Smart Works is a UK charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for their job interview. We empower each woman by giving her the clothes and the confidence she needs to succeed. After visiting Smart Works, 60% secure a job within a month, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.
We help some of the most vulnerable women in society, who come to us from job centres, prisons, refuges and mental health charities. The women we see want a job but lack the confidence to succeed at interview.
Smart Works Greater Manchester opened in June 2015, the first Smart Works centre in England outside of London. Since then, we’ve helped over 1200 women in need, providing each with a complete outfit of high-quality interview clothes and accessories (hers to keep) and one-to-one interview training. We are proud that 67 % have gone on to succeed at their job interviews, despite more than half having been unemployed for more than a year and 20% for over 5 years.
Smart Works has an efficient, volunteer-led business model. Our dressing session and interview coaching is delivered by a team of skilled and trained volunteers. Our wardrobe is stocked with high quality clothes donated by individuals and retailers (including M&S, Hobbs and John Lewis).