Although there are considerable differences in the rates of population ageing from one Member State to another, significant increases in life expectancy added to declining birth rates ensures that the ageing of the EU population will continue apace. While the total population in the EU is projected to increase from 511 million in 2016 to 520 million in 2070, the working-age population will decrease significantly from 333 million in 2016 to 292 million in 2070. The ageing of Europe’s population will also have significant implications for its labour force. While the total supply of labour in the EU among those aged 20 to 64 is expected to fall by 9.6% between 2016 and 2070 labour force participation rates are projected to rise from 77.5% in 2016 to 80.7% in 2070. If these demographic predictions are correct, Europe's economic output and global competitiveness could radically decrease over the next three decades. Harnessing the skills and life experience of the retiring generations and supporting their continued active participation in society is now a critical priority. There is no denying the fact that national economies are growing evermore dependent on inward migration flows to address current and future labour-force shortages. The reality is that immigration has become a 'normal' part of life in Europe. “Skill needs in Europe – Focus on 2020” published by Cedefop outlines a key EU policy objective stating “attracting workers from non-EU countries...should go hand in hand with measures to ensure social cohesion and equal treatment”. The SILVER SERVICE Project proposes the development and implementation of a bespoke training programme designed for a senior’s target group comprising older workers approaching retirement and recent retirees. This will incorporate a training curriculum and a suite of appropriate teaching resources to enable the redeployment of the seniors target group as volunteers to support the development of key civic and social competences within the established and growing migrant communities. The project proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement affording the seniors target group an opportunity to remain active contributors to society while addressing the ongoing migrant integration objectives of Member States. There are 5 Intellectual Outputs planned over the life-time of the project as follows: IO1 - Psychographic profiling tool IO2 - Toolbox of Learning Resources IO3 - Online Learning Environment IO4 - Train-the-trainer Programme IO5 - Induction Training Programme The SILVER SERVICE project addresses two certainties for all EU Member States, namely; the ageing of the population and an increasing dependence on immigration as a potential talent pool to sustain the civic, social, political and economic fabric of the EU. While there is considerable variance with regard the speed and immediacy of these changes within and between Member States, they are coming and will impact all countries in the not too distant future.
We wanted to address two certainties: that the ageing of the population and an increasing dependence on immigration as a potential talent pool can contribute to sustaining and supporting the civic, social, political and economic fabric of the EU. While there is considerable variance with regard the speed and immediacy of these changes within and between Member States, they are coming and will impact all countries in not too distant future. We also wanted to raise awareness that senior volunteers boast a vast array of skills and knowledge they have acquired during their working lives. We wanted to show that, with supportive tools and aided by volunteer-engaging organisations, senior volunteers can help alleviate shortages of skilled workers in certain key migrant support areas and that, with appropriate training, these volunteers can be counted on to advance the integration of migrant communities, improve the qualitative life experience of migrants, and enhance the prospects of migrants in the labour market. By aligning senior volunteers with the development of key competences of migrant communities, we aimed to deliver a project that represents an innovative new learning partnership and results in sustainable outcomes for others.
Recognising that significant increases in life expectancy add to declining birth rates, we were and are aware that ageing of the EU population will continue apace. If demographic predictions are correct, Europe's economic output and global competitiveness could radically decrease over the next three decades. We therefore applied for this project to develop tools that harness the skills and life experience of retiring generations and support their continued active participation. We also wanted to recognise that the EU is evermore dependant on inward migration flows, and these are necessary to address current and future labour-force shortages. By applying for the implementation of Silver Service through a KA2 project, we aimed to play our part in addressing the above-mentioned needs, developing and implementing a bespoke training programme designed for senior target group comprising older workers approaching retirement and recent retirees. We wanted to propose a set of activities and work on outputs that will can easily lead to mutually beneficial arrangements affording seniors an opportunity to remain active contributors to society while addressing the ongoing migrant integration objectives of Member States.