Age Appreciation Staff Group

The Age Appreciation Staff Group aims to bring people together to advocate around the protected characteristic of age.

Mission and values 

Age is often a forgotten protected characteristic, and issues and concerns around age and aging in the workplace can be difficult to address.  

The Age Appreciation Group (AAG) will: 

  • Champion the voices of those within the organisation who experience or observe age discrimination 
  • Highlight the organisation’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010 
  • Raise awareness of issues faced by staff members in various parts of the employment life cycle from early career to retirement. 

Activities 

Age-related discrimination, harassment and victimisation are often experienced intersectionally, and therefore meaningful collaboration between the AAG and other staff groups will be at the heart of its mission. Activities you might like to get involved in include: 

  • Challenging discriminatory behaviour towards young or young-appearing staff members (being treated as ‘junior’, lacking expertise, older colleagues expecting deferential treatment) 
  • Research on age and aging from a non-Western, non-Eurocentric perspective. What can we learn from, for example, indigenous cultures? 
  • Reviving menopause support and awareness raising, for example the Menopause Café 
  • Working with the Staff Inclusivity Group to ensure that staff experiencing age-related disability are getting the help in the workplace that they need 
  • Reviewing University provision for retiring colleagues: are they getting support to help them make informed decisions about retirement and to make preparing for retirement as positive an experience as possible? 

Get Involved

Dr Catherine Armstrong, Reader in Modern History and Director of People and Culture in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, is leading the relaunch and would like to hear from colleagues who may be interested in shaping the staff group. 
If you’re interested in age as a protected characteristic and want to make a difference at the University, please get in touch. Many hands make light work, and the group will aim to create as diverse a membership as possible, in terms of age profile, protected characteristics, and jobs roles within the organisation.  

To join the network or to ask any questions, please contact Catherine Armstrong

Catherine Armstrong