6/4/23

Cardiff Council has been recognised as an Age Friendly Employer as part of the authority's workto make Cardiff an Age Friendly City.

The Council has been accepted on the Centre for Ageing Better's Employer Pledge scheme, a nationwide programme for employers who are committed to improving work for people in their 50s and 60s.

The Centre for Ageing Better is a UK-wide organisation at the forefront of the ambition to make ageing well a reality for everyone. This includes ensuring that the value of older people in the workplace is recognised by employers and that organisations build multi-generational teams.

By signing the pledge, the Council is demonstrating its commitment to older workers and making our workplaces as age-friendly as possible. 

Cabinet Member for Social Services (Adult Services) and the Council's Older Person's Champion, Cllr Norma Mackie, welcomed the recognition, saying: "Cardiff is on a journey to becoming more age-friendly and joining this scheme is another significant achievement along the way.

"Becoming an Age Friendly Employer sends a strong message to our own workforce and prospective employees that we value the contribution of our older staff and the experience and knowledge they bring to their roles.

"Our commitment to improving career opportunities for older people in Cardiff in underlined in the new Corporate Plan 2023-26. We want to set the standard for other employers in the city to follow and be able to provide information and advice on ways they can make their own business or organisation more age-friendly with a view to joining the pledge scheme too."

Cardiff joined the World Health Organization's Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities last March, becoming the first Welsh member of the network.

The city's membership of the WHO network, which was set up in 2010 to connect cities, communities, and organisations worldwide with the common vision of making their communities a great place to grow older, is a result of extensive collaboration with stakeholders across the city including Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, educational institutions, and third sector organisations.

A dynamic action plan, developed in consultation with older members of the community, is now in place which aims to make Cardiff an Age Friendly City and includes a series of commitments to older people, relating to many aspects of life such as housing, transport and participation in valued activities.

To find out more about Age Friendly Cardiff visit:https://agefriendlycardiff.co.uk/