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SisterWorks

@sisterworks_inc

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Not-for-profit social enterprise empowering women from migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker backgrounds to become economically independent.

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Behind every statistic is a woman building confidence, opportunity and economic independence through work.

More than 4,000 women have been part of SisterWorks since 2013, each bringing her own skills, experience, ambitions and story.

For some, the next step is building practical skills or confidence. For others, it is securing a first Australian job, starting a business or taking on greater responsibility at work.

The pathways look different, but the goal remains the same. Creating opportunities for women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds to participate in the workforce and build the futures they choose.

Work Empowers Women. by @sisterworks_inc

Hello, Preston! 👋

We've got the keys!

Our new SisterWorks office and manufacturing hub is taking shape, and we couldn't resist sharing a little sneak peek.

There's plenty to do before we're ready, but we're looking forward to what comes next.

Stay tuned! 💜 by @sisterworks_inc

When Sindy arrived in Australia in 2025, she already had professional experience, knowledge and skills to contribute. What she didn't have was a professional network or a clear pathway into the Australian workforce.

She applied for jobs across customer service, administration, retail and engineering, attended interviews and kept searching for an opportunity where her skills would be recognised.

Then she came across SisterWorks through a social media group for migrants.

Through our Customer Service Program, she developed a better understanding of the Australian job market, strengthened her interview and communication skills, and gained the confidence to present her professional experience to employers.

In June 2026, she started her first job in Australia as a Production Supervisor at a leading social enterprise, Ability Works Australia.

Today, she works full-time in an inclusive and diverse team, where she can contribute her own knowledge, support others and continue learning.

What she values most about her new workplace is the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds and contribute to an organisation that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Her advice to other migrant and refugee women is simple:

"Believe in yourself, be patient and kind to yourself, never give up, and make connections whenever possible."

This success also highlights the power of collaboration between social enterprises. By working together, SisterWorks and Ability Works Australia are creating meaningful employment opportunities, recognising untapped talent and amplifying our collective social impact.

Congratulations on this wonderful milestone! by @sisterworks_inc

Creating new opportunities for migrant and refugee women. ✨

Komatsu's Kalpana Raj has chosen to support @sisterworks_inc through our Live Your Dream program, directing the $10,000 donation to the organisation helping women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds build skills, find employment and become financially independent.

Read more on our website via the link in our bio.

#Komatsu #SisterWorks #creatingvaluetogether #LiveYourDream by @sisterworks_inc

17 women. 1,140 hours of paid work. 150kg of textiles diverted from landfill.

That's what our team at the Springvale Manufacturing Hub achieved through our @afl partnership in just the first six months of 2026.

And now, that work has been recognised internationally, with the AFL and SisterWorks partnership winning a 2026 Sport Positive Award!

For Dinithi, who worked on the project, the experience has meant a lot.
“It gave me proper employment and new skills, but honestly, it also just made me feel more connected to life here.”

A huge congratulations to everyone involved, especially the women whose skills and hard work brought these projects to life. by @sisterworks_inc

The kind of gift you secretly hope someone sends you 🙏

Our SisterWorks hampers are filled with thoughtful goodies, beautifully presented and ready to make someone's day.

And the best part? Your gifting can support employment and economic independence for women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds.

A little something for your friends, family or someone special that means a whole lot more.

Explore our hamper collection through the link in bio. by @sisterworks_inc

Migrant women are not entering Australia’s workforce on equal terms.

New research from ACOSS and UNSW found that 33.2% of women aged 25–44 on family visas are outside the labour force, compared with 20.8% of all Australian women in the same age group.

The research highlights the overlapping barriers migrant women can face in accessing employment, including discrimination, difficulties having overseas skills and qualifications recognised, limited professional networks, English language access and caring responsibilities.

The skills and experience are already here. The gap is in how effectively we recognise those skills and connect women with opportunity.

Closing that gap requires stronger pathways between existing skills, Australian workplace experience, employers and sustainable employment.

Source: ACOSS and UNSW, 2026. by @sisterworks_inc

"When I first arrived, everything felt scary. I kept wondering when I would finally feel like a normal member of this community. I had very little confidence, even walking into a shop by myself felt intimidating."

That was Robaba just one year ago.

She had recently arrived in Australia from Afghanistan, leaving behind a life where she had worked as a nurse and beginning again in a country where so much felt unfamiliar.

Robaba joined SisterWorks and found women who understood what it was like to start again. She built her confidence, prepared for work in Australia and began to feel part of her new community.

Today, Robaba is working at @ikea_australia Springvale after securing a role through SisterWorks' employment partnership with the Springvale store. 💜

"SisterWorks became my first real connection with the Australian community. It didn't just teach me workplace skills, it gave me the confidence to believe in myself and become part of this society."

From feeling intimidated walking into a shop alone to walking into work as part of the IKEA Springvale team, so much has changed for Robaba in just one year.

And for other women starting again in Australia, Robaba's story shows that the skills and experience you bring with you still matter. SisterWorks can help you build your confidence, prepare for work and take your next step.

If you would like to learn more about SisterWorks' free programs, comment PROGRAMS below and we'll DM you the details. 💜

#WorkEmpowersWomen by @sisterworks_inc

“When I first arrived, the biggest challenge was improving my English and finding a job without Australian work experience.”

For Freya, the Royal Melbourne Hospital became her first job in Australia after two and a half years of trying to find work.

She joined SisterWorks, where she built her confidence, strengthened her customer service skills and prepared for applying for jobs in Australia.

Kiki also came to SisterWorks looking to build her pathway into work. She completed hospitality training, gained access to relevant certificates and received support throughout her application for a Food Service Assistant role at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Freya and Kiki are now two of six Sisters who have secured roles at the Royal Melbourne Hospital through SisterWorks, and Kiki has since moved into a permanent part-time role.

If you’re a woman from a migrant, refugee or asylum-seeker background looking to build your skills, confidence and pathway into work, SisterWorks’ programs are free.

Register for a SisterWorks program through the link in our bio. by @sisterworks_inc

This partnership started by connecting Sisters with jobs. Now, it is creating another pathway to paid work.

Women have secured food and beverage roles at @mcec through SisterWorks. The partnership is now expanding into textile repurposing and manufacturing at our Springvale Manufacturing Hub.

A portion of MCEC’s retired uniforms will be transformed into practical products, with each item cut and sewn by Sisters.

The focus is on creating products that will genuinely be used, extending the life of existing materials and creating more economic opportunities for women.

The full story is now live on MCEC’s website.

#WorkEmpowersWomen by @sisterworks_inc

Want to learn barista skills? Get behind the coffee machine and have a go ☕️

At our Carlton Hospitality Program, Sisters learn by doing.

Last week, Sisters practised using the coffee machine, steaming milk and making café-style drinks.

You’ll get the chance to practise with real equipment and learn practical skills used in cafés, restaurants and catering workplaces.

SisterWorks offers free programs for women from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds.

Want to join our Hospitality Program?

Comment HOSPITALITY below and we’ll send you more information about programs at our Carlton Empowerment Hub. 💜 by @sisterworks_inc

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_official, with no obligation to include a gift to SisterWorks.

Learn more via the link in our bio. by @sisterworks_inc