Using life skills can be everyone's business

Published on 15 September 2020

The City of Unley is working with UniSA’s Centre for Workplace Excellence to explore potential to support and encourage entrepreneurship for people over 50 years of age.

Initiated by City of Unley’s project officers working in age-friendly business development initiatives, the collaboration with the University’s research teams has resulted in an innovative new program called ‘Start-up@AnyAge’, offering a series of free workshops for older people who might wish to explore starting a business venture of their own.

The program aims to inspire and empower older South Australians to tap into their life experiences, career skills and their unique needs and help them develop the ability to take their business ideas and turn them into a reality. It understands older people generally don’t want to be involved in high-tech or high-pressure start-up businesses; the program will offer mentoring and encourage them to tap into their passion, purpose and life skills in meaningful activity, and on their own terms.

Starting with a survey, open to anyone over 18, the project investigates community attitudes to mature-age entrepreneurs. This will be followed with the establishment of discussion groups; these will guide development of workshops for people over 50 who are interested in entrepreneurial activity. The free workshops will be offered in 2021, with opportunities to connect with the wider entrepreneurial network across Adelaide.

Please fill out the survey and express your own interest in discussion groups or workshops.

Complete the survey

Interested parties can be individuals or groups, and preference will be given to Unley residents.

If you would like more information, call Active Ageing Project Officer Judith Lowe on 8273 8793 or email jlowe@unley.sa.gov.au

The Start-up@AnyAge project is supported by a grant from SA Health’s Office for Ageing Well.