By rdnewsNOW Staff

Older Adult Employment Strategy Assessment Project

Employers and adults over 55 called to share experiences and challenges in the job market

Apr 14, 2023 | 5:14 PM

The Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre is reaching out to older adults and employers to share their experiences and challenges in the job market.

The Older Adult Employment Strategy Assessment Project a local initiative led by the Senior Resource Centre, in partnership with The Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce and funded partially by the Governments of Alberta and Canada, to help connect older workers, aged 55 and over, with businesses experiencing labour challenges.

READ: New initiative aims to connect older workers with labour and skills shortages opportunities

To increase the opportunity and accessibility of employment, project officials say it is essential to identify and address the gaps between what these older adults currently experience in finding, returning to or retaining employment and what employers experience in hiring, recruiting and retaining adults over 55, as well as what they both want and need for the future.

They say they will be listening to older adults and employers in central Alberta, searching for employment and employees, regarding:

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• The challenges and opportunities of adults over 55 years old
• The challenges and opportunities of employers
• The current services, resources, and programs available to support both adults over 55 and employers
• The current needs of adults over 55 and employers
• The need for dedicated services, resources or programs to support both adults over 55 and employers

They say the project will include all of Red Deer County including The City of Red Deer, Delburne, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Bowden, Penhold, Springbrook, and Benalto.

There are three ways to participate in the project:

1. The Project Survey: available online from April 6 – June 15, 2023. The survey takes approximately seven minutes. Participation in the survey is voluntary with the option to skip or decline answering any questions. Officials confirm all responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. They say findings from this survey will be reported in summary form and responses will not be linked to individual participants or organizations.

Click here to start the survey.

2. Focus Groups:

There are two Focus Group themes. Participants can register online or by connecting with any of the project partners. Focus group sessions are estimated to last one hour and will be led by local project consultant Brandi Heather.

• Focus Group 1 – Adults over 55 Opportunities and Challenges to Employment:

  Adults over 55 can explore and share the challenges and opportunities they experience in finding or returning to employment.

  Location: The Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre (4620 47a Ave)

  Dates: April 26 at 1- 2 p.m. and May 23 at 6 – 7 p.m.

  To register, click here.

• Focus Group 2 – Employer Focus Group:

  Employers can explore and share the challenges and opportunities they experience to hire, recruit and retain adults over 55 in the workforce in central Alberta.

  Location: The Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce (3017 50 Ave)

  Dates: May 15 at 3 – 4 p.m. and June 5 at 3 -4 p.m.

  To register, click here.

3. Reach out to any of the project team with questions, comments, or concerns

Project officials say a summary of survey results and recommendations will be available in November of 2023.