By Callum Ludwig
A FICE (First Impressions Clothes Exchange) store in Yarra Junction is the second to have opened up in the Yarra Ranges, following in the footsteps of the highly successful Mooroolbark branch in 2019.
Despite having been in operation since last year, a free official opening will be held on Tuesday 1 March from 11am – 1pm for attendees to learn about the services available, connect with like-minded women and hear from an impressive list of guest speakers.
Tickets for the event are available through FICE’s website, Facebook and Instagram pages.
At face value, FICE is a retail outlet for everyone, selling good quality second-hand clothes however, the purpose of FICE is to provide hands-on training, mentorship, and career and support pathways to help women, improve their confidence and self-esteem and pick up life skills by being guided in job readiness practices and financial literacy.
FICE Coordinator Renee Cooke said the Yarra Junction shop will provide more flexibility and accessibility for women living in the Upper Yarra.
“We feel a lot of people in the outer reaches of the Yarra Valley don’t have a lot of accessible services and have to come into places like Mooroolbark or Lilydale,” she said.
“Bringing services out to them makes things more accessible for women who may not be able to come to us.”
Ms Cooke said after the last few years, the issues such as employment and financial concerns or social harm and disconnect are more prevalent.
“The Shire of Yarra Ranges has been really affected through Covid, through job loss, increase in domestic violence, lack of support services within the range of many,” she said.
“It’s estimated there are more than 1500 unemployed women on Employment Plus Lilydale’s books at any one time.”
Yarra Junction FICE was kickstarted by a generous donation from Penny Gravias of Dekoda boutique in Eltham as she closed her store and this attitude appears to have been adopted by the wider community as well, who have shown a similarly generous response to FICE.
“The timing (of Ms Gravia’s donation) was spot on and aligns perfectly with FICE’s ethos of recycling fashion and sustainability,” Ms Cooke said.
“We have been generously welcomed, donations are even being dropped off before we officially opened.”
FICE’s affordable shopping options are not the only contribution they are making, the Mooroolbark store is having a Pamper day event Friday 18 February to celebrate their second anniversary.
Ms Cooke said there will be a wide range of services at the Pamper Day available for a small, tax-deductible donation.
“There’ll be women coming in from the community volunteering their services, somebody like a Reiki (a Japanese form of therapeutic energy healing), a makeup artist , an essential oils lady. There’ll be lots of different things women can partake in or experience,” she said
“Then they can walk away with around $200 worth of lovely pamper products, and get to interact with different women.”
They also have a Back To Work workshop for women and men coming up in March 2022 wanting to get back into the workforce or seek employment.
Yarra Junction FICE is open Monday to Friday from 9pm to 5pm. Entry is through the pink door.
Work experience and volunteer opportunities are available at both FICE locations at Yarra Junction and Mooroolbark
Donations of good quality women’s clothing are accepted at FICE Yarra Junction and Mooroolbark, Chirnside Park Community Hub, and Cire’s Lilydale office. They ask you to leave donations during office hours so they can thank you personally.
