10 years ago Dress for Success was founded in Dublin with the aim of equipping women with the clothing, competence, and confidence needed to enter or return to the workforce. During that time we have worked closely with community partners to support over 3,500 women navigate the pitfalls of finding work particularly when facing additional challenges such as age, a gap in work histories or being new to Ireland.
Women like Brenda, who after caring for children at home for 19 years believed she had nothing to offer outside of this role anymore. “I was at home for 19 years minding my children and also doing volunteer work on and off. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be employable. I heard of Dress for Success and decided to give it a go. I was very nervous and unsure, as the weeks went by my confidence and self-belief started to grow. I realised that I would be employable. The 19 years I was at home was an asset to me. It is the step by step approach that they take that finds the New YOU.”
And though we were delighted to hear how our services impacted so positively on our clients we also consistently heard that ‘Dress for Success’ didn’t capture the range and depth of services on offer and that we were “Dublin’s best kept secret”, so in response WorkEqual was launched in October 2021.
WorkEqual encapsulates our vision for the next 10 years and beyond. We aim to contribute to an Ireland where everyone’s skills and potential are recognised by a society that champions workplace equality and remuneration. WorkEqual will continue to raise awareness of gender inequalities and advocate for change through our ongoing campaigns and we will continue to support our clients with a range of services that support our clients on that step-by-step journey back to their confidence.
Our services are delivered by a wonderful team of volunteers, who have continued with us on our 10 year journey. Our volunteers are skilled professionals in the broad range of services we offer from styling to mentoring, they are dedicated, tailoring their responses to meet the specific needs of each client they meet. Some of the services they work with us to provide are outlined below.
Being dressed professionally at an interview does not just help boost confidence and performance, it also helps to make a great first impression with your potential employer. We offer:
- A consultation to find the right outfit that makes clients feel confident and comfortable.
- Advice on how to style the clothes clients already have in their wardrobe.
- A free outfit for any interview which clients may have in the future.
Our Career Centre volunteers are experts in the recruitment process and are available to help with:
- Writing a client’s CV.
- Understanding job descriptions.
- Interview preparation (including mock interviews for practice).
- Thinking about what career clients might want, or what are the choices open to them.
We also help prepare for interviews for training and education courses.
Employer Workshops
We work with a range of companies and organisations from the recruitment, technology, retail and other sectors to provide workshops on topics that affect people looking for work. They include insights into the recruitment process, understanding how to make the most of job-search websites, building a LinkedIn profile and workshops with Bobbi Brown on skincare and make-up for interviews and the workplace.
To find out more or to contact us about any of our services please visit www.workequal.ie or email info@workequal.ie