Changing lives
Delivering impact
Our Purpose
For many Victorians, finding work is a challenge due to personal circumstances. Finding a job that is suitable, writing a CV, and turning up to the interview appropriately prepared and dressed can present significant barriers for some. Ready Set is there to support those who have faced and are facing vulnerability and disadvantage and contributes to setting them up on their journey to employment.
We support anyone in need, regardless of gender, age and background.
Our mission is to strengthen communities by empowering jobseekers with clothing, coaching and connections so they can build their confidence, realise their dreams and change their lives.
Our values
Inclusion
everyone is equal
We extend our support services to anyone who needs us regardless of gender, age and background
Compassion
everyone has a story
We treat everyone with empathy, dignity and respect, acknowledging the difficult circumstances people are enduring
Hope
everyone has potential
We want to restore people’s confidence and belief in themselves to set them on the path to meaningful employment
About Us
We are a largely volunteer-based charitable organisation that has supported over 11,000 men, women, non‑binary, trans, LGBTQIA+ individuals and young people since opening our doors in 2011.
We were the first charity of this kind and remain one of only a few in Australia who supports anyone regardless of gender, age and background. We know that helping people experiencing hardship get back into employment can significantly improve their psychological, physical and financial wellbeing. We also know that increased confidence enables greater participation in life and an increased sense of social inclusion.
How we help
We support individuals in need with clothing, coaching and connections to make them feel and look great, to be job-ready and to feel confident about themselves and their pathway to employment.
Why?
People come to us because they face multiple barriers to employment
What?
We provide them with clothing, job seeking skills and resources and connect them to community support avenues and employment
Which leads to…
Job seekers walking away with increased confidence and self-esteem and feeling they are ready to work and set to succeed
Clothing
Many job seekers don’t have appropriate interview clothing or footwear and don’t have the money to buy it.
Ready Set provides jobseekers who are experiencing disadvantage with high quality work-appropriate clothing, shoes and accessories. We provide personalised styling sessions and the outfits that individuals need including essential items such as toiletries, undergarments, and casual clothing.
Coaching
Getting a job takes skills many have never learnt or have lost over time, such as identifying jobs that meet their skill set and qualifications, writing a CV, and responding to interview questions effectively.
Ready Set has a team of experienced coaches that work one-on-one with individuals as well as a Career Hub for self-directed access to valuable job seeking resources.
Connecting
Many job seekers don’t have the confidence, self-esteem or appropriate support network to get a job after what may be years out of work, rejection, or struggles with poverty, homelessness, mental illness, or other challenges.
They also don’t know where to get other support they might need from within the community. Ready Set provides them with these connections.
Ready to work
Set to succeed
Our impact
since 2011
Lives
changed
11,000+
Items of clothing
saved from landfill
184,000+
Volunteer hours
accrued
80,000+
On average, of those we support
50% women
50% men
30% young people and members of the LGBTQIA+
Those eligible for work and actively seeking a job, find work within first three months of receiving our support
~40%
What do our
clients say
Ready Set actively seeks feedback from jobseekers.
88%
say that the dressing service increases their confidence
to dress and present themselves for work
88%
say they would recommend Ready Set to other jobseekers
80%
love the clothes they are given
70%
say that volunteers increased their awareness of how to dress for a work environment
