ABOUT OUR ORGANISATION

Community Support Services (CSS) is a non-profit social enterprise that takes a pro-active approach to support women and families facing multiple barriers to social and economic inclusion with the tools to 'thrive'. Through our services and training programs, we help everyone in our “Village'' be part of the community, and build a better future for themselves and their families.

Since 2018, CSS has helped support approximately 13,000 community members and works with over 45 volunteers each year to enhance social, educational, economic and environmental outcomes. This is achieved through the following programs:

• Stitch the Gap - Sewing Learn and Earn Social Enterprise: a work-integrated social enterprise in partnership with Camilla and other fashion industry collaborators. Participants gain commercial sewing skills—including tailoring, patternmaking, and embroidery— making and selling products made from upcycled fabric through sales in our shop, online marketplaces, and industry collaborations.
• Circular Economy Social Enterprise: Our Village Pantry & Shop repurposes food and clothing, furniture through partnerships with Thread Together, ReLove, OzHarvest, Secondbite, Foodbank —providing affordable/free essentials to those in need while reducing waste.
• Education & Training: Workshops in parenting, wellbeing, business coaching, and digital/financial/English literacy for all ages, including volunteering opportunities for over-55s.
• Employment & Social Support: supporting people in crisis with vouchers, coaching, counselling, and pathways to employment.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Help women achieve social and economic independence through our sewing social enterprise Stitch the Gap.

You’ll lead a team of 4 sewing trainers to deliver the our beginner, intermediate and advanced sewing programs as part or our sewing social enterprise Stitch The Gap to equip women with in-demand industry skills and experience, including tailoring, patternmaking, and embroidery. Assisting women to develop and refine their sewing skills to create garments, bags, cushions, scarves, throws using repurposed fabric. Supporting participants to price, market and sell products through CSS-facilitated sales channels: our shop, online marketplaces, industry and business collaborations with Thread-Together, Camilla and Global Sisters.

This role focuses on building participant’s sewing skills to a commercial standard, fostering confidence and readiness for employment or self-employment opportunities. This position provides a chance teach a diverse group of participants from a range of cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds – teaching them to make patterns, create designs using new and recycled fabrics, understand the clothing production process – and helping them to understand the commercial requirements of fashion and retail industry partners.

ABOUT YOU

You are an experienced sewing professional with a Certificate III in Clothing Production, Fashion Design, or equivalent industry experience, and at least 3–5 years of commercial or professional sewing practice. You bring high-level technical skills in garment construction and finishing, including confidence using industrial sewing machines.

You enjoy sharing your skills with others and have experience delivering practical, hands-on training to adults—ideally including women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. You are adaptable in your teaching style, able to work across language barriers and support diverse learning needs with empathy, patience, and encouragement.

As a team leader, you can guide and coordinate trainers or volunteers, ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment while planning and delivering a sewing curriculum. Organised and detail-oriented, you are confident with basic Microsoft Office for reporting and communication, and you hold (or are willing to obtain) a Working with Children Check and National Police Check.

Culturally sensitive and committed to diversity and inclusion, you bring strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative spirit. An understanding of small business basics—such as pricing, marketing, and product sales—is welcomed but not essential.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

As part of the friendly and vibrant Community Support Services (CSS) team, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Work with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers with a vision to empower women and families through a variety of impact focused projects
• Attend free upskilling courses
• Enjoy staff discounts for purchase of items offered in the CSS Village Pantry and Shop
• Work with well-known sustainable fashion industry enterprises like Camilla, Thread Together, Social Outfit.
• Meet people from diverse cultures and do meaningful work alongside like-minded people
• Utilise your skills and talents to help others.