International Women’s Day 2021

Smart Works Reading - Supporting job seeking women. 

To celebrate International Women’s Week 2021 we're thrilled to be partnering with charity Smart Works Reading with a special ‘buy one, donate one’ promotion.

This week (until the 15th March) when you buy Scream Pretty jewellery using code IWD10 we'll donate a brand new piece of jewellery to Smart Works  Reading job seekers (and you'll also get a handy 10% discount on your purchase ;)).

Your donated jewels form part of bespoke care packages for their job seeking clients. This brilliant charity provides high quality interview clothes, styling advice and interview training to women who need it – all free of charge. Smart Works is powered by the donated time of over 300 volunteers at their 7 centres across England and Scotland, with a remote working service operating throughout lockdown. Smart Works Reading supports women from the Thames Valley region.

Smart Works Reading relies on donations of high quality workwear from retailers and individual supporters. Scream Pretty and our sister brand Lily Charmed have supported the charity for several years – the finishing touch of a piece of jewellery gives their clients that little extra confidence boost so that they look and feel the part ahead of their interview.

Join us for a chat!

Hear more about this fantastic charity on Wednesday March 10^th at 7pm as our fave Make Up Artist and Scream Pretty jewellery designer @hannahmartinmakeup goes LIVE on instagram with Smart Works Reading Chair Sarah Burns MBE.

They’ll be discussing the charity’s work and the power of preparation when it comes to job seeking. Sarah will join Hannah from the Smart Works Reading account @smartworksrdg

Coronavirus Impact

Women are much more likely to work part-time and in lower paid roles than men.  They are more likely to combine caregiving and work, including as a lone parent, than their male counterparts.

The pandemic has exacerbated the pressures on women; The Fawcett Society reported women were much more likely than men to lose work or be burdened with childcare in the crisis. A third of working mothers reported having lost work or hours due to a lack of childcare during the pandemic. This rose to 44% when it came to Black, Asian and minority ethnic mothers. By supporting women, Smart Works Reading helps their families and, by extension, the wider community.

 Offering Vital Practical Support

In response to Covid-19 restrictions Smart Works Reading has adapted it's service by providing remote coaching and by posting interview clothes and jewellery to clients' homes. They have extended their remote coaching sessions to all female and female-identifying job seekers, not just those with a confirmed interview, to provide support when it is most needed.

A lockdown client, Francesca, shares her experience of being supported by Smart Works Reading and her recent job seeking experiences in this video - https://youtu.be/S1ppie90cC4

The Smart Works Reading centre opened in 2015 and covers the Thames Valley area, and there are also Smart Works branches in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and London.

Inspired to help?

Use code IWD10 this International Women's week (8th -15th March 2021) at the Scream Pretty checkout and we'll donate a piece of jewellery to Smart Works Reading. You'll get a 10% discount on your purchase too.

If you would like to donate directly to Smart Works Reading you can do so through the buttons on their Instagram and Facebook.

Help us to spread the Smart Works word by liking and sharing their social media posts so that they can reach new clients and supporters, helping  more women into work.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/smartworksreading
Twitter: @SmartworksRDG Instagram: @smartworksrdg
Smart Works Reading on Linked in   w: www.smartworks.org.uk/reading

Smart Works Reading, Charity No: 1080609, is a limited company registered in England and Wales under Company No. 09626510, with its registered office at 94 London Street, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 4SJ