We hope you and your loved ones are all safe and well in what was a very strange and surreal month indeed. Read on for what has been going on at Dress for Success Wellington starting with our response to Covid 19 and alert level 3.

Contents
1 – DfSW response to Covid 19
2 – Pop Up sale updates
3 – Our Mission
4 - Introducing Tania Carr and The Recruitment Hub
4 – Introducing new staff

April Newsletter 2020

IMPACT AND RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Dress for Success Welling (DfSW) started 2020 with a strategy to ‘increase our reach’ and ‘meet the needs of our community’.
This included considering assisting women to thrive ‘in life’, a portion of our Mission Statement that had been largely overlooked. This extended the types of dressings we offer, such as but not limited to house viewings, court appearances, graduations and starting over for any reason.
All of these scenarios focus on women thriving in life while also supporting them to take steps toward being employed.
Increasing our reach also involved looking at accessibility of our service, wider marketing, promoting in wider parts of the Wellington region and identifying new referral agents. We had barely started when along came Covid-19 and we write this piece from lockdown.
Tue, 28^th April 2020 sees our dressing service return via a “Select and Send” model. We will only go to the office in very small numbers when necessary, but our clients will not miss out.
A new client form is available as we require additional information. This will be followed up by a phone and video chat to ensure a supported dressing service minus the face-to-face contact. You may say, “Who will be taking this up?” Other agencies are also returning as they too want to help the NZ economy recover and they wish to survive.
Equally we are excited to announce that from lockdown we have produced a small video library of input to assist people thrive in work and in life.
This collection is growing. If you are an expert in a field that supports ‘thriving in work and/or life’ please make contact, we may want to feature you. (em@wellingtondressforsuccess.org) Initially we will work with videos as it allows for a wide, wide selection. It also caters for people viewing when it suits them, catering for busy schedules, screen time management and/or low mood. We will be looking to add a virtual group discussion following the viewing of a mini conference.
Philippa Wells
Executive Manager

Pop Up Fun
As soon as it is safe and legal to do so we will be having one of our legendary sales. This will have our usual range of designer and high-quality clothes so you can get your fashion fix and fill the gaps in your wardrobe sustainably while helping other women. Shop for a Cause!
Shoe Sale
Can’t wait? We will be running an online shoe sale in the next week or two to tide you over. Keep an eye on our social media for updates of both events.

Our Mission
The ráhui has given us time to really think about our mission “for women to thrive in work and life”. For this reason and in line with the strategic direction Dress for Success Wellington are offering a wider range of dressings including for house viewings, court appearances and any other areas where a good outfit and support will help boost confidence and increase the chance of a good outcome.

We are excited to have entered into partnership with The Recruitment Hub. This means our Hutt based clients can gain pre and post-employment support without having to go all the way to Wellington. Tania Carr approached me, Philippa Wells, very briefly after she heard me speak at HerStory, offering to help. She was willing to step up at very short notice to speak at a conference, which didn’t eventuate due to Covid-19 and the rest is history. Tania Carr is featured in some of our mini-conferences available through video streaming.

Introducing Tania Carr:

Tell us a wee bit about yourself

I am a proud mum of 3 – Shaianne (25) Ryleigh (4) and Kayden (2), I am also grandma to my beautiful moko River.
I like to keep myself physically active, and I enjoy weightlifting and Crossfit workouts.
I am a strong believer in constantly keeping your mind actively challenged, so you will always find me studying and learning something new.

What excites you most about being in partnership with DfSW?

The opportunity to HELP! I love building genuine connections with people, and if there is an opportunity to help, guide, and inspire people to achieve their dreams – that’s where you’ll find me. I love the DFSW philosophy where people are at the heart of their success.

Describe the services you offer at The Recruitment Hub

The Recruitment Hub is a nationwide recruitment agency. We help businesses looking for their next superstar employee. Coming from strong sales, management and executive backgrounds, we have the knowledge and skills to identify talent in a variety of industries at any level. For our candidates, we support and guide them through finding a job. As experts in our field, well connect them to the right brands and businesses, and help them see how amazing our candidates are! We work with some fantastic companies that have a variety of vacancies, and our goal is to offer the very best candidate to meet the brief.

THIS COULD BE YOU!

