Dress for Success Vancouver Society (DFSVancouver) promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women in the Lower Mainland by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Their objective is to help women at risk achieve self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.

Since 2008, Lead Partners Lynda Prince and Raymond To have been assisting DFSVancouver with the following:

• expanding that help women stay employed and achieve self-sufficiency
• launching a pilot project serving the growing number of women entering the non-traditional workplace, and
• diversifying their funding base to allow for program expansion and help ensure long term sustainability.

This effort will address two critical social problems. First, by increasing DFSVancouver capacity, they will be able to help more at risk women to secure employment. Second, by increasing client interaction, they can increase employment retention, which is essential for self-sufficiency. DFSVancouver helps women to get jobs, and helps women to stay employed.

These women have the will to improve their lives, yet they lack a professional image they need to secure employment. DFSVancouver provides this through our dressing services. Each client receives a one-hour personal “shopping” experience, in which she is paired up with a volunteer who will find her a complete interview-appropriate outfit. This includes a suit or matching separates, accessories including shoes and a handbag, and if needed, make-up and a coupon for a haircut. More importantly, having seen themselves transformed, clients experience an incredible boost to their self esteem. During the appointment, clients receive tips on interviewing and making a good first impression. Clients are also told about the other services that DFSV offers, and are reminded that they are eligible to receive a small working wardrobe after securing employment.

Each of the agencies that DFS partners with has a particular niche in pre-employment preparation. None of them, however, provides the crucial last step that we do; we help clients remove an unspoken barrier to employment – setting a poor first impression. We level the playing field for disadvantaged women, allowing our clients to see and show their true potential.

http://www.dressforsuccess.org/vancouver/