Highlights, updates and news from Dress for Work

Dress for Work is building a great partnership with South Sydney High School in Maroubra. Throughout the school year, students engage in programs to further enhance and develop their employability skills.

Each term ten students visit our Bankstown showroom for a complete fitting and styling session. One of the great aspects of such days is seeing the boys come together as a team. Their individual looks are transformed through new suits but it’s the collective experience that instills confidence in many of these boys.

Leaving school and trying to find that first job is a daunting experience and one that saps the confidence of a lot of young people – this is worse when they feel alone. By going through the Dress for Work program together they leave with a greater sense of purpose and belonging, to steer their lives in a positive direction.

In delivering our services Dress for Work relies on outside support, particularly from other organisations and business donors. If you can help us achieve our goals, or refer us to others, please reach out to see how we can work together. 

The greatest satisfaction for the Dress for Work team is the variety of clients we assist. Young men looking to bounce back from setbacks and rediscover themselves, school leavers finding their feet in the world, refugees looking for a fresh start and older participants struggling to get back into the workforce.  

Last month more than 50 men participated in the Dress for Work program. This included a group from, Adult Migrant English Program, Navitas Skilled Futures (pictured above). Apart from clothes and accessories, they enjoyed many other benefits in resume writing tips, job readiness, interview preparation, goal setting and achieving a positive mindset to improve their lives.

We’re very proud of our growth and that we’ve be able to build new programs offering a complete range of services. 2023 will be a record year for Dress for Work and we thank all our stakeholders for joining us on this journey.

Often our service does not just assist clients but also provides support for those around them, no matter how old or how young they might be. Thomas is a single parent, referred to Dress for Work through the ParentsNext program. In a great surprise for all our staff he brought his baby along with him.

Pictured with our own Rachael Zhou, Thomas not only looks great but his confidence and excitement is the epitome of what we hope to achieve with everyone. He’s not just leaving with a new suit and new smile; he knows he can rely on Dress for Work to continue to provide help whenever he needs it.

Stay in touch with us on YouTube

Dress for Work has now established the Empowerment Program, which brings our services to client partners. Wherever organisations are across the state, we can assist you and your clients. As part of the program, Dress for Work will run job readiness workshops, giving suits or construction wear to young men at the completion of the course.

While a business suit with shirt and tie will always make the best first impression, once in the workforce it’s quite common for business attire to become more casual around the workplace.

If a situation doesn’t call for a business suit but needs you to look professional and confident, the business casual look works a treat. This means a button down shirt, dress trousers or khaki pants/chinos; and don’t forget a nice pair of leather shoes, which should always been polished in any situation.

Dress for Work is continuing to build its presence by traveling and meeting with groups around the state.  This month’s events include:

Disability Services Australia- April 20

Metro Assist Youth Expo – April 27

APM Wollongong- Empowerment Program – April 28