Smart Works Newcastle Moves to City Centre Premises and Continues to Tackle Female Unemployment in the North East

Local charity, Smart Works Newcastle has successfully [doubled/tripled] its capacity to support local women as it has moved into its new space.

Smart Works Newcastle’s move to Hadrian House in the centre of Newcastle gives it the capacity to accommodate up to 4 clients at the same time and will enhance its outreach and impact.

Smart Works Newcastle supports unemployed women looking for work with interview clothing and one-to-one coaching. The team offer their clients one hour with two volunteer stylists who help them to assemble a full outfit ahead of the interview followed by an hour of interview preparation coaching delivered by a volunteer work coach.

Established in 2018, the charity has since undergone a period of growth having partnered with both local and national retailers such as Burberry, Marks and Spencer, Barbour and END. Clothing, in addition to receiving vital fundraising support from companies like Accenture, Bellway and LDC.

Since opening, Smart Works Newcastle has supported 2,300 women into work and provided over 11,000 clothing items to their clients before interviews. 98% of the women they see say they feel more confident after their first appointment.

Female unemployment rates in the North East have shown a recent increase compared to the past year. Challenges like the cost-of-living crisis continue to perpetuate the struggle for women across the region, forcing many into periods of unemployment for up to 12 months while applying for an average of 33 jobs per week without success or feedback.

Helen Boyd, Smart Works Newcastle centre manager explains how this move poses a great opportunity for the charity to work towards targeting a harsh reality for unemployed women in the North East.

“We are delighted to be moving into our new space in Hadrian House. It's a key moment for us as we aim to grow the service. We will have twice the capacity with two dressing rooms and two coaching rooms meaning we can work towards our target of supporting 1000 Northeast women into employment annually. It's a really exciting time for us as an organisation.”

After their first visit to Smart Works Newcastle, a remarkable 67% go on to successfully secure employment.  Following their interview success, each client is invited back to the centre to select up to 5 clothing items to create a capsule wardrobe that enables them to feel their best in their new job. With a dedicated mission of empowering 1,000 local women a year into employment, Smart Works Newcastle is set to help every woman it encounters recognise their potential and transform their lives while helping to decrease levels of female unemployment one woman at a time.