Sisterworks Inc

Sisterworks Inc SisterWorks is a non-profit social enterprise 'Handmade with Love in Melbourne'. SisterWorks started with much human investment and limited resources.

SisterWorks is a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Melbourne, dedicated to empowering women from migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker backgrounds through employment, entrepreneurship, and social integration. SisterWorks supports women who are migrants, asylum seekers or refugees to become financially independent and happily settled in Australia. Luz Restrepo, inspired by her own experience

as a political refugee from Colombia, founded SisterWorks Incorporated in 2013 to support women with similar struggles. SisterWorks has been focusing on serving its Sisters through "learning by doing" training in 3 areas: craft, business and social networking. The Sisters are supported in these areas through workshops called “Work, Design and Business Labs” with the goal to move them into work through exploring business opportunities.

07/09/2026
Since 2013, SisterWorks has supported more than 4,000 women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds to build...
05/09/2026

Since 2013, SisterWorks has supported more than 4,000 women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds to build skills, access employment and strengthen their economic independence.

During Include a Charity Week, we’re inviting our community to consider another way to support this work into the future.

By including SisterWorks in your Will, you can help create opportunities for the women who come next.

You can also write your Will online for free through EveryWill, with no obligation to include a gift to SisterWorks.

https://everywill.com.au/c/sisterworks

Employment can be so much more than earning an income.For women building a life in a new country, work can mean greater ...
02/09/2026

Employment can be so much more than earning an income.

For women building a life in a new country, work can mean greater independence, new connections, opportunities to practise English and the chance to put existing skills and experience to use.

Yet for too many women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, finding that first opportunity in Australia can take far longer than it should.

Skills, experience and a willingness to work are already there. What can be missing is a clear pathway into the Australian workforce.

That’s why economic participation needs to be part of the settlement journey from the beginning, not something that comes later.

When women have the opportunity to work, they can build greater economic independence and create stronger foundations for themselves and their families.

Twenty women. Twenty automated interviews. Twenty rejections.That was the experience SisterWorks Head of Programs Mamiko...
01/09/2026

Twenty women. Twenty automated interviews. Twenty rejections.

That was the experience SisterWorks Head of Programs Mamiko Nakada shared at an inclusive employment forum hosted by the Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre last week.

It was an outcome SisterWorks would not normally see.

After concerns were raised, the employer acknowledged the automated tool appeared to be excluding the cohort. The Sisters were instead given face-to-face interviews and went on to successfully progress.

For women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, getting an opportunity to demonstrate what they can do can already take far too long. As AI becomes more common in recruitment, we need to make sure technology isn't creating another barrier.

AI is here to stay, and building digital literacy is an important part of preparing women for the changing workplace. But there are some decisions where human judgement still matters enormously.

Thank you to Cam Lucadou-Wells and Star Journal for highlighting the discussion.

You can find the full story here
https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2026-08-31/ai-bias-against-workplace-diversity/

What you choose to send to a client, employee, speaker or partner can say a lot about what your organisation values.Our ...
31/08/2026

What you choose to send to a client, employee, speaker or partner can say a lot about what your organisation values.

Our 2026 Corporate Gifting Collection makes it easier to choose beautifully presented gifts that people will genuinely enjoy, while creating meaningful social impact.

From gourmet and wellness hampers to smaller gifts for events, speakers, volunteers and teams, the collection features products from SisterWorks alongside women-led businesses, Indigenous-owned businesses and Australian social enterprises.

Every SisterWorks hamper is packed by women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, creating employment opportunities and supporting women to build economic independence in Australia.

Choose a gift your people will enjoy and your organisation will be proud to send.

Explore our 2026 hamper range and shop online:
https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/sisterworks-hampers/

Planning a larger order or looking for something more tailored? Contact [email protected] to discuss volume orders, customisation and delivery.

Thoughtful gifts that create meaningful social impact while supporting women-led creativity, employment and ethical production.

Building a business in a new country can mean learning a whole new way of doing things.Last Friday, our Term 3 Small Bus...
25/08/2026

Building a business in a new country can mean learning a whole new way of doing things.

Last Friday, our Term 3 Small Business Sisters in Carlton welcomed Fotini from Prisma Legal for a practical session on company structures and legal requirements in Australia.

It was an opportunity for Sisters to ask questions, understand some of the decisions involved in setting up and running a business, and learn directly from professional expertise they can draw on as their businesses develop.

Our free Small Business Program supports women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds to build their business knowledge, develop their ideas and grow their confidence as entrepreneurs.

A big thank you to Fotini and Prisma Legal for spending the session with our Sisters and sharing your knowledge. 💜

19/08/2026

Retired Hockeyroos and Kookaburras match kits are creating new value.

Through SisterWorks’ CircularWorks service, Hockey Australia’s match kits that have reached the end of their original use are being transformed into useful new products at our Springvale Manufacturing Hub.

The project has already created paid work for four Sisters, more than 70 hours of employment and up to $9,000 in social return.

It’s a great example of how materials can stay in circulation for longer while creating meaningful employment opportunities for women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds.

See what the Hockey Australia materials are becoming and learn more about the project:
https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/partnership-highlights/hockey-australia

18/08/2026

Finding the right person for a role can take time. At the same time, there are capable women in our community who are ready and motivated to work but haven't yet been given the opportunity to show what they can do.

SisterWorks brings those two needs together.

We work with employers to understand their roles, identify suitable candidates and prepare Sisters for the opportunity, while continuing to support both the employer and the Sister as they transition into work.

The result is more women building their careers and independence in Australia, and employers gaining capable people who are ready to contribute.

As Andrei Kononov, Executive Chef at The Royal Children’s Hospital, shares: “The women who have joined our team through SisterWorks have been phenomenal additions.”

Watch the video to see how SisterWorks Employment Partnerships are creating pathways into work for women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds.

If your workplace is hiring, we'd love to hear from you.
https://sisterworks.org.au/partnerships/employment-partnerships

We genuinely cannot thank you enough.Over the past week, so many of you donated, shared our campaign, encouraged others ...
13/08/2026

We genuinely cannot thank you enough.

Over the past week, so many of you donated, shared our campaign, encouraged others to give and stood behind the work of SisterWorks. This morning, that support took us over our $6,000 matched giving goal.

Seeing our community come together and show up for us like this means so much.

Every donation, no matter the size, was someone choosing to back migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker women and the opportunities that meaningful work can create.

To everyone who showed up for us, thank you. Your support means more than we can put into a post.

And to EthicalJobs.com.au, thank you for making this opportunity possible and doubling every donation.

We are incredibly grateful to have you all in our corner.

ONLY HOURS LEFT TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT.We’re at 35% of our $6,000 goal, and the clock is ticking.Until 12pm Thursday, eve...
11/08/2026

ONLY HOURS LEFT TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT.

We’re at 35% of our $6,000 goal, and the clock is ticking.

Until 12pm Thursday, every donation to SisterWorks will be matched dollar for dollar by EthicalJobs.com.au.

That means your donation can go twice as far in helping migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker women build skills and move towards meaningful employment.

We still have $3,910 left to unlock. Can you help us get there?

Donate before 12pm Thursday

https://chuffed.org/project/ethicaljobs-sisterworks26-matched-donations

Address

611 Nicholson Street
Melbourne, VIC
3054

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

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