Smart Works Leeds

⚡️Korrina got the Interview!⚡️ Good luck to client Korrina, who we saw today ahead of a super exciting interview she is attending for a paralegal position. Korrina has applied for over 50 jobs since she left her previous employer. We all have a good feeling about this interview 🤞 Good luck Korrina! #shegotthejob #shegottheinterview #smartworksleeds

So far this month our mega outreach team of staff and volunteers have attended a whopping 27 events and activities. We are on a mission to make sure that every unemployed woman in Yorkshire knows that we can support them at Smart Works ✨ How can you help? ✨ Do you support women in your job? Make a referral to Smart Works, invite us to an event, let’s set up a team meeting ✨ Know someone who is looking for work? Tell them about Smart Works ✨ Share our social media posts with your community ✨ Become one of our supporters- volunteer, do a clothing drive, come to one of our events ✨ Talk to us, talk about us 📣 Our website is here: https://lnkd.in/ediwx898 💙 #smartworksleeds #communityoutreach #fashionasaforceforgood

Tickets for this year's Fashion As A Force For Good Ball are flying off the shelves! Join us to celebrate all that is wonderful about Yorkshire fashion, and the vital work we do to support women into work, through the transformative power of clothing. Tickets will be available until tomorrow at midnight. We can't wait to see you there. https://lnkd.in/eJAw5ckp

High Speed Training was very proud to support the Smart Works Leeds Women Into Work Jobs Fair on the 24th September! Throughout the event, more than 220 attendees were able to learn about the rich range of vacancies available in Bradford and the surrounding areas, and speak personally to employers. The team at High Speed Training were also delighted to provide support to around 50 women in our CV clinic which was hugely successful. Take a look at our video to discover what the event involved 💙 #smartworks #smartworksleeds #jobsfair #womenintowork #womenintoworkjobsfair #womenintoworkleeds

Tickets for The Fashion As A Force For Good Ball will close on Sunday at midnight 🕛 Check out the fantastic feedback from the inaugural event last year:   🪩 “High energy, glitzy, sparkly, fun, happy, empowering’ 🪩 ‘A beautiful evening bringing together so many incredible brands, individuals, businesses and more’ 🪩 ‘An inspiring, moving evening filled with love and laughter’ 🪩 ‘Congratulations on the success of last night – it was absolutely brilliant! Everyone on our table was raving about what a great time they’d had’ 🪩 ‘What an absolute cracker of an evening’ Pick an outfit that makes you feel amazing, and join over 170 people to celebrate the best of Yorkshire fashion and the work of Smart Works Leeds: https://lnkd.in/eJAw5ckp Use FASHION5 for £5 off your ticket, and FASHION50 for £50 off your Table of 10.

💙 Esha got the Interview! 💙 We had a great afternoon supporting Esha ahead of her interview for a Traineeship. Esha said: ‘I enjoyed having a very positive and supportive team helping me put together a fantastic outfit, which I feel confident in.’ Good luck Esha! 💙 #smartworksleeds #smartworkscharity #shegotthejob #shegottheinterview

🥇MEET THE JUDGES 🥇 With just over 3 weeks to go until The Fashion As A Force For Good Ball, it’s time to tell you a little more about our amazing judging panel. The Fashion As A Force For Good Awards has 10 categories, recognising the very best of sustainable and inclusive fashion, alongside wonderful supporters of Smart Works Leeds. You can see our shortlist here: https://lnkd.in/efahUnsZ We were delighted to be joined by three incredible women who between them have decades of experience in fashion and the third sector.  They had the extremely difficult job of judging this fantastic shortlist. Tiffanie Darke, Interim CEO, Smart Works Charity: "I am so excited to join the judging panel for Smart Works Leeds' Fashion as a Force for Good awards. Throughout my work, I love to champion the responsible, ethical and joy-making sides of fashion, and there are so many fantastic examples of this in Yorkshire. I very much enjoyed learning more about them, and best of all, I look forward to the night, when we reveal the winners!” Samantha (Sam) Hudson-Miles, Fashion Course Director, Leeds Beckett University: “I’m delighted to have been invited by Smart Works to judge the Fashion as a Force for Good Awards for a second year. As a Fashion educator for over twenty years, recognising, and celebrating, emerging and established fashion talent in Leeds and the region is very close to my heart. I am looking forward to celebrating this amazing shortlist.” Imogen Graham, Charity Grants Manager, Leeds Building Society: “Leeds Building Society were delighted to receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to Smart Works in 2023. Our partnership with Smart Works Leeds, through grant funding, colleague volunteering and fundraising was hugely successful, and we were delighted that we could make a difference. I enjoyed judging such a fantastic shortlist of people and businesses who all do amazing things for fashion and for Smart Works, and look forward to a fantastic evening.” There is still time to join our judges to celebrate with us on 13th November at The Leeds Marriott. Ticket sales will close on Sunday night at midnight. Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/eJAw5ckp

Margarita got the Interview! 💼   It was our pleasure to help Margarita prepare for an interview for a care assistant role.    She said: ‘My dresser is an absolute star! She knew exactly what to offer to make me feel confident, positive and full of beans! My coach is a fantastic person and advisor. After a few moments I felt relaxed and able to speak about everything very openly. She gave me the best possible advice and suggestions. Continue to do your great work. Thank you very much lovely ladies!’    Good luck Margarita, we look forward to seeing you back in the centre soon ❤️ #smartworksleeds #shegottheinterview #shegotthejob #fashionasaforceforgood

It is women aged 16-24 who are experiencing the most challenges getting in to the workplace . Women like Maria, photographed below at home in Leeds. She is the first person from her village in Pakistan to get a university degree, but she has applied for over 50 jobs in the last 7 months with no success. Maria is one of the 379,000 young women in this country looking for work. Pictured too are Adrijana from Newcastle who is trying to be a teaching assistant, but is cleaning AirBnBs to survive. And Billie-Jo from Birmingham who has just got a job as a care worker. All have big dreams, passion, determination and ambition. What they lack in experience they more than make up for in talent. All are Smart Works Charity clients, part of our campaign this International Day of the Girl to shine a light on the challenges they face getting into the workplace - despite the fact they are all our futures. Today, we are asking employers to open up the glass doors of their offices and give them a chance. We are asking individuals to consider mentoring them to give them the networks they lack. And we are asking everyone to donate clothes or cash so we can give them the help they need to find work. I am so humbled by the challenges these girls face and their hopes for the future. If you spoke to any one of them, all you would want is for them to succeed. Smart Works Charity can help them do that. Huge thanks to Amelia Troubridge for capturing their stories so beautifully. Maria, Bill Jo and Adrijana all came to London this week to help us launch the campaign with Norton Rose Fulbright, who opened up the shiny glass doors of their office for the night to make us all feel welcome. #internationaldayofthegirl #smartworkscharity #breakbarriersbuildfutures #dayofthegirl 

Yesterday, Emily Zadok and I were at Leeds University Volunteering Fair to speak to students and staff about volunteering opportunities with Smart Works Leeds. We had a really engaging day and spoke to over 50 students! Our organisation supports women and non-binary people who are looking for employment by offering career and interview coaching, as well as clothing to help build their confidence. We are always looking for volunteers, so if you are interested you can find our roles and an application form at: https://lnkd.in/eQSJKbJW