Our May guest speakers were Jenny Richardson and Madina Zulpukharova from the not-for-profit organisation, Dress for Success Brisbane which is managed by Suited to Success.
The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Dress for Success Brisbane serves clients by referral only who come from a continually expanding and diverse group of non-profit and government agencies including homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs, educational institutions and domestic violence shelters, among many other organisations. On her initial visit a woman receives a suit appropriate for the industry in which she is interviewing and, if available, accessories. After a woman finds a job she returns to Dress for Success for additional clothing that can be mixed and matched to make several outfits, providing her with the foundation for a professional wardrobe.
To meet the need for services that would help women both find and keep jobs, they established the Professional Women’s Group (PWG) program, which offers women ongoing support as they successfully transition into the workforce, build thriving careers and prosper in the mainstream workplace. Once a woman joins the PWG she is a member for life, able to attend meetings at any affiliate throughout the world, and can benefit from additional employment retention and mentoring programs. Dress for Success also runs a Career Centre, fully equipped with a computer lab and trained volunteers with extensive HR, recruitment, and business experience, to assist clients in establishing and achieving self-determined career goals.
Dress for Success relies on the financial contributions, in-kind donations, the volunteer efforts of individuals and forming working partnerships with companies who are committed to helping women take charge of their lives. For fund raising functions or events, or to become a volunteer, visit www.dressforsuccess.org/brisbane or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dressforsuccessbrisbane.
