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Great problems facing older unemployed
By PHILIP CASTLE
A growing number of un
employed in Australia are middle
aged or older people who are ex
periencing great problems accept
ing being unemployed, a Sydney
social worker and adviser to the
NSW Government, Mr Vaughan
Bowie, said on Friday.
He was in Canberra to discuss youth
programs with officers or the Depart
ment of Employment and Industrial
Relations.
Mr Bowie has worked with homeless
young people in Sydney's western sub
urbs for 12 years. He undertook a
Masters degree in Belfast on the rela
tionships between Catholic and Protes
tant children and continued to work in
this field afterward.
He said he had noticed in Sydney
growing numbers of older people who
had bccome redundant during the cur
rent recession, particularly through
technological change.
"One day these people, particularly
males, are making important, far-reach
ing decisions, then often through no
fault of their own find themselves at
home deciding whether to wander down
to the CES office or mend the toaster,"
he said.
His research had shown that these
people were often not recognised as
having great problems. He was dis
turbed that few programs took older
unemployed people into account.
"I don't want to sec any of the youth
programs lessened, but programs must
be devised to cater for this very growing
group of people who perhaps have never
been unemployed who find themselves
without work," he said. "It can be very
devastating. Some give up and go to
pieces. Many are too young to retire and
they make up a vast pool of skilled
resources."
". . . .They should be included in
community projects. Perhaps they can
Mr Vaughan Bowie. Help
Mr Vaughan Bowie.
lend managerial skills where the kids
can do the hard yakka. Some of these
people arc even ashamed to register for'
benefits. They can tcach some of their
skills to young people.
"Unemployment is affecting all
levels. There arc just not enough jobs.
The welfare system should not per
petuate a system of dependen
cy .. . that is very demeaning. Un
employed people are often not seen as
having dignity and worth."
He estimated that at least 20 per cent
of young people eligible for unemploy
ment benefits did not apply.
"Some say it is higher, but it is
certainly true that the unemployment
figures are much higher than the of
ficial figures," he. said.
"We must all become involved in the
relief of the unemployed. It is affecting
all homes."
Many young people left home and
began the unemployment cycle because
they found it difficult to relate to their
parents - particularly when both pa
rents worked.
"It has changed from parents waiting
at home for their kids," he said. "Now
kids are waiting for their working pa
rents to return. You can't buy time with
mogey with kids."
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