Resource marks 30th anniversary with panel featuring CBI boss and former MP Berger

The employment charity Resource has celebrated its 30th anniversary with a panel discussion on diversity in the workforce, held at JW3.

Tony Danker, director-general of the CBI and former Labour MP Luciana Berger joined entrepreneur Alex Stephany and Alex Goat, who heads a business supporting the younger generation, called Liverty.

Resource supports around 1,000 people a year in the UK, and. demand for the charity’s services has increased, with an increasing need for employment support for people looking to leave work in the public sector (including teachers and social workers), as well as women over 50 seeing new work opportunities. Resource has supported people affected by employment disruption over the pandemic, or those facing financial stress as a result of the cost of living crisis, as well as personal matters like divorce.

Luciana Berger said: “We have people in their 50s and 60s coming out of the workforce, but we need more people throughout the generations in the workplace, particularly when we have fewer people coming into the workforce as a result of Brexit.”

Tony Danker said: “I am personally deeply interested in age. Many of you may or may not know that we are starting to lose, in the last year, 50 and 60 year olds in the workplace. It is a big problem for the country and for companies.” He added: “The most diverse workforces that have been the most successful that I have seen, there has been genuine exchange and celebration of diversity, and genuine interest among employers of people from all kinds of diversity.”

On the issue of working from home post-pandemic, Danker said: “What is very clear from the pandemic, is that flexible work is good for helping people work as well as balancing other responsibilities. It is particularly good for women and carers. I am reluctant to join the bandwagon that says: ‘We have to get people back to the office’’.”

Victoria Sterman, Resource’s chief executive, told guests the charity planned to expand its outreach work. She said: “With the cost of living crisis and people looking for a career change with the impact of Brexit and the pandemic, the work carried out by Resource has never been more important. We are supporting more groups, including those who are over 50, than ever before. Employers need people with a wide range of skills, and we want to help people achieve their goals”.