Sheree Holdsworth, Sue Gladwell, Sharon Ford and Helen Hegyesi with some of the donated workwear.
Andrew Mathieson
UNEMPLOYED young girls with mental health issues, a lack of self-esteem or disadvantaged backgrounds are finding jobs dressed in the latest power suits.
A Geelong charity provider’s Dare to Succeed initiative has clothed the jobless in business attire to make a good first impression with employers.
Last year 16 out of 19 women who joined forces with BacLinks either found jobs for the first time or gained study to prepare for the workforce.
BacLinks manager Sheree Holdsworth said the high success rate was “fantastic”.
“Some of these young people who went through our program had been unemployed for over 10 years.
“Impressions are often made when you walk through the door, so it was important to give young people a bit of a holistic approach, like how to dress or present yourself,” she said.
This year the program is inviting unemployed women to Quiksilver’s head office for a series of workshops on September 15.
Mrs Holdsworth said Dare to Succeed was again seeing donations of women’s workwear.
Donations could be arranged by phoning BacLinks on 5249 8989, she said.
