Jenni Gilbert To mark this week’s International Women’s Day 2016, Dermalogica Australia announced the continued support of its non-profit arm FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) of the newly refurbished Violet Room at Sydney’s Warwick Farm.
The Violet Room, a Sydney Women’s Fund Project with Sydney Community Foundation, provides access to education and training and enables women who are facing barriers to education and employment, such as socioeconomic disadvantage, an opportunity to run their own small businesses providing beauty, massage and nail treatments to the Liverpool community.
Past graduates have also moved on to establish their own beauty-based small businesses. This project offers education and employment pathways, transforming the lives of women and their families in Western Sydney.
“Sydney Community Foundation is thrilled to have a partnership with Dermalogica to mentor women and girls into jobs in the beauty industry,” said Jane Jose, CEO of Sydney Community Foundation.
“Dermalogica’s support will contribute the work Sydney Community Foundation and its Sydney Women’s Fund is doing to make a real change in this community and bring wellness and security to women and their families.”
The Violet Room at Liverpool Neighbourhood Connections at Warwick Farm provides beauty education, skills and a safe place to work in one of the most disadvantaged communities in Australia – the 31st most disadvantaged suburb in NSW.
“We are incredibly proud to support The Violet Room,” said Suzette Cassie, General Manager of Dermalogica Australia. “It allows us to shine a light on an industry that empowers women economically. The professional salon and spa industry puts more women into their own business than any other profession in the world, and we look forward to seeing the impact The Violet Room has in the local community.”
With access to education and training, women who face barriers to employment such as socio-economic disadvantage, lack of language skills or mental health issues are able to run their own flexible small businesses from The Violet Room. They are providing affordable beauty, massage and nail treatments to the local Liverpool community.
LNC Manager Patricia Hill collaborated with Dermalogica to host a re-opening of the treatment space, inviting members of the close-knit Neighbourhood Connections community to enjoy a Dermalogica skincare 101 workshop and gift, followed by a tour and official re-opening of the Dermalogica Violet Room and a light lunch prepared by another social enterprise at LNC, Pepper’s Place.
Opening the event, Patricia Hall thanked Dermalogica for its continued support and for financing the refurbishment; providing all necessary product, machinery, designing and printing treatment menus, signage etc.
Also for supporting the mentoring program which provides education via financial support for two local women to become qualified beauty therapists. Melanie Minaca and Seruwaia Chung are due to graduate in July 2016 and will be offering treatments from the Violet Room to the local community at affordable prices from this month between their studies.
Melanie and Seruwaia are each single mothers of three and migrants with English as their second language. They share a dream of running their own successful businesses after graduation and ultimately securing financial security for their families.
“I want to be able to financially support my children now and in the future,” says Seruwaia. “Having a business means I can pay my bills on time and give my kids extra things I can’t now.
“My greatest dream is to have my own clinic and employ lots of people and have lots of clients. I want to use what I have learnt and create a financially stable environment for my kids.”
Adds Patricia Hall: “By providing scholarships to complete a Diploma in Beauty to disadvantaged women, it not only means that it changes the quality of life for themselves and their family but the whole community will be able to access a service that women from this background would never be able to afford.”
Dermalogica’s FITE is an unprecedented program to provide women entrepreneurs access to small loans that will help them start or grow a business. The economic empowerment of women is one of the greatest drivers of sustainable change in the developing world. Lending to women produces a positive ripple effect of improved health, education and welfare for all household members, and the community as a whole.
DERMALOGICA.COM.AU; JOINFITE.ORG; SYDNEYCOMMUNITYFOUNDATION.ORG.AU;
