KWOOP Seminar Series: Worth, Work and Women: Employment Pathways after Incarceration

Join us for KWOOP’s first in-person Community of Practice seminar — Worth, Work and Women: Employment Pathways after Incarceration — a powerful afternoon dedicated to expanding access to meaningful, purpose-driven employment for women exiting incarceration.

This exciting event brings together professionals from across government, employment services, education, and the community sector, united by a shared goal: to create stronger, more inclusive pathways to work that support women’s long-term reintegration and wellbeing.

Through an insightful panel discussion, we’ll unpack the structural barriers women face post-release, spotlight innovative programs making real impact, and explore how employment can become a source of stability, confidence, and purpose. You’ll also hear directly from women with lived experience, bringing vital perspective to the conversation.

Our panellists represent a diverse range of expertise and lived insight, including:

Success Works – a social enterprise supporting women with criminal convictions to gain employment. Originally an initiative of Dress for Success Sydney, Success Works delivers job-readiness workshops, mentoring, and employer engagement, and has successfully placed over 100 women into work across NSW since 2019.

Work Readiness, Corrective Services NSW – a program that equips women in custody with industry-recognised training, vocational skills, and support to transition into work post-release. By collaborating with employers and training providers, Work Readiness helps prepare women for employment as a key step toward reintegration.

Harris Farm Markets – a leading Australian fresh food retailer committed to inclusive hiring practices. Harris Farm has implemented second-chance employment pathways, actively offering opportunities to people with criminal histories and creating supportive workplaces that foster growth and long-term career development.

This seminar explores the importance of employment as both a reintegration strategy and a pathway to self-worth and independence. Together, we’ll examine how employment-focused initiatives are breaking cycles of disadvantage and how collaboration across sectors can build better outcomes.

A light afternoon tea will be provided, with time for networking and informal discussion.

As KWOOP’s first in-person Community of Practice event, this is a unique opportunity to come together, share ideas, and shape the future of employment support for women after prison.

Full agenda details will be shared soon — we can’t wait to see you.