South West Opportunities for Older People (SWOOP) exists to enhance the employment prospects of older people in the South West of England. We research the implications of demographic ageing and what works in helping older people, and use our findings to influence decisions about what and how services are delivered.
The South West Regional Skills Partnership has identified demographic change as a key challenge for the region and has set up the Age Management Standing Group to ensure that its policies and actions meet the needs of older people and their employers. The secretariat for the Standing Group is provided by SWOOP (South West Opportunities for Older People).
SWOOP is a pooled resource that is responsible for:
The resources consist of a full-time Research and Development Manager and the activities of Age Management Standing Group members who oversee and contribute to the implementation of the SWOOP work programme. The Research and Development Manager is being funded by the South West Regional Development Agency and the Marchmont Observatory of the University of Exeter during 2008.
SWOOP originated as an EQUAL project that explored what works in helping older people remain in, or return to the labour market. Translating lessons learned from the EQUAL project into regional policy and practice forms and important part of the new programme of work.
“More than 70 per cent of the 2020 working age population are already over the age of 16. As the global economy changes and working lives lengthen with population ageing, adults will increasingly need to update their skills in the workforce. There is a pressing need to raise the rates of skills improvements among adults – the UK cannot reach a world class ambition by 2020 without this.” - Leitch Review of Skills Final Report.
This work builds on the SWOOP Equal project.
Marchmont Observatory
University of Exeter
Holnicote Annexe
St. Luke's Campus
Exeter
EX1 2LU
T. 01392 264725
F. 01392 264966
E. Hilary Todd
Email the Age Management Group
Terms of reference
SWOOP II is funded by the South West Regional Development Agency and European Social Fund |
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SWOOP aims to conform to W3C World Wide Web Standards. |
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