This year, Dress for Success Vancouver (DFSV) celebrates 25 years as the longest standing and largest international affiliate of Dress for Success Worldwide. In 1999, the not-for-profit opened the doors to their first boutique, in a church basement. With donated clothing and a shared cell phone, volunteers began dressing women in professional clothing for job interviews. Later this month Dress for Success Vancouver supporters will celebrate this anniversary milestone at the annual Success Luncheon. We chatted with DFSV executive director Amanda Sayfy and Bukkie Adewuyi, a DFSV client who will share her story and receive the Inspiration Award at this year’s Luncheon. —Jenn Wint
Amanda Sayfy, Executive Director, Dress for Success Vancouver
As the new executive director, how does it feel to be part of Dress for Success Vancouver’s 25th-anniversary celebration?
I joined Dress for Success Vancouver this past spring and am thrilled for the chance to connect in person with so many of our community’s corporate and individual champions at the upcoming Success Luncheon, celebrating our 25th anniversary. It’s an incredible opportunity to honour the dedication of our staff and volunteers and recognize the impact of our work together.
The work we do is vital. Women are the heartbeat of many families and communities, and when we empower and support them, we spark a ripple effect that reaches far beyond our walls. I can’t wait to see where that ripple goes in the next 25.
What have been some of the biggest accomplishments of Dress for Success Vancouver in the last 25 years?
The growth of the organisation and the expansion of programming are by far our biggest achievements. We began 25 years ago outfitting women in the former nun’s residence at St. Patrick’s Parish on Main Street in East Vancouver. Dressing Services are now just one part of what we do. We have over 200 active volunteers, a bustling boutique and office where we developed 57 free professional development opportunities for local women in 2023-24
I am continually in awe of the collective commitment of our volunteers, donors and staff to uplifting women and empowering them to succeed through our suite of programs.
How has Dress for Success Vancouver evolved to meet the changing needs of women in the workforce?
Over 25 years our services have evolved immensely. These days DFSV is so much more than an outfit. In addition to our namesake Dressing Services, we now offer career services, resources, mentorship and skills development programs, including the Professional Women’s Group. We have built an incredible community for local women as well as immigrants and newcomers to Canada.
Our programming continually adapts to meet shifting community needs. In recent years, we’ve introduced programs like Trans & Gender Diverse Suitings and Volunteer to Work in direct response to emerging demands. Our Trans & Gender Diverse Suitings help alleviate the financial strain of wardrobe transitions for trans and gender-diverse individuals. The Volunteer to Work program supports newcomer women in gaining valuable Canadian work experience to support their journey to gainful employment in Canada.
What are some unique challenges that women face in the job market today, and how is Dress for Success helping to address them?
We all know the cost of living in Greater Vancouver is high and unfortunately women still face gender-based barriers in employment. Women in Canada who work full time make approximately 72% of their male counterparts. 10% of women in Canada live on low incomes and this number nearly triples for indigenous women and single mothers.
Dress for Success Vancouver has served 44,000+ women in the Lower Mainland in 25 years, over 2,800 in 2023-24 alone. Based on the median income for women from the 2016 City of Vancouver Census data, that is a potential economic engine of almost $1.9 billion dollars.
When our clients come to us, they are often experiencing at least one of the following: unemployed, under-employed in part-time or full-time roles, lack of advancement opportunities within their current employment, and/or difficulty applying for and securing new employment. Our support can make all the difference in helping women access and sustain equitable and fulfilling employment. Seeing these women evolve as they go through the program and then return to the organisation as volunteers and mentors is an incredible full circle.
What are your goals for the future of Dress for Success Vancouver as it continues to support women in the Lower Mainland?
Looking to the future we are focused on deepening our impact and continuing to expand our programs in the ways women and gender diverse individuals need them most. From events like the Success Luncheon, to monthly giving, growing corporate engagement, and applying for grants, it is more important than ever for Dress for Success Vancouver to secure funds to support our clients.
The more funds we’re able to secure, the more women we can support. There are many ways to support Dress for Success from clothing donations, to volunteering, sponsorship and financial gifts. Learn more and empower a woman at https://dfsvancouver.ca/ways-to-give/.
