The document summarizes the EMPOWER+ project, which aims to promote active aging in Europe by empowering mature employees to act as mentors, coaches, and team leaders. It notes that the percentage of the European population over age 65 is increasing significantly and will reach 29% by 2050, but mature employees are often discriminated against in the workforce due to stereotypes. The EMPOWER+ project seeks to combat this by developing training for mature employees and employers and promoting mature employees' skills, knowledge, and ability to pass on their expertise to younger workers. It is funded by the EU and involves partners from Greece, Italy, Germany, and Spain.

1. Project EMPOWER+
“European Network for Promoting Active Ageing:
Mature-age Employees as Mentors, Coaches and
Team-Leaders” (REF. 2011-1-GR1-LEO05-06795)
Final Conference, 24th September 2013, Reggio Emilia, Italy

2.  In 2010 17,4% of the population of Europe was over the age of 65.
 In 1985 only 12,8% was over 65
 In 2050 the predictions are that 29% of European Population will be
over 65 which means 1 in 3.
 On average in the EU, citizens consider that someone is young until
the age of 42
 In some countries like Malta and Portugal young is considered until
the age of 37.
 In Greece young is considered until the age of 50!!!
 The average age of retirement in the EU is 61,4 while 1/3 of those
that retired expressed their willingness to continue to work
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EMPOWER+
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
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3.  The increase in the life expectancy and the quality of
life has as a result that the mature age employees is
a big and important part of the workforce.
 That mature age employees want to work and
contribute to the society.
 According to a euro barometer survey 1/3 of those
that retired would like to continue working under
certain circumstances
 The truth is however, that this working group has not
been among the centre of the attention of the
employment policies.
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4.  There are discriminations against mature age employees that
are based on stereotypes and hypotheses on their ability and
suitability to work
 Employers very often consider that the skills of the mature age
employees are obsolete and that it is more difficult to be
trained regarding their younger colleagues
 Several surveys have shown that one of the reasons behind
that discrimination is that mature age employees do not fit into
a new dynamic image that a company would like to create
 As a result of that, mature age employees have low self-
esteem and they are unwilling to remain at their work in the
life expectancy and the quality of life has as a result that the
mature age employees is a big and important part of the
workforce.
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EMPOWER+
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
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5.  The truth however is different
 Mature age employees
 Posses important knowledge
 Have a greater familiarity with the products the services, the processes and
the systems of an organization
 The training of a mature age employee may be a better investment
for a company than the training of a younger colleague
 Mature age employees can transfer their knowledge to their
younger colleagues by undertaking the role of a mentor
 They can create a stable workforce and can become the right
example to their younger colleagues
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EMPOWER+
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6.  EMPOWER+ Project is financed by the Directorate General of Education and
Culture and the programme Life Long Learning Leonardo da Vinci by 75% and by
25 % from own funds
 In EMPOWER+ project consortium the participate
 The Region of Central Macedonia as the Lead Partner, Thessaloniki Greece
 The private company TREK Consulting Athens Greece,
 IFOA, Reggio Emilia, Italy
 INIFES International Institute for Empirical and socioeconomic studies
Stadtbergen, Germany
 EKINTZA BILBAO, Bilbao, Spain
 Project started: 1/10/2011
 Project ends: 30/9/2013
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EMPOWER+
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
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7. 5 Work Packages
1. Identification of Needs Exchange and Transfer of
experience
2. Development of Vocational Skills and Competencies
3. Evaluation and Valorization Management and coordination
of the Action
4. Communication and Dissemination
5. Management and Coordination
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EMPOWER+
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8.  Existing situation analysis in the five regions.
 Region of Central Macedonia, Greece
 Region of Attica, Greece,
 Region of Reggio Emilia, Italy
 Region of Tubingen, Germany
 Basque Country
 Good practices guide
 Partners have collected good practices at local/ regional/ national and pan European level
concerning empowerment, capacity building and other innovative approaches in the
management of ageing Workforce
 A good practices guide in English was produced. Good practices guides in national
languages are available on the project web site. www.empowerplus.eu
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WP 3 Identification of Needs, Exchange
and Transfer of Experience
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
24th September Reggio Emilia, Italy

9. WP 4 Development of Vocational Skills
and Competencies
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 Design of new training material
 Material from EMPOWER project was enriched
 New training fields have arisen from the existing situation analysis and
the best practices.
 Organization of training seminars. Training seminars in the
5 regions
 Thessaloniki 24-30 September
 Attica 9-10 September
 Reggio Emilia
 INIFES
 Bilbao
 Assessment of effectiveness
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
24th September Reggio Emilia, Italy

10.  Ongoing and Ex-post evaluation
 Follow up plan
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WP5: Evaluation and Valorization
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
24th September Reggio Emilia, Italy

11.  Promotional Material
 Brochures in all languages of the project (Greek, Italian, German, Spanish and
English)
 Banners & posters
 RCM will also make a banner and 10 posters in each national language and will send
them to each partner
 newsletters
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WP2 Communication and Dissemination
EMPOWER+ Final Conference
24th September Reggio Emilia, Italy

12. Thank you very much
Grazie mille
Michailides Constantinos
Region of Central Macedonia
Regional Development Fund
Themistolki Sofouli 62A
Thessaloniki
Post Code 54655
Greece
tel +302310403004
fax+302310403079
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EMPOWER+ Final Conference
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