A make over CV tutorial has been created by The Recruitment Hub for Dress for Success and is part of our video streamed programmes. Get in touch if you wish to utilise this.
I also have another business The Coaching Hub, that aligns really nicely with the recruitment business. I am an ICF certified coach, and I help individuals and small business owners to maximize their potential. I can help to get clients from where they are, to where they want to be! I will heighten awareness, empowering to unlock and maximize potential. Coaches and business mentors are proven tools in maximizing personal and professional potential. https://thecoachinghub.co.nz/

Who would be your typical client - (I’m assuming that will be the company paying for your service)

My clients are a range of small boutique retail stores, leading fashion chains to big department stores, and everything in between. No job is too big….or too small for us.

What type of roles are commonly fulfilled through The Recruitment Hub

We mainly focus on recruiting high performing Managers for the retail environment. Although we do recruit for admin roles, warehouse roles and sales roles too. We get to know the culture of a business so we absolutely nail the brief, and priding ourselves on finding the ‘right fit’ candidates for our clients.

How many years experience do you have in recruitment of various forms?

I have been in recruitment in some form for over 20 years now. Most of my career has been spent at an executive level building credibility in reputable businesses throughout NZ, however, after having more children, it was important to me to build a business that would allow me to work around my young, growing family.

A little bit about yourself:

Diane Shaw

Hi
I am a total Welly girl and love the diversity, culture and green spaces our city offers. I am also a self confessed Europhile and love to travel whenever possible.
I come from a fashion Retail Management and Visual Merchandising background and have a styling business called Style Savvy which focuses on inspiring and empowering women to dress for their specific personality and lifestyle and shop their own wardrobes.
What made you choose the role at DFS?
I was looking for a role which aligns with my love of clothes and empowering women, my values, and using my brain as well as my experience and creativity.
What excites you most about being part of the DFS Whánau?
I love working with and meeting like-minded people, the sustainable model we work with using pre-loved items and donating what we can’t use to other charities. Having worked at Zealandia Eco Sanctuary and loved it I was keen to work for another not-for-profit.
What do you like to do outside of business hours?
Lots! I’m a Film Festival fanatic and enjoy live rock gigs and comedy. I love art history and am always doing online learning about this as well as fashion (I have recently found a brilliant course through MOMA called "the history of fashion"). I also love bush-walking, the bird life is incredible at the moment, and interior design. We have a 1906 cottage which lends itself to lots of home projects.

Any other words of wisdom you would like to share?
“Never underestimate the power of a good outfit on a bad day” – Bill Blass

A little bit about yourself:
Jess Webb

I am a mother of two beautiful boys, I was born in the UK and moved here when I was 11. Since moving here I have done most of my growing up in Johnsonville, Wellington. Much like a chameleon I have worked in many industries growing up and owned a couple of businesses. Mainly working in retail as a teenager I then moved to hospitality and became a sous chef in my 20’s, in Auckland. Also working within insurance, as a handy woman, retail 2IC, retail manager and my favorite position as an on-off hospitality on Blue Bridge.
When having my boys I casually studied at Vic. University, started my Paua business and worked as a volunteer for many years with Free For All, becoming dear friends with Dee Glentworth, the founder. It was here I found my calling and decided and found my position at DfS.
What made you choose the role at DfS:
Previously I was running my own business “Paua Art By Jessie” a company I grew from the ground up, whilst having my children. Recently completing my Diploma and Certificate in Business Administration I felt the need to give back to the community as so many have helped me whilst my children have been and are still growing. Finding DfS I was excited to learn I would be able to fulfill my desire to work for a not-for-profit and in turn become one of the helpers, much like those who helped me when I was in need.
What excites you most about being apart of the DfS Whánau?
We are a family, we support each other and work together. An entirely new way of working for me and something I am still getting used to but with so much support and encouragement I am so happy to be part of this movement, with such amazing people I have met and are still meeting along the way. Everyday is a challenge but with so much support we are all in this together to grow this amazing movement.
What do you like to do outside of business hours:
I am a nature person by heart. I love to hike, forage and fish. I am also working on many other entities such as a book, learning how to do architectural drawings for tiny houses and of course playing with my boys and enjoying every moment I have with my family.
Any other words of wisdom you would like to share:
Coming from where I have come from, the wisdom I share is be thankful - be thankful for what you have, be thankful for those who are with you and most of all be thankful to yourself for having courage to reach out when you need it. There is no shame in asking for help and never look at it as a weakness.

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