Bukkie Adewuyi, Inspiration Award Recipient
Can you share your journey from arriving in Canada to building a successful career with Aritzia?
I arrived in Canada in Dec 2019, a skilled immigrant, having spent 15 years working in South Africa. My background is in internal audit, risk, corporate governance, finance and strategy. My transition into Canada was rocky as I arrived in a relatively quiet town in Alberta and although I quickly found a job as an accountant with an audit firm, the pandemic lock-down started less than three months after my arrival. My well laid out plans for a quiet family life in Canada were quickly derailed by the pandemic and my husband, who had temporarily returned to South Africa got locked down there and I was all alone with our kids over here. This led to a very depressing start to my journey in this country. I grappled with the cold weather, the inability to move around due to the lockdown, the winding-down of business and office activities as well as the loss of friends and familiar connections. As the first wave of the pandemic eased off in 2020, I took that opportunity to explore the Canadian market with my experience and qualifications and got a role as a Director of Internal Audit with Prospera Credit Union in Surrey and relocated from Alberta to Surrey, BC. I worked with the credit union until January 2024 when I took up the role of VP, Internal Audit and Risk Advisory with Aritzia in Vancouver. Nine months down the line and I am thriving in my current role.
How did Dress for Success Vancouver support you during your transition to Canada and help you achieve your goals?
Dress for Success Vancouver was instrumental to my journey by helping me find direction to building a new network in Surrey. I joined the Professional Women’s Group (PWG) in 2020 and met my mentor, Mary Hodder. After listening to my goals, which included building a professional network, Mary directed me to the Board of Trade. My journey with the Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) has been brilliant and fulfilling, not just for me, but also for my extended community. I have made friends with the women who were in my PWG cohort group as well as the professional women who sit on the SBOT Women in Business Committee with me. To cap it all, SBOT is now a partner to my community for our annual Metro Vancouver Black Business Expo and provides my community members with free associate membership to the business community in Surrey.
What does receiving the Inspiration Award mean to you, and how do you hope to inspire other women through your story?
Receiving this inspiration award is very humbling for me but at the same time, very motivating. I am grateful and overjoyed for the esteemed recognition. I hope to inspire other women to believe that we can do it. The road will not be smooth all the time, mine wasn’t. I have had periods of ups and downs but through it all, I have been resilient and consistent. There were times when it was just easier to crawl into a hole somewhere and not come out but I just didn’t see that as an option. My journey is testament for every woman out there that there is no limit and you can definitely reach for the stars if you truly want to. No matter the stage where you are in your life, you can still excel in whatever you put your heart to. We all have what it takes inside of us.
What advice would you give to other women who are new to Canada and looking to build a career and community?
I would tell other women who are new to Canada to explore community connections and join programs like the Dress for Success Vancouver Professional Women’s Group. These programs are designed to support our transition into Canada and they can serve as the first avenue for connections. I would also advise other immigrant women to have the utmost confidence in themselves. Our skills and knowledge as immigrants are transferable and we should not be scared to reach for those opportunities that we believe that we are suited for, as long as we have the qualifications, experience and competence, regardless of what anyone else may think or say. There were people who thought I was being too ambitious with the opportunities that I reached out for and that I should have gone right to the bottom of the ladder to restart in Canada. If I had listened to them, my career trajectory would not have turned out the way it did. Be your own biggest cheerleader and when you do get those opportunities, always make the most of them.
How has being part of the Dress for Success community impacted your personal and professional life?
Being a part of Dress for Success has helped me build a community of friends with some of the ladies that were in my PWG cohort. DFSV impacted my personal life through the programs they set up for us – personal health, managing finances, personal branding and so on. I have taken some of the learnings from those sessions to make some positive changes. On a professional level, DFS impacted my life by providing me with the needed guidance that I leveraged to build a new professional network in Canada. I am connected to the Surrey Business Community and local leaders through my work with SBOT. The most gratifying part of this journey for me is the ripple effect I have been able to extend to my community. All these are a result of my engagement with Dress for Success Vancouver.
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