Promoting education and employment opportunities for older people. In the context of changing demographic patterns, a key objective for the Government and social partners is to maximise the opportunities for older people to participate in education, employment and other aspects of economic and social life. This will include: • Targeted adult and community educational opportunities. Older people will be further encouraged and supported to access further and higher education and appropriate targets will be set in the context of proposals on life long learning and access to further and higher education set out under Section XX. • Older people will be encouraged and supported in actively involving themselves in areas such as family literacy projects, as set out in XXXX, and bringing their knowledge, skills and experience to bear in furthering the aims of such projects. • The continued participation of older people in the labour market will be encouraged and facilitated to meet the challenge of an ageing society. A cultural mindset change will be promoted among both employers and employees to encourage older workers to remain in employment. Promotion of training and upskilling of employees, particularly for low-skilled/older workers, will take place to enhance employability in the context of the impact of globalisation. The preventive process will be extended to those aged 55-64 to facilitate unemployed older workers remaining attached to the labour market. This will tie in with the phasing out of the Pre-Retirement Allowance (PRETA). • Training and advisory services, including those provided by FÁS, will assist older people who wish to return to the workplace. • The exploitation of information and communications technology to improve the quality of life of older people and to assist them in independent living will be encouraged and supported. The national eInclusion Strategy Framework, currently being discussed by the eInclusion Stakeholders Group, will prioritise action in the areas of ICT access and connectivity, ICT skills, awareness of the potential of ICT and how they can be used to assist every older person in their home life, social life, and where appropriate their work life. • Public information campaigns to tackle ageism serve a useful purpose in raising awareness. The Equality Authority, HSE and the National Council on Ageing and Older people will continue to promote such initiatives over the course this agreement.
