The Everyday Ageism Project: Competence judgements clouded by young age

The Everyday Ageism Project

The Everyday Ageism Project aims to capture people’s everyday experiences of ageism. Research by EURAGE shows that across the European region, ageism is the most commonly experienced form of prejudice, yet relatively little is known about how it is experienced, who experiences it and the situations which may leave people vulnerable to age discrimination.

By providing a safe forum for people to anonymously share their experiences, the project aims to understand the consequences of ageism and the ways that age discrimination can affect people’s everyday lives. We also wish to encourage people to share their stories to show that ageism does exist and that it is a valid problem worth discussing.

Click here to submit your experience of ageism.

Friday 14 December 2012

Competence judgements clouded by young age

25 year old tells how she is 'continuously underestimated' at work

"In a review at work (I am a support worker for young adults with learning disabilities), I was told by my boss that I could not hope to understand some of the issues affecting some of the service users that I support "because you are too young" and was patronisingly told that it wasn't my fault as I simply had not had time to mature yet! My boss then likened me too other staff who are 19 years old and completely choose to ignore the fact that I am in fact very mature for my age and have a first class degree in psychology with clinical psychology and received 90% in my module relating to people with learning disabilities. He also chose to completely ignore reviews from my manager who works directly above me who said that I was one of the most capable and insightful members of staff in the entire company."

[I think this is ageism] "Because my boss refused to see clear evidence of my competence, and preferred to simply view me as "young" and stereotyping me as incompetent and immature."

[This made me feel] "Shocked. Undermined. Irritated. Infuriated. I felt also felt defeated, as though all my hard work was pointless and all my future efforts were pointless if he would continue refuse to see me as an individual and fail to acknowledge who I actually am and what I am really capable off. 6 months later I still work for him, and am still continuously underestimated."

The boss was estimated to be 45 years old.