We transform the lives of women affected by the criminal justice system.

We believe a criminal record should never be viewed as an automatic disqualification for employment. 

for Employers for Job-seekers

Our Vision

Our vision is a world where women who have been impacted by the criminal justice system face ZERO discrimination in recruitment and employment.

Who we Help

We transform women’s lives. Behind every criminal record check, there is a woman’s untold story. We see the potential of every woman and not the criminal record. We unlock this potential through our mentoring program and job readiness workshops thereby setting her up for success in her goal to find employment. If you are a woman with a criminal record and are seeking a job, we can help you – contact us today.

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Who we are

A former programme of Dress for Success, Success Works Partners is now a standalone registered not-for-profit social enterprise with DGR (deductible gift recipient) status.

We transform the lives of women affected by the criminal justice system, by providing them with employability skills and empowering them to present themselves to an employer who sees their skills and potential and not the criminal record. We break down the barriers to employment for women with a criminal record through employer engagement, training and advocating for change.

How we Help

Mentoring Program

Our mentoring program connects candidates with a trained mentor to build their confidence.

Job Readiness Workshops

Our job readiness workshops empower women to present themselves to an employer who sees their skills and potential and not their record.

Employer Engagement

We create employment opportunities for women affected by the criminal justice system by building relationships with trusted employer partners and Workforce Australia providers.

Employer Training

We provide resources and training to employers to increase their understanding of this area and enable them to open up their recruitment practices to candidates with a criminal record.

Advocacy

We advocate for change with the public and decision makers to stop discrimination in employment against those impacted by the criminal justice system. 

Fundraising

 We partner with donors and funders who see the whole woman and not her criminal record. Success Works Partners is a registered not-for-profit with DGR (deductible gift recipient) status. 

Our Theory of Change

Access to meaningful paid employment is a human right and is essential to breaking the cycle of disadvantage as well as reducing reoffending (recidivism) rates. We break down the barriers to employment for women with a criminal record through employer engagement, training and advocating for change.

Read our research

Be a part of the Success

Job-seeker? Register as a candidate

Is a criminal record stopping you finding a job? Let us help you!

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Have a role you need to fill? Become an employer partner

We can provide you with with successful and valued members of staff.

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Want to give-back? Become a volunteer mentor

Help build a candidate’s confidence by sharing your experience.

Enquire now

What our Employer Partners and Candidates say about us

We exist to create meaningful connections between employers and candidates.

This organisation is really about helping women get back on their feet and helping them get employment generally. I just thought it was a miracle that you could book appointments and workshops and I’m just like, “oh my God somebody that I can talk to”. So I emailed straight away and I got an email back within two hours and then a phone call from Eleni who runs the program who is just this amazing woman.

Success Works Candidate

They gave me just so much hope that I could get through this. I was feeling pretty suicidal before all of this. I’d ruined my life. In every way, I’d destroyed everything that I had worked for. My career, everything. It was the first time I actually felt I can get through this and there’ll be some help there and it’s help with just that non-judgement.

Success Works Candidate

Having Eleni having come out of the system is brilliant. You need to have somebody that you identify with. That was the thing that made me actually just really buck up and go okay, I can do this because knowing other people have done it. Success Works without that I wouldn’t be thinking like this. I would be under the blanket. I could barely get out of bed each day.

Success Works Candidate

I thought they know how I feel and that gave me the confidence to actually apply for jobs. I would have put it off until the bracelet (electronic ankle tag) came off, and then I would have been out six months and then I think my confidence would have got worse, and it would have been a bigger step to climb. So, I think for me, that whole Success Works program… that gave me the confidence.

Success Works Candidate

I am doing everything I can to move on. These barriers keep popping up and won’t allow me to move on.

Success Works Candidate

For me, the Success Works program was the first glimmer of hope where I felt I could talk to someone who understood how I was feeling and where I was at in my head. Because I didn’t know how to ask people, what are the barriers? You get a cold sentence and some guidelines from your probation officer, but that’s the justice system, they want to punish you as much as they can.

Success Works Candidate

If it hadn’t been for Eleni, no way in hell would I have applied for any work until this bracelet (electronic ankle tag) was off. So, she gave me the confidence, and she’s the one that’s running Success Works. She’s the person that gave me the confidence to do it. So I’m working now because of her.

Success Works Candidate

I think going to Success Works gave me the confidence. If it hadn’t been for the fact that I thought they know how I feel and giving me the confidence to actually apply for jobs, I would have put it off until the bracelet (electronic ankle tag) came off, and then I would have been out for six months and then I think my confidence would have got worse, and it would have been a bigger step to climb. So I think for me, the whole Success Works program, that gave me the confidence.

Success Works Candidate

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email: info@successworks.org.au

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Success Works acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work. We acknowledge the disproportionate number of Indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the criminal justice system and the impact on women, children and communities. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

© 2024 . Created by I.T. Lady

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