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In the past twenty years, the proportion of men aged 50 to 65 not in work has doubled, writes Jane Dawes.
Many older people need to work, both emotionally and financially, and employers need them to work; so they should be offered incentives to stay on rather than being offered early retirement. Yet according to recent research, less than one third of companies have heard of the Government?s Code of Practice on Age Diversity in employment. There is no skills shortage in Britain ? just endemic ageism.

A European Directive comes into effect in 2006, making it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of age, and having canvassed the views of older people on election issues, Age Concern is campaigning to remove ageism from the workplace. The campaign, which arose following the ministerial address to Age Concern?s 2000 AGM and conference, culminated in the premiere of a specially commissioned play ? Ageism@Work - at Age Concern Hampshire?s half yearly meeting at the John Stripe Theatre in Winchester earlier this year.

Ageism@Work featured a Personnel Officer, played by Mike Berry and two office workers - Mrs Older (Jane Dawes) and Miss Younger (Alison Birch). It was an amusing play with serious issues, exploring age discrimination within the workplace ? something which is experienced by many people, both younger and older.

The play was written by John Dunne, who worked closely with Chris Perry, Director of Age Concern Hampshire, acquiring the information which needed to be presented in the drama. Scripts were drafted and discussed over a few months before final drafts agreed. The performance was by actors from Phoenix Productions, who specialise in delivering issue-based drama. Both the writer and the company regularly work with Age Concern and have produced issue-based plays for them on a variety of themes over the past few years, including Debate of the Age, Elder Abuse and The Fear of Crime.

Jane Dawes works in Production and Marketing for Phoenix Productions t: 01420 472664 e: info@phoenixarts.co.uk w: http://www.phoenixarts.co.uk