“I feel powerful, worthy, and ready to take on the challenges that my new job will throw my way.”

You may have heard of Dress for Success Sydney’s signature styling service; women looking to enter or re-enter the workforce are expertly styled in gently, pre-loved donated clothing. 

In case you haven’t, Dress for Success is a global not for profit, largely powered by volunteers. They empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help them thrive in work and in life. 

The brand is growing in Australia and since 2009, Dress for Success Sydney has supported more than 17,000 women in New South Wales to get back on their feet and into the workforce.

Supporting women from all walks of life

Headquartered in Marrickville NSW, many women overcome a great deal even before walking through the doors.

Dress for Success Sydney clients come from all walks of life and experience various degrees of poverty, hardship, disadvantage, or abuse.

Dress for Success clients include:

• young women from low socio-economic backgrounds at risk of disengaging from education,
• single mums struggling to provide for their families,
• mature women who lack adequate levels of superannuation and savings and are at risk of living in poverty,
• women exiting corrective facilities,
• domestic violence survivors,
• women with disabilities,
• and newly arrived migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.

Women are referred to Dress for Success by employment agencies, migrant services, Indigenous services, disability service providers, social workers, as well as a diverse range of charities including Vinnies, Wesley Mission and Youth Off the Streets, schools and other social agencies and community groups.

Dress for Success Sydney’s programs provides FREE : 

• donated work clothing, 
• mentoring, 
• job-search skills, 
• career coaching, 
• and networking.

 

During the pandemic, 66% of clients were not receiving an income and 29% were at risk of losing their housing.

For the first time in history, we are in a global “she-cession” – an economic downturn where job and income losses are affecting women more than men.

Services have been more in demand than ever before – sudden job and income loss have been experienced by women in every industry and point in their career.  

Even though in-person services have been suspended several times, Dress for Success Sydney was still able to help prepare more than 3,500 women for an interview through their career support program, providing interview preparation, coaching services and supplying them with clothing.

 

Expanding reach

Dress for Success Sydney is on a mission to be the leading organisation in Australia for the empowerment of women through employability services.

However, without consistent government funding, the organisation relies on generous donations from fundraising campaigns and revenue from pop-up fashion sales to fund operations and develop innovative programming: Success Works supports women released from prison, Style Delivered sends clothing to women in regional NSW, and the newly launched Career Hub allows access to on-demand workshops and resources 24/7, anywhere in Australia (https://dfscareerhub.org.au/).

 

Access services 

Dress for Success Sydney’s programs and services are available to any woman in NSW, wanting to enter or reenter the workforce. They offer styling and presentation skills (in-person and virtually) and a holistic suite of workshops and one-on-one services (resume review, mock interviews, mentoring). To get started, visit: https://sydney.dressforsuccess.org

Get involved

You can help empower disadvantaged women by participating in Dress for Success’ Empower Hour. To learn more about the campaign, Dress for Success or to get involved in other ways, please visit: https://sydney.dressforsuccess.org/get-involved