We are delighted to announce the launch of Smart Works Leeds, enabling us to help more women from across the West Yorkshire region to access employment and transform their lives.
Smart Works Leeds will be the eighth centre for the charity, joining North London, West London, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and Reading, and will support the Smart Works mission of helping more women with the clothes, coaching and the confidence they need to succeed at their job interview.
The search for the next Smart Works centre was launched in Autumn 2018, followed by a successful awareness event in January 2019, which brought together over 100 charity partners, retailers, executive coaches, local businesses and individuals from across Leeds, all united by their dedication to empowering women. Since then a group of founding trustees have worked closely with the team at Smart Work HQ to build a Business Plan to enable them to successfully launch the service in Autumn 2019.
Smart Works Chief Executive Kate Stephens commented:
“We are thrilled to have found such an engaged and talented group of women who are passionate about bringing the Smart Works service to their region. Leeds is such a thriving hub, with the volunteers and supporters needed to ensure our service can thrive there. But like most large urban areas, there are also huge pockets of deprivation that means there are the women who would benefit from the support our service can bring. It is a real privilege to open our eighth Smart Works in this brilliant city.”
Helen Oldham, Chair of Smart Works Leeds said:
“I believe passionately in helping other women to succeed in their careers and so it is with great excitement that we are bringing Smart Works to Leeds. Whilst Leeds and Bradford have one of the youngest and fastest-growing labour markets in the UK, a factor in attracting Channel 4, there is a significant need to support women in this region who find it more challenging to enter the job market. With the support of this brilliant city and the talented people who live here, I am confident we will get off to a flying start here in Leeds.”
Further news will be coming soon, including a September awareness event for anyone who may want to volunteer, donate or support Smart Works in Leeds.
Smart Works Leeds are recruiting a Treasurer. For more information, click here.