EC Europe 2020 Strategy points to increased ageing and low employment, especially of older workers, as two of Europe’s main structural weaknesses. EC proposed a target for 75% overall employment rate for 2020, which specifically needs greater involvement of older workers and for Member-States to promote innovative active ageing policies. The adoption of this Strategy was followed by the Council conclusions on active ageing, a document where Member States are called “to encourage companies to introduce age management strategies; to raise the employment rates of older workers by improving working conditions, investing in lifelong learning; to promote access of older persons to education and ICT; to develop common principles for active ageing”. Despite the growing policy attention on active ageing, older workers still face challenges (at systemic, organisational and individual level) that hamper remaining employed longer or, conversely, stimulate early retirement. At the same time, although the share of older workers is growing in Europe: they have lower employment participation, their work exit age is increasing; they are overrepresented in SMEs (and particularly in manufacturing sectors) and they participate less in learning opportunities. The Sparkling Grey project is designed to support SMEs organisational policies and practices related to age management strategies that encourage lifelong learning and facilitate the access of older persons to OER with the aim of prolonging working life and preparing retirement processes adjusted to companies and senior workers needs and interests. Creating a bridge between organisations and their senior workers, the project also uses the potential of the multi-generational workforce to promote age-friendly workplaces and to boost knowledge transfer and intergenerational learning that benefits both, companies and senior workers. Furthermore, and recognising that systemic challenges also need to be addressed, the project aims at encouraging debate at a policy level in order to produce a sustainable framework that properly address the organisational and individual challenges related to an aged workforce. Sparkling Grey has a sectorial focus, targeting the metal and textile sectors, which represent 2 of the leading manufacturing industries in Europe and employing over 6 million people.The objectives and target groups are as follows:- To raise awareness to the potential of an aged workforce and to support policy makers in the creation of a common framework to unveil it through training activities that catalyse smart and inclusive growth; - To improve age management strategies in SMEs from the metal and textile sector while reinforcing the capacity of employers, managers and HR professionals to better use the potential of their age and multi-generational workforce, to retain talented seniors and to plan gradually retirement processes, - To make lifelong learning a reality to senior workers, involving them in flexible and adjusted learning opportunities which support their career management skills, enhance their key competences, encourage collaborations with younger workers and increase their motivation and satisfaction; - To increase the availability of innovative and tested tools for fostering the creation of age-friendly workplaces and for unleashing the potential of an aged and multi-generational workforce, which can be used by employers, employees and professional guidance providers and trainers;- To increase opportunities for professional development and strengthen the cooperation between participating organisations and individuals in an international context where best practices and experiences are exchanged.The results of the project include:- A strategic document aimed at ensuring the ground research which assists the development of project outputs and promotes in-depth debate and common understandings towards the promotion of institutional conditions for age-friendly and multi-generational management strategies to flourish;- An ICT-based tool aimed at supporting SMEs to measure and diagnose the workforce characteristics and current/future management strategies to deal with age and multi-generational aspects;- Training resources, which separately designed for employers and employees, are aimed at supporting the implementation of effective age-friendly and multi-generational policies and practices in SMEs and encouraging lifelong learning;- A set of on the job activities aimed at fostering both multi-generational teamwork and knowledge retention and transference;- A training package for training and guidance providers and their professionals to further use the project results;- Several multiplier events, one short-term joint staff training event and a diversity of promotion and dissemination activities, which will contribute to the accomplishment and reach out the previous project results’ and to the engagement of end-users throughout the project.