How Smart Works is helping women back into work with personal stylists and interview coaches

Amy Sutton went to find out more about how Smart Works is helping to give women confidence - and helping them find a job.

Offering personal stylists and interview coaching, a North East charity is helping hundreds of women get back into work.

Smart Works Newcastle, an employment charity based in the city, says finding work has become significantly harder for women in the region over the past year.

It has been working across the North East for six years and has just opened a new centre which it hopes will help it increase the number of women it is helping.

Offering interview coaching, peer support and assisting women with professional workwear, the charity has seen demand for its services increase this year.

In the last four months alone it has helped 280 people - an increase of 100 from the previous year.

Its goal is to help 1,000 a women a year into employment.

Sophie Milliken, chair of Smart Works, said: "It's a very needed service. Unfortunately we have higher than average unemployment rates in our region.

"We find, on average, a woman who is accessing our service has applied for 33 jobs before securing one interview. That is insane - I don't think I've applied for 33 jobs in my life. Imagine how lacking in confidence you would feel.

"We're a very small charity but we're punching above our weight."

The charity gets referrals from women's shelters, mental health charities, employment schemes and job centres.

Among the services it offers are the chance to practise interviews and have a personal stylist help women find suitable clothes.

Dragons Den entrepreneur Sara Davies, who is an ambassador, opened the new centre at Hadrian House Newcastle on Monday 9 September.

Ms Davies, who ran the Great North Run this year for the charity, said: "I dress all the time as a reflection of me because I know that when I've got that bit of imposter syndrome, when I'm not feeling it, I can put the clothes on and I can almost, not hide behind them but it can make me feel a certain way.

"That makes me act a certain way which will get me to where I want to be."

She added: "There are so many different reasons that women might be out of work.

"It's sad that the service is needed more than ever but it's brilliant that the North East community has risen to the challenge and said how can we come out in force to really be there for those women."

Claire Meadows, volunteer stylist, said: "It's so important. Some of the steps these women have to go through to get that interview or to get childcare cover even to come into the centre.

"It's their moment that it's all about them. For some of them it's been a really long time since they've had a moment that's all about them."

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