk or who have recently experienced redundancy to upskill/retrain to find good jobs.
“The collaboration between Ageing Better alongside FareShare Midlands enables us to put this focus into practice that is targeting over 50s to upskill and retrain with wrap around support where we know we have a need to support our residents to gain confidence and re-enter the job market.”
More information about the scheme is available by contacting elevate@faresharemidlands.org.uk
