Mikaela Stafrace founded the social enterprise and charity WomenCan Australia in 2019 to assist women to become work capable, by building confidence and connection.
Her excellent presentation, backed up with explicit slides, left us in no doubt that Women certainly Can!
The program, The Placement Circle, supports women to build their confidence, their connections and their work capability.
Women them gain vocational qualifications, meaningful employment, links to financial literacy training and create a supportive community of women.
Mikaela’s interest in the problems of disconnected women was spurred when she met a homeless woman washing her hair in the sink at a public toilet. The woman survived by house-sitting or sleeping in her car.
Mikaela described how training could lead to a job, but women without training due to family responsibilities, recent immigration, illness or family violence found it difficult to find employment.
WomenCan created a unique business where qualified tradeswomen provide trades, gardening, cleaning and other residential services to women in their homes as well as organisations that work with women and girls.
She described a three-way approach to placement, through RTO and TAFE, local employers, local communities and peer support, and Universities. The women have to face the challenges of English skills, balancing family commitments, and navigating study and management systems.
There are opportunities in the community for cleaning services: domestic, covid, forensic and end of lease.
Women have now shown their ability in trades, through their dexterity rather than brute strength, and by driving heavy vehicles with care they can extend the use and protect the vehicles.
On graduation, those women have the opportunity for a structured career in trades and facilities maintenance. (eg: Plumbing, Carpentry, Electrical (& Gas), Painting, Cleaning, Gardening, Gutter Cleaning, Rubbish Removal, Glaziers, Testing of gas appliances).
WomenCan is helping women to build employment capability, confidence and connection. This is done by establishing a training model for women that provides them with the support they need to get back into the workforce.
They have pilot courses in Dandenong, Footscray and Bendigo, and plan others in Mildura, Sunshine and Chadstone.
Mikaela listed some of their achievements other than teaching trades: Teaching women to drive, and assisting women released from prison.
Noel Halford thanked Mikaela for her interesting presentation.