Agenda

Background
In ageing societies and countries experiencing demographic transition, the re-engagement of older adults in economic and social life is becoming both a demographic necessity and a strategic opportunity. At the same time, many countries face a growing challenge of youth disengagement, reflected in increasing numbers of young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). These parallel trends create an opportunity to connect the experience and accumulated knowledge of older generations with the aspirations, energy and needs of younger generations.  

Connection through Intergenerational Mentorship
One promising avenue is the development of structured mentorship programmes that engage retired professionals as mentors to younger persons, including students, early-career workers, entrepreneurs, and NEET youth. Retirees possess valuable tacit knowledge acquired through decades of professional and community experience, including technical expertise, professional networks, organisational memory, practical problem-solving skills, and insights into workplace culture. Through mentorship, this knowledge can be transferred to younger generations, helping them navigate career choices, strengthen employability, and develop confidence and social capital.

Such mentorship programmes can be implemented through both physical and virtual modalities. Digital communication technologies enable retired mentors and young mentees to connect across geographic, economic, and cultural boundaries. This creates opportunities for intergenerational learning not only within developed countries facing population ageing, but also in developing countries where youth unemployment, educational disruption, and skills mismatches remain significant challenges. Virtual mentorship can help overcome barriers related to distance, mobility, and access to professional networks.  

In view of the persistent gender disparity in educational and other socio-economic attainment, this intergenerational mentorship could be a critical complementary measure to promote gender equity and social justice. 

Benefits.
The benefits extend beyond knowledge transfer. Many young people, particularly those experiencing prolonged unemployment or social exclusion, face reduced self-confidence, limited access to role models, and weak professional networks. Mentorship can provide psychosocial support, guidance, motivation, and pathways towards education, entrepreneurship, or employment. Equally, participation as mentors enables older adults to remain socially engaged, maintain a sense of purpose, and continue contributing to society.

To maximise effectiveness, retired professionals may benefit from targeted training in digital technologies, virtual communication, and AI-enabled collaboration tools. Strengthening their digital competence can enhance their ability to mentor across physical and virtual environments, making programmes more accessible, scalable, and inclusive.

In the age of AI, the challenge is not merely preserving information but fostering human capability, wisdom, and social connectedness. Intergenerational mentorship programmes can connect the experience of older generations with the creativity, adaptability, and technological capabilities of younger generations. By linking demographic ageing with youth inclusion, especially young women, such programmes can contribute to more resilient labour markets, stronger communities, and more inclusive digital societies.  

Intergenerational mentorship is also a two-way street.  Reversed mentorship, i.e., the young to the old, in developing competencies to take advantage of newly developed and emerging online tools to sustain their functionality in daily life, societal engagement, and online security, could be a great contribution to the well-being of older persons.  Increasingly AI-driven, the learning deficiency of the older generations regarding online mastery consisted of a new INVISIBLE digital divide that is under-addressed.  Reverse intergenerational mentorship offers the royal highway of closing this divide in scale and speed. 

Aims of the Session:
- To examine how digital literacy and AI-enabled tools can enhance the effectiveness of intergenerational mentorship between different age groups.

- To explore how intergenerational mentorship can support the employability, social inclusion, and well-being of NEET youth and other vulnerable groups, especially women.

- To identify organisational, community-based, and digital-platform models for implementing mentorship programmes (including digital competencies) in both developed and developing countries.

- To discuss the competencies required of mentors and mentees to ensure effective knowledge transfer and reciprocal learning, including South-North and vice versa experience transfer.

- To identify the required competences of older and younger employees to ensure effective intergenerational mentorship.