Media release – Dress for Success (DFS), 8 August 2024
Dress for Success service demand and delivery soar
A new report has revealed a Tasmanian charity having a huge impact on women’s workforce participation is experiencing greater demand than ever, with a massive surge in clients across the state in the last financial year.
Dress for Success (DFS) Tasmania plays a vital role in assisting women entering or re-entering the workforce. Its programs focus on improving workforce participation, reducing underemployment, and building confidence. After four years of helping southern Tasmanian women, this year the organisation has expanded to the north and north west.
An independent evaluation of DFS released this week has found that after engaging with the charity, the number of clients in full-time work more than doubled from six to 15 per cent, while clients in part-time work rose from 21 to 39 per cent. Those not in work at all dropped from 71 to 43 per cent.
The evaluation reported a massive surge across all metrics on the previous financial year, including:
A 127 per cent increase in clients from the north and north west,
A 52 per cent increase in clients aged over 30, and a 43 per cent increase in clients over 40,
A 52 per cent increase in the number of service sessions, and
A 43 per cent increase in the overall number of clients.
While a change in reporting methodology affects some of the figures*, the report also found:
A 245 per cent increase in clients who were parents or carers returning to work,
A 195 per cent increase in clients who speak a non-English language at home, and
A 187 per cent increase in clients receiving Commonwealth income support.
As a charity that relies on state government funding and other donations, Chair of the DFS Tasmania Board Kathryn Thomas said the organisation had worked diligently to deliver services more efficiently, and make each dollar go further.
“These results show that last financial year, Dress for Success Tasmania provided more services to more Tasmanian women, in more locations, focussed on those most in need, at no additional cost to the government,” said Mrs Thomas.
“When we address inequalities and barriers for women, then women thrive, and when women thrive so does our society, so do our workplaces and so do our families and communities. We need women in our workplaces as it drives economic growth for the state. When women thrive, so do we all.
“What this evaluation proves is that, with a very simple idea and a collective contribution from the state government, private sector and philanthropic community, we’ve been able to achieve a meaningful difference to the lives of Tasmanian women.”
DFS CEO Amanda French said in practical terms, the organisation made a difference to individual women, their families, and the broader economy.
“A staggering 90 per cent of those who access our programs say they feel better equipped and more confident to apply for and secure employment,” she said.
“Of those, almost 40 per cent increased their paid income. This has a flow-on effect to their ongoing reliance on welfare payments, their ability to secure housing and their long-term capacity to contribute to the economy.”
Yet despite the growing demand and DFS’ proven benefit for Tasmanian women and the broader economy, Ms French said the charity’s long-term future was not guaranteed and called on community, businesses and government to provide any support possible.
“In order for DFS to do what we do, we need a collective commitment from members of the community, corporate sponsors and governments (state and local), to help us by donating their time, experience and clothing as well as providing much needed financial support,” she said.
“While we’ve streamlined our operations and created efficiencies, the reality is an organisation like ours simply can’t function grant to grant – we need long-term funding so we can sustainably meet the growing demand from Tasmanian women who rely so heavily on our services.”
*As non-reporting on these characteristics was 20%-35% higher in the 2022-23 financial year, the comparison with 2023-24 is over-stated, but still significant.
