When Josie Cohen began searching for work, she faced three significant hurdles at once. She had arrived in Australia more than 35 years ago with limited English, her relationship had broken down, and she found herself experiencing homelessness.

With her confidence at an all-time low, Josie struggled to imagine herself succeeding in the kinds of roles she saw others doing.

Now 56, Josie says the shame she felt was overwhelming. She couldn’t see a way forward, and for a long time, she didn’t believe she had anything to offer.

Everything changed when she was referred to Fitted for Work.

Fitted for Work supports women experiencing disadvantage to become jobready and continues to walk alongside them once they secure employment. For Josie, this ongoing support was lifechanging.

This Mother’s Day, Fitted for Work is helping more women become unstoppable through its inaugural Matched Giving Day on 12 May. This 12hour campaign will empower women experiencing disadvantage to achieve economic independence by accessing their services, just as Josie did.

“When I went to Fitted for Work, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel,” Josie said.

“In a way, they saved me.”

Instead of focusing on her circumstances, the team saw Josie’s potential. They believed in her when she couldn’t believe in herself, helping her recognise the strengths she had developed through resilience and life experience.

“From the very first meeting, they never made me feel ashamed,” she said. “They highlighted my skills and showed me just how resilient I am.”

Alongside rebuilding her confidence, Fitted for Work provided practical support, refining her CV, preparing her for interviews, and equipping her with a professional wardrobe so she could walk into the workplace with confidence.

“Because English is my second language, that support made such a difference,” Josie explained. “And when it came to clothes, I’d never had a role model to teach me how to navigate a corporate environment.”

Today, Josie understands just how central employment is to wellbeing and belonging.

“Having a job is part of our human experience,” she said. “It’s where we find purpose and connection. Our emotional needs are tied up in that too.”

Josie’s story is one of many made possible through the support of Fitted for Work and of the donors and supporters who believe every woman deserves the chance to rebuild her confidence, reclaim her independence, and step into a future filled with possibility.

For over 20 years, Fitted for Work has helped more than 50,000 women and genderdiverse people build confidence, gain skills, secure employment, and create stable futures for themselves and their families. 

Every day, we witness remarkable transformations.  Women who have faced unemployment, family violence, homelessness, discrimination, or caring pressures come to Fitted for Work and leave with the confidence and tools to step into work and reclaim agency in their lives.