An exciting new project to help women into employment was launched in the city Thursday 18th January
Dress For Success™ Foyle – Northern Ireland, a new local affiliate of the international not-for-profit organisation, opened its first Northern Ireland branch in L’Derry on 18th January 2018. The new offices and boutique space are located at Ashleywood House, 15 Ardmore Road, L’Derry.
Since suiting the first client in New York in 1997, Dress for Success has served more than 1 million women internationally by providing them with business-appropriate clothing, mentoring and professional development programmes. This brand-new affiliate will join more than 152 others around the globe.
“Dress for Success changes lives; it’s as simple as that. We are about much more than just suits – we empower women to thrive in work and in life,” says Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide. “And we are thrilled that women in the Foyle area will now be able to access the numerous programmes that we offer. It is clear that the community has already embraced our mission and that this new affiliate will be a tremendous success.”
Women come to Dress for Success ™Foyle by referral after having completed job training programmes offered by local social service agencies and non-profit organisations. Every woman who is referred to Dress For Success™ will get a session with a trained stylist, who will help them choose the perfect outfit for the interview. Everything from the suit to the shoes, handbags and accessories will be provided free of charge.
But Dress for Success™ isn’t only about providing clothes; women are also offered guidance with CVs and interview preparation. The service is also open to school leavers, graduates and young people who are going to interviews and would like support with presenting themselves and attending interviews.
Dress for Success™ Foyle was established in L’ Derry by Foyle Women’s Aid, supported by retailer Marks & Spencer through donation of professional attire, stylist training and the set-up of the boutique.
“Our mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and life,” a spokesperson for Foyle Women’s Aid explained.
“Dress for Success is about much more than the clothes. When women are out of work for a while, they need help to restore the self-belief they need to go into an interview and succeed.”
Dress for Success™ Foyle offers a confidential service, and aims to ensure that women are treated with dignity and respect. Its other outcomes include:
- To break the cycle of poverty to self-sufficiency
- Provide a confidence that women will carry forever
- Empower women to obtain better and safer futures
- The knowledge that she can actively define her life, the direction she takes and what success means to her.
Click here to visit the Foyle Dress for Success Website
Click here to visit the Foyle Dress for Success Facebook Page
Background Information on the Dress for Success Organisation
In 1996, second-year Law student Nancy Lublin received a $5000 inheritance from her great-grandfather and decided to turn this gift into one that would keep on giving.
She teamed up with three nuns in her area and, identifying a crucial need that was not being filled, founded Dress for Success™ in the basement of a church in Manhattan that same year.
From that original basement boutique, the mission for Dress for Success™ spread over all of North America and then across the globe, demonstrating that achieving economic independence is a challenge that all women face regardless of their location, language, customs or culture.
Just two years later, Dress for Success™ could be found in 22 different cities in the US and, in 1999, established its first international location. Today, there are more than 152 Dress for Success affiliates in 28 countries – with those numbers increasing every year.
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