Smart Works, a charity that helps unemployed women into work by providing free interview clothing and coaching, is expanding into Bradford thanks to a grant from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation’s Building Bradford Skills Fund.
The project will officially launch on Thursday 25 September with the city’s first Women Into Work Jobs Fair, hosted at Bradford City Football Club. The expansion follows six months of research by Smart Works, which included conversations with 235 women across the Bradford district. The findings revealed that the most common barriers to employment were lack of confidence with almost half (43%) of respondents citing confidence as their biggest hurdle, and limited work experience and language challenges also holding women back.
Smart Works Leeds, the regional centre supporting the new Bradford project, has already helped over 3,000 women across Yorkshire since opening in 2019. In the past year alone, more than 1,000 women have accessed the service, with over two-thirds securing employment within a month. After receiving support, 96% of clients reported a boost in confidence. As well as increasing its outreach across Bradford, Smart Works has designed bespoke group workshops for local women, focused on improving confidence, gaining the digital skills needed to support a successful job search, understanding the job market, CV building and interview skills.
Erin Fuller, trustee of Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation said “We’re proud to support Smart Works’ expansion into Bradford through Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation’s Building Bradford Skills Fund. This £1million fund was created to help address challenges around skills and employment that many communities in Bradford face. By enabling established charities like Smart Works to deliver targeted support in the areas that need it most, we’re helping to build a stronger, more prosperous future for the district.
“Smart Works’ focus on empowering local women, by improving access to employment support and building confidence will not only help their individual clients, but help identify and overcome barriers to employment faced by many in our communities. We look forward to seeing the difference Smart Works will make in Bradford over the coming years.”
Lottie Roberts, Outreach Manager at Smart Works Leeds, said: “We are so proud and excited to launch our Bradford project with help from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation and host our Women Into Work Bradford Jobs Fair, an event to connect women to prospective employers directly.
“Our clients often tell us that job application processes are confusing, that they struggle to find opportunities, and that it is really hard to get in front of employers.
“Through this event, attendees will be able to find out more about the rich range of vacancies available in Bradford and surrounding areas and speak to top employers, to get advice about making applications and furthering their job search.
“It is an honour to do an event on this scale for the women of Bradford. As we build our outreach efforts across the district over the next three years, we are committed to working with women in Bradford to build their confidence, supporting them to secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives.”
The Women Into Work Jobs Fair on 25 September will bring together major employers from sectors including retail, care, construction, hospitality, and the Civil Service. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore vacancies, receive application advice, and connect directly with hiring organisations. Smart Works will offer free interview outfits and one-to-one coaching to any woman invited to interview following the event.
Yorkshire Building Society’s Building Bradford Skills Fund was backed by a £1 million investment from Yorkshire Building Society. The fund aims to support established charities to deliver targeted skills and employment support in some of Bradford’s most deprived communities. Smart Works is one of four charities to receive funding through the initiative.
To find out more about the Women Into Work Jobs Fair or to register, visit leeds.smartworks.org.uk or simply attend on the day. The event runs from 10am to 2pm at Bradford City Football Club on Thursday 25 September. For more information about Smart Works or to access their services, visit leeds.smartworks.org.uk or email [email protected].
