_{Story captured by David Noble and Tendai Mpofu}

Behind every success story at Smart Works lies a journey of resilience, courage, and strength — women overcoming systemic barriers to reclaim their futures. This Volunteers’ Week, meet Millie, a client whose story embodies transformation, and Eunice, the volunteer coach who helped light her way forward.

From that first moment

Eunice, a volunteer coach at Smart Works’ South London centre, was Millie’s coach. She remembers that encounter vividly:

“I joined Smart Works as a volunteer coach in late 2023, at our new South London centre. Being there from day one meant a lot — but what made it even more special was that my very first client was Millie.”

“I’d shadowed a few sessions, but she was the first person I coached alone — and I’ll never forget it.”

“Millie arrived carrying so much. Her CV proved she was talented and capable, but her personal struggles weighed heavily on her. For 20 minutes, she cried.”

“As a new coach, I thought, ‘What do I do now?’ More than anything, I wanted to help her take the next step.”

“Through the tears, I saw her strength. Beneath the vulnerability was grit. She just needed someone to help her see a way forward — and to remind her that her circumstances don’t define her future.”

Every year, our volunteers contribute over 23,500 hours dressing and coaching clients — helping women like Millie rebuild their confidence and careers.

Now both volunteers, Millie and Eunice return to the space where they first met.

Behind the scenes: the emotional weight

That moment between Eunice and Millie captures the harsh reality many women face — a job market riddled with systemic barriers, inequalities, and shattered confidence.

At 41, Millie felt the odds stacked against her: age, background, and a career pivot all working against her.

Millie is not only a dedicated mother but also a proud grandmother — roles filled with both joy and responsibility. Alongside family commitments, she’s battled chronic physical challenges like carpal tunnel syndrome, which made work harder. She’s also faced mental health struggles, often overwhelmed by the weight of setbacks.

Her career journey has been anything but straightforward. From unexpected redundancies to necessary pivots across industries, Millie’s path reflects the realities of many women whose professional lives don’t follow a neat, linear trajectory. These disruptions have sometimes shaken her confidence, but never her drive.

43% of our clients have applied for over 20 jobs, facing repeated rejection that chips away at their self-belief.

The reality of systemic barriers

Eunice, drawing on her own experiences as a woman of colour and carer, understands these challenges all too well:

“A lot of what we do as coaches is about reframing. Helping women see themselves differently. Many of the women I coach fall into three groups – women returning to work after long career breaks, professional women trying to pivot after redundancy, and women who are new to the UK and navigating language barriers and cultural differences. Across all three groups, the systemic barriers are clear: ageism, racism, inflexible working conditions, digital exclusion, and a lack of personalised support. Many of the women have brilliant transferable skills, but they’re often told they’re not ‘relevant’ – just because technology has moved on, or because their career gaps don’t fit the employer’s narrow expectations.”

Our clients represent incredible diversity — 57% come from ethnic minority groups, 32% are lone parents, and 16% have a disability.

This is no abstract problem — it’s one lived daily by Millie and many like her. It’s about being judged by invisible rules; it’s about having your value questioned because you dared to pause your career to care for family, or because you come from a background that doesn’t fit the “ideal” corporate mould.

Yet what often breaks these women is not just the external barriers but the internal erosion of self-belief. Eunice reveals,

“Sometimes, the first thing I say to a client is, ‘You have more skills than you realise.’ And it’s true. A woman might say she’s ‘not good with tech’ – but then tells me she uses a smartphone every day, helps her kids with homework online, manages the household budget. That’s capability. That’s resilience. We just have to help her see it.”

The power of coaching

For Millie, the session with Eunice wasn’t just about work — it became an emotional reckoning.

“I remember it like it was yesterday. I got a bit emotional today just thinking about it. I came in with so much baggage. It honestly felt more like counselling than coaching – I offloaded everything. There were days when the anxiety and the physical pain felt too much,” Millie shared. “But being seen — truly seen — made the difference.”

What made that day so transformative was the space Eunice held for Millie to be fully seen and heard, not judged by CV gaps or career detours, but embraced in her whole truth.

“You didn’t judge me by my appearance or the form on the paper. You really listened – I felt seen, heard, and safe. That hug you gave me felt like the blanket I’d been needing for a long time. I’ll never forget that.” – Millie

Millie’s story is a testament to the quiet courage women summon every day.

“You reminded me that I’d already accomplished so much. That being a mum – and now a grandma – comes with so many transferable skills. You helped me see that I was enough. That I am enough.”

This deep recognition of worth is essential in a society that often overlooks the labour of care and domestic management as “real work.”

