First Things First: Everyone remembers their first job. Help make hers possible.

Everyone remembers their first job.

The nerves the night before and the pride of that first pay cheque.

This Refugee Week, we asked some of Australia's most loved women to share that memory with us, alongside 11 graduates of The Social Outfit's paid work and training programs. 

Together, we raised $100,000 for First Things First, to fund our paid training programs that give refugee and migrant women their first job in Australia.

A Campaign Built on a Simple Idea…

Everyone remembers their first job. Help make hers possible. 

Fewer than 33% of refugee women in Australia have a job. 

Language barriers, a lack of local experience and no local connections keep so many talented, determined women out of work they are more than capable of doing.

First Things First set out to change that story, one job at a time.

Our First Things First film stars Anyier Yuol, Ayesha Madon, Bianca Spender, Claudia Karvan, Halla Madol, Jenny Kee, Jessica Rowe and Tsehay Hawkins alongside 11 graduates of The Social Outfit’s paid work and training programs. Each woman reflects on her own first job experience, the nerves, the pride, the sense of possibility, with a collective ask to make that same milestone possible for refugee and migrant women across Australia.

The deeply personal first job stories connect lived experiences of celebrated Australians with refugee women whose first jobs were at The Social Outfit. 

We loved hearing each of the cast members' first job stories, and it got us thinking of our own. What was your first job? Comment below.

A Week of Celebration in Store

Refugee Week at The Social Outfit is always something special, and this year was no exception.

We opened with a Store Party, where Olena and Masouma, two Retail Training Program alumni, shared what their first job with us meant to them. We screened the First Things First film for the very first time, and danced along to a live performance from Ugandan-Australian singer-songwriter Agum.

Midweek, our store filled with the smell of coffee and something sweet, thanks to a three-day pop up with Dan from Artificer, and treats from Tokyo Lamington, Nonie’s and Ard.

We closed the week the way we love to close every program cycle, with a celebration and graduation!

Our Newest Retail Graduates

At our First Things First Breakfast, four incredible women, Aqela, Hamida, Zulakhia and Samah, graduated from our retail training program.

Hamida told us what the experience meant to her:

"When I started the program I was very excited but a little bit nervous, but it was a good opportunity to learn skills and gain work experience, and by joining this program it helped me grow and become more confident." - Hamida, Retail Programs Graduate 

Confidence was the word on everyone's lips that morning. Every graduate spoke about the confidence they had gained through their first job, in her own way.

Aqela, Hamida, Zulaikhia and Samah all began their working lives in Australia here, at The Social Outfit, and every one of them will either continue with their studies or has already secured their second job, thanks to our employment partners, The Iconic and Woolworths.

MC Jess Rowe closed out the panel by asking each woman the same question: “What is your plan for the future?”

Aqela has hopes to be a dentist, so will begin her studies working toward a career in dentistry. Hamida is continuing her studies while working at The Iconic. Zulaikha is also starting at The Iconic, with nursing studies on the horizon. And Samah, who has always dreamed of working in the medical field, plans to study while keeping one foot in retail. As she put it, laughing, "now, I know everything!"

Four different dreams for these women. One shared starting point at The Social Outfit.

A first job leads to a second. And a first job builds the confidence to chase everything after it.

Thank You

We believe in an Australia where refugees and new migrants are warmly welcomed and settle well, celebrating our diversity and collective skills and strengths.

None of this happens without the amazing community who show up for us in store, on screen and at the till. Thank you.

Everyone remembers their first job. Thank you for helping make hers possible.

Support The Social Outfit to keep creating first jobs for refugee and migrant women through shopping or donating today. 

We can't do this without you.

The Social Outfit Team x