SisterWorks Receives $230K in Support
Published by SisterWorks on
SisterWorks Receives $230k in Support
SisterWorks needs strong partnerships to create employment pathways and opportunities for financial empowerment for the women we serve. Growing awareness across multiple sectors of our work with migrant, refugee and asylum seeking women has allowed us to develop new relationships and expand our partnerships with philanthropic, corporate and government organsiations.
Recently, we were awarded much needed grant funding from the following:
- Inner North Foundation – $20K
- Westpac Foundation – $50K
- City of Greater Dandenong – $160K
We are grateful for the recognition and the support of our good work to provide job and financial empowerment opportunities to our Sisters.
More about each grant below.
Inner North Foundation
SisterWorks was one of 10 recipients of the Pathways to Employment funding from Inner North Community Foundation. The $20,000 funding will allow us to focus on the Resilience and Wellbeing to Employment for our Sisters entering the Australian workforce. Read more about the Inner North Foundation and this award, via the link.

Westpact Foundation
Westpack Foundation recently included SisterWorks amongst 40 organisations that will share in $2 million in grant funding as part of its new Inclusive Employment Grants program. SisterWorks has secured $50,000 over two years to support our Pathways to Employment Program which provides training, education, employment and wellbeing for Sisters.
The Employment Pathways Program combines our lessons learnt from more than nine years of providing support to migrant, refugee and asylum seeking women (Sisters). It combines our intake, training and employment support into a family friendly term-based Program focusing
on economic empowerment. SisterWorks industry specific training includes:
● Industrial sewing
● Manufacturing and warehousing
● Hospitality
● Small business
This training incorporates pre-employment and employment support to provide job ready skills to Sisters. The final stage of the program includes partnership and placement: Sisters tour and are inducted into their new workplaces with our employment partners. The SisterWorks Employment Team will provide onboarding support and follow up after placement has commenced.
See our partnership video here to see how SisterWorks and Westpac will create financial empowerment and a sense of belonging to help these vulnerable women navigate those challenges and thrive in their new country.


City of Dandenong
The City of Greater Dandenong has awarded SisterWorks $160,000 to scale up our ‘From Community Connectedness to Employment Pathways’ Project.
This project will expand SisterWorks current Dandenong Empowerment Hub and provide additional services through Employment Support services. The continuation and growth of the Dandenong Empowerment Hub will allow Sisters to access:
- Tailored intake and support goal planning
- Industry specific and life-skill training
- Social and wellbeing support
- Industry expert career mentors
- Job information sessions
- An employment support advisor
- Resume, interview and pre-employment workshops
Sisters are connected to local job opportunities matching their skills and needs within the City.
The City of Greater Dandenong is the most culturally diverse community in Australia, with residents from 157 birth places and 64% of its population born overseas. Since 2020, SisterWorks has supported over 650 Sisters within the City of Greater Dandenong.
