"If she is facing a job interview we give her two sets of clothes for the interview, or if she has the job, we provide a week's worth of work clothes, for free," operations manager Shari Bonnette says, adding that the clothes are high quality, gently pre-loved clothes.

The Broadmeadow charity, part of a national organisation, is calling for volunteer stylists to help its clients - women who may be experiencing poverty, unemployment, underemployment or family violence.

Dress for Success aims to remove the barriers women face when seeking employment, but it's far more than just a source of clothing for a job interview or court appearance. It provides access to free professional styling, coaching, career development tools, and a network of support.

When COVID-19 arrived, the charity worked hard to shift its programs virtual.

"We've been successful in managing to change how we operated and all of our programs - from building confidence to money management, networking and CV reviews - are now offered online," says Ms Bonnette.

"We also do things like mock interviews and help with CVs and job applications."

Hunter Research Foundation Centre figures show that from March 2020 to March 2021, female employment declined by 7.1 per cent in the Hunter. In the same period, female employment across Australia increased 1.2 per cent.

Again in the same period, the Hunter female unemployment rate remained low at 3.4 per cent (the national rate was 5.8 per cent) although it rose to 7.3 per cent at the height on the pandemic.

The Centre's lead economist, Dr Anthea Bill, said part of the explanation for the "lower than might be expected" female unemployment rate for the Hunter is a female labour force participation rate of 58.7 per cent, down from 62.3% in March 2020, and below the current Australia labour force participation rate of 62%.

"This is keeping the unemployment rate low as more females are out of the labour market within the region than pre the pandemic," she said.

Dress for Success says it is aiming to provide a styling service and career support programs to women to help them return to paid work at a time when the Hunter faces "unprecedented high levels of unemployment" for women.

In calling for stylists, Ms Bonnette underlines that volunteers do not have to have professional qualifications, rather a desire to help women and learn on the job.

"They have to be friendly and discreet and we can help them in training in how to be around people and assist clients," she says.

The new Broadmeadow showroom opened recently and is open to women aged from 16 upwards.

"The highest statistic in homelessness is women in their early 50s who might be divorcing or having career changes. In 2020 during COVID, youth in Newcastle were really affected so we are hoping to be able to assist them," Ms Bonnette says.

Women in regional and rural areas are also a priority.

"I grew up in the Upper Hunter and that's really important to me to reach out to our rural sisters," says Ms Bonnette, who has a social science degree majoring in sociology and has worked in research positions with the University of Newcastle and the Cancer Foundation.

Dress For Success is funded through sponsorship and grants and works with 30 local referral organisations including employment agencies.

Ms Bonnette says demand is picking up, particularly now that the organisation has a designated liaison officer to stay in touch with referral organisations who put forward women in need of its suite of support services.

She says the change in demeanour of women who reach out for help is tangible.

"Transform is the word. We watch women become more confident before our eyes and leave feeling a bit more happy about what they are wearing and being more confident about going into a new situation - whether it's a court room, a funeral, a job interview," she says.

"Everyone has a level of fear for those things but knowing their clothes are organised leave them with a bit of peace in that."

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