Q&A
Workforce programs and employment resources for older adults
1:44:42
·
6 min
Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez provides a comprehensive overview of NYC Aging's workforce programs and employment resources for older adults, highlighting challenges and strategies.
- Key programs include SYEP (Senior Youth Employment Program), Silver Stars, and Silver Core
- Challenges include finding employers willing to hire older adults and combating ageism
- The department balances promoting work opportunities with managing expectations due to limited placements
- Efforts are being made to incentivize and showcase employers who successfully hire older adults
- Barriers exist in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including resource limitations and age discrimination
- The commissioner suggests partnering with organizations like the Partnership for New York to broaden employment opportunities for older adults
Crystal Hudson
1:44:42
Understood.
1:44:44
Okay.
1:44:44
So specifically related to the workforce programs, Legislation, what information does NYC aging currently provide to older adults regarding older adult workforce programs and any employment discrimination issues and resources?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:44:59
Great question.
1:45:01
So we have our our 40 plus year program called SYEP.
1:45:06
Right?
1:45:07
We've done some changes in that program to make sure that more people can benefit from that program.
1:45:14
Meaning the length of time that someone serves as an intern and working more with the partners of that program to unsubsidize the individuals so that we could bring in more individuals into the program.
1:45:27
So that's one of the things that we've done.
1:45:29
The other thing is we have the silver stars program, which is now include silver core.
1:45:38
It is anyone any older adult who is interested in volunteering and then on a pathway to work, we work with you, make sure that we get you and volunteer opportunities, so then put you in a path to employment.
1:45:55
The other program that we have is the actual silver star that started out for city retirees who want to come back to the workforce.
1:46:03
The the caveat without workforce program, because I'm a firm believer that older adults should work, those who want to work.
1:46:13
Right?
1:46:14
Is not to set up expectations, that there's more opportunities for them out there than what they really are.
1:46:22
So we're constantly in this battle of what do we market, how do we present it, how do we sell it so that the expect you come in, you have an expectation, and we don't want to work.
1:46:35
Have you without work for such a long period of time until we find the employer for you.
1:46:40
But what we do do is give you all of the skills that you need so that then we could, you know, the resume writing.
1:46:47
The some of the soft technology skills.
1:46:52
That we will constantly work with you, but it's the placement where, you know, I keep telling staff, I don't wanna advertise this broadly because I don't wanna meet.
1:47:03
Have unmet needs.
1:47:05
Yeah.
1:47:05
And so it's, you know, it's one of those tricky things.
1:47:08
You want to combat ageism, and you want more employers to to to be your partner in this.
1:47:16
And that's a slower, slower uptake than the desire to work.
Crystal Hudson
1:47:20
Was it right?
1:47:21
That was gonna be my follow-up question.
1:47:23
Just with regards specifically to the employers, is that the I guess, the primary challenge.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:47:31
That's the that's the primary challenge.
Crystal Hudson
1:47:33
And is it is it ageism or is it, like, lack of capacity or whatever?
1:47:39
Or, like, they literally just don't wanna hire older adults for work.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:47:42
So I could give you that answer 2 different ways.
1:47:45
In the nonprofit sector, you know, we've built in a workforce, right, by giving them subsidized employees.
1:47:53
It's very hard to you know, they're dependent on them also.
1:47:56
It's very hard to, like, pull that person out.
1:48:00
Because we wanna give them a a a subsidized employee.
1:48:04
We tell them, you can hire them.
1:48:06
Right?
1:48:06
And then you get into the conversation of limited resources.
1:48:09
So, you know, we're in this catch 22.
1:48:12
So that's one barrier.
1:48:14
The other barrier is in the non non profit sector.
1:48:19
It's just having employers think of older adults in a very different way.
1:48:24
We were very lucky with decast in that we've been we've train and retrain all of the HR workers in the city workforce to let them know that part of their DEI and their recruitment includes aging.
1:48:39
And so we've been very fortunate in that, and that's why the silver stars and all of those have opportunities.
1:48:46
But outside of that world, we can't even get the state to do a comparable program with their employees.
1:48:52
So there is this combination of agesm, lack of knowledge, and lack of desire.
1:48:59
So what we're looking at now is incenting and showcasing because nope nothing like a compliment.
1:49:08
And showcasing those employers who have done well and creating some kind of something, you know, to incent others to do as well, you know, some kind of a recognition.
1:49:20
Might wanna partner with us and that.
1:49:22
You know?
1:49:22
Love to, you know, to be real, you know, to to showcase them as breakthrough.
1:49:28
I hate that word because but innovation, and that shouldn't even be that.
1:49:33
This should be wise business practices.
Crystal Hudson
1:49:36
I mean, I would even venture to say that probably most of the people making the decisions not
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:49:40
to hire older people are older people themselves.
1:49:43
Internalized oppression happens.
Crystal Hudson
1:49:45
Yeah.
1:49:45
I mean, in the in the for profit sector if you think about, like, the CEOs and, you know, folks who are managing directors and, you know anyway, just my own And
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:49:57
it also could be limited roofing.
1:49:58
In the nonprofit.
1:49:59
Not in the for profit.
1:50:00
A nonprofit, it's limited, you know, their own resources.
1:50:03
Right?
1:50:03
So they got free staff support, and now it's hard.
1:50:08
Right.
1:50:08
Move that.
Crystal Hudson
1:50:09
Yeah.
1:50:09
That that that I understand anybody wants free, you know, labor.
1:50:14
Yeah.
1:50:15
I get that.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:50:16
Well Okay.
1:50:18
I do too, but
Crystal Hudson
1:50:20
I mean, we all do.
1:50:21
Right?
1:50:22
But and I I just I understand, like, the the challenge or the balance of, you know, partnering in a program that allows for employment of somebody that you're not actually paying for versus
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:50:36
Yeah.
1:50:36
You know But as a society, and I think that we are a city that could be.
1:50:42
Prime for that is to work with places like the partnership for New York.
1:50:45
And get them to make a commitment
Crystal Hudson
1:50:47
Yeah.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:50:48
To look at this issue to broaden away.
1:50:50
You know, I think, yeah, those are the kind of things that we need to move
