Dress for Success Cape Town

https://capetown.dressforsuccess.org

Suiting Program
Our Suiting Program is the first of many steps in a client’s path towards self-sufficiency and the actualization of her professional goals. Once they have secured an interview, clients are referred to us from one of our local partner agencies. On their first visit to Dress for Success, volunteers help them to pick out a suit and accessories for their interview. Not only does a professional appearance influence the final decision of a potential employer, but it also fosters confidence in the woman wearing the suit. This self-assuredness helps to guarantee that our clients will be fully-prepared to go on an interview, ready to answer and ask questions, and are more likely to secure meaningful employment. Once a client secures employment, she is invited to return to our offices, where she receives one week’s worth of office-appropriate clothing.


Career Center
Beginning with their first visit, clients are encouraged to use our Career Center, which promotes confidence and professionalism by providing women with career guidance, educational resources, and support to help them secure and maintain employment, while also enhancing their professional skills. Staff members and volunteers work one-on-one with clients by helping them to create superior résumés and cover letters, providing career counseling and mock interviews, and facilitating access to professional skills training courses. Half of the women that we serve do not have access to a computer, printer, or the internet outside of the Career Center. This technology is a key tool in preparing for and obtaining a rewarding career. By offering the resources and support needed to build their professional skills, we give our clients a competitive edge when searching for new employment or vying for a promotion. Added to the career centre is a career coaching component so that our clients, particularly those who have been displaced during the recent economic situation, can receive more extensive career counseling and support.


Professional Women’s Group
The Professional Women’s Group (PWG) encourages economic independence and career development by providing employed Dress for Success clients with a network of support, practical information, and the inspiration to achieve self-defined success in their career and life. It is the first and only employment retention model of its kind that moves low-income women towards self-sufficiency by addressing their social and economic needs in relation to work, home, and their community. The PWG is operated like a professional association and membership is free and lifelong to all women who join. The program consists of monthly seminars on a variety of career development topics, networking with fellow members and other professionals in the community, and opportunities to participate in one-on-one career coaching, mentoring, and much more.