“So many women come in feeling like the gaps in their CV mean they’re not employable. But we forget that raising a family, caring for others, managing a household – that’s project management, team working, multi tasking, setting priorities, communication. All crucial skills. Coaching is about helping someone recognise their worth again.” – Eunice

Systemic change: what needs to shift

Yet beyond personal struggles, the structural injustices remain stubborn. Eunice is clear-eyed about what must change:

“Feedback. Just that simple step from employers could go a long way. According to Smart Works’ Unemployment Index Report 2024, many women apply for up to 42 jobs before getting one. That takes serious resilience. If they’re being rejected without any explanation, that can be crushing. In a digital age, it shouldn’t be that hard to offer some kind of feedback.”

She continues:

“Employers need to review their recruitment systems. Many now have inclusive HR policies — for people with disabilities,  parental leave, child and elder carers. But are these flexible enough for someone who’s been out of work for 5, 10, even 15 years? Are recruitment processes unintentionally biased against people with non-linear careers? These are the questions we need to be asking.”

The role of volunteers like Eunice is vital — not only as coaches but as advocates and bridge-builders within their communities.

“Volunteers are powerful advocates. We’re not just working with clients — we’re also promoting Smart Works within our own networks. I’ve referred people through, raised awareness about what we do, and encouraged donations of clothes, bags, shoes. We can help build connections between Smart Works and external organisations, opening up new pathways for clients.”

Eunice connects with clients beyond the paperwork.

This is a movement rooted in community, solidarity, and lived experience. Eunice’s own journey as a volunteer reflects the powerful cycle of giving back.

“I usually volunteer once a week. Working with Smart Works allows flexibility. I also coach virtually which enables me to balance things with my caring responsibilities. For me, it’s personal. I’ve navigated a corporate career, I’ve had to pivot, and I’ve supported others doing the same. Being a volunteer coach lets me give something back — using the skills I’ve built up over the years to make a real difference in someone else’s life.”

Full circle: from client to volunteer

Millie’s journey, too, has come full circle. From a client weighed down by pain and uncertainty, to a volunteer embracing purpose and pride.

Eunice reminisces, “That day taught me so much. Millie looked great, however inside she was holding so much. It reminded me never to assume — and that we’re here to meet the person, not the paperwork. That experience has shaped how I coach ever since.”

Millie added: “Now look —I was Eunice’s first client, and she’s gone on to become a certified executive coach. Then she asked me for a reference! That meant so much to me. I was honoured” - adds Millie.

“Now we’re both volunteers at Smart Works. The connections, the real impact, the sense of purpose — it keeps you coming back.”

“Smart Works doesn’t just respect volunteers — they embrace us. There’s a genuine warmth here. I feel proud to be part of it, and proud of you too, Millie!”

“You’ve come full circle — from client to volunteer, from strength to strength.” confirms Eunice, and then Millie adds -

“It’s a beautiful journey. One that started with a hug, a conversation, and someone seeing me for who I really was.”

At the end of our interview, Millie’s eyes welled up with tears — a quiet, beautiful moment of gratitude and relief.

“This place, this support — it’s changed my life,” she said softly. “I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m proud to help others do the same.”

Millie and Eunice’s journey is a testament to the strength found in connection, resilience, and hope. Their story lays bare the systemic barriers too many women face — from ageism and racism to inflexible working conditions and the crushing weight of repeated rejection. Yet, it also reveals something equally undeniable: the power of seeing and being seen, of holding space for truth, and of transforming pain into purpose.

This cycle — from client to coach, from struggle to strength — embodies the heart of Smart Works. It is a reminder that with the right support, every woman’s story can be rewritten, every barrier challenged, and every future reclaimed.

Millie has rewritten the story of what’s possible. She studied manicures and pedicures—work she loved but left when carpal tunnel made it impossible. Since that first appointment, she’s launched a handmade beauty product business and refused to be defined by limits. She volunteers as a mum, grandmother, and key part of Smart Works’ Croydon team. Recently, she secured part-time work as a web technician. Millie doesn’t just survive; she reinvents and thrives.

This isn’t a fairy tale. It exposes the cracks in a system that dismisses women like Millie — juggling care, disability, age, and racism. It’s grit forged in battles no one warned her about, yet she fought anyway.

Smart Works isn’t a magic fix. It’s a reckoning. A lifeline. A space where women like Millie don’t just find a job — they find a fierce community that refuses to let them fall through the cracks. Because real change means seeing the whole person: their battles, strength, scars — and meeting them there.

Millie’s story is far from over. And neither is the fight.

This Volunteers’ Week, we thank Eunice, whose coaching transforms lives every day, and Millie, whose courage as a client turned volunteer inspires us all. Their stories prove the power of volunteers — beyond the surface, deep and lasting.

If this story moves you, please support Smart Works. Your donation helps us break down barriers and open doors to employment and independence. Together, we build a fairer, more inclusive workforce — one woman at a time.

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