ALONE Submission for the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE)
In February 2025, the UN Standing Working Group on Ageing (SWGA) requested examples of good practice from EU member states to inform a Policy Brief on Ageing: Unlocking the Potential of an Ageing Workforce1, which was published in April 2025. The Brief considered the topics both from a collective, population-ageing perspective (in terms of how labour markets, employers and social partners respond to ageing workforces) and from the perspective of older workers and working lives in the context of increasing longevity and later retirement.
The UN SWGA sought examples regarding ageing and labour market policies; lifelong learning and re-skilling; social security and retirement; active labour-market programmes; combatting age-discrimination in the labour market/hiring practices; and making work and workplaces age friendly.
ALONE provided information to the UN SWGA regarding digital training, including ALONE’s HiDigital Programme; social models such as the ALONE befriending and support model; and overall information regarding the flexible pension age in Ireland as examples of good practice.
The three submissions sent by ALONE are attached in this document, including links to additional resources that support the assertion of good practice.
