There are far too many bright young Australians who are unemployed.

Many of them have visionary ideas for new and innovative business ventures, but are thwarted by a lack of capital, experience and opportunity.

There are many older Australians who want to keep working after 65, but they are denied the opportunity to stay in the market place by outright discrimination.

Also, there are many retirees who find that retirement represents utter boredom and want to make a comeback.

Thus, there lies before us an opportunity to bring together those who have many years of experience and those who have new knowledge, skill and passion to succeed.

Added to these new teams are private investors of all ages who will see realistic opportunity to invest in intergenerational partnerships of genuine promise.

Another group of potential participants are large corporations who will see scope to involve these partnerships in their endeavours in the fields of research, development and innovation. Sub-contracts that they can provide will get many start-ups on the path to early viability.

Having spent a lot of time researching the potential of intergenerational partnerships, the Longevity Forum that I chair has established a not for profit company called Wise Young which has the sole purpose of bringing young and old together with investors and corporate partners.

Wise Young will develop a data base of all who are interested and carefully match the right people in the right way to get the best results in creating viable entities. In particular, we will foster the truth that mentoring is a two way street as the young will introduce the old to the visions of the new world while cherishing the experience that only years can bring.

We reckon that thousands of Wise Young Partnerships can be created across the nation, particularly out in the regions where development is needed to retain the interest of youth.

As the partnerships grow, we will encourage them to employ people who, like them, are young and old, thereby reducing two major areas of unemployment.

Our plan is to have all political parties give this venture bipartisan support, taking it out of the realm of political point scoring into the clear air of a positive future for Australia.

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Yours at large

Everald Compton