Older workers’ participation in America’s workforce is more important than ever, and becoming increasingly evident. In just a few years, 40 percent of the labor force will be age 45 or older, and 8 million more Americans age 55 or older will be in the labor force than there were in 1998.* Not to mention, the population of Americans over age 65 will double by 2030.**
To highlight the achievements of older workers, Easter Seals across the country will soon celebrate National Employ Older Workers Week, September 18- 24, 2005. The annual recognition event showcases 40 years of the Department of Labor’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) efforts to serve the job training and placement needs of people with limited financial resources who are age 55 or older and encourages employers to draw upon the underutilized pool of experienced and committed older American workers.
As one of 13 SCSEP national grantees, Easter Seals brings its expertise in working with people living with disabilities seek and retain employment, adapting training programs and crafting workplace accommodations, to this national initiative.
Making a Difference for Older Workers
Through SCSEP, Easter Seals provides job-training for more than 3,300 older workers and senior citizens with low incomes and few employment options annually, helping them gain the necessary skills to find and keep a better- paying job.
« This is a critical issue for our communities — both for older workers and employers, » explains Carol Salter, national director SCSEP at Easter Seals. « Training through SCSEP makes a real difference in the lives of our participants and provides employers with a valuable asset — loyal, dependable, well-trained workers with a lifetime’s worth of experience to share. »
About Easter Seals Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
SCSEP was established in 1965 by national aging organizations under a demonstration program grant from the U. S. Department of Labor (DOL). Today, SCSEP is administered by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the DOL, through grant agreements with eligible organizations including governmental entities and public or private nonprofit organizations. It is funded under Title V of the Older Americans Act. In 2003, DOL solicited competitive grant applications from national organizations to operate the program. In addition to the individual states’ Departments on Aging, thirteen organizations were awarded SCSEP grant funds, including Easter Seals.
Easter Seals’ national headquarters subcontracts with nine Easter Seals affiliates in Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Western Kentucky, New Jersey, New York and Utah to serve persons with low incomes who are 55 years or older and have poor employment prospects. Visit http://www.easterseals.com/scsep for more information about Easter Seals SCSEP services.
About Easter Seals
For 85 years, Easter Seals has been providing services that help children and adults with disabilities gain greater independence. Our primary services — medical rehabilitation, job training and employment, child care, adult day centers, and camping and recreation — benefit more than 1 million individuals with disabilities and their families each year through more than 500 centers nationwide. See great things at http://www.easterseals.com .