Ethan Wood with donated clothing by the University of Aberdeen School of Law

The ‘OutFit Like’ scheme sees ALP partner with Aberdeen Cyrenians, who will store donated clothing and refer potential service users to the scheme.

Balfour and Manson, CMS, Shepherd and Wedderburn and the University of Aberdeen School of Law have all agreed to donate clothes. CMS has also committed to sponsoring the scheme to help the team meet ongoing operational costs, like cleaning clothes.

The scheme will also give service users access to workshops on CV writing and interview skills.

Judith Aldersey-Williams, a partner at CMS, said: “CMS is delighted to be supporting the Aberdeen Law Project by sponsoring OutFit Like. This is a fantastic initiative which will have a positive impact on both the individuals benefitting from it and the local community as a whole.”

Lynda Reid-Fowler, services and operations lead, Aberdeen Cyrenians, said: “We are thrilled to be working with the Aberdeen Law Project on OutFit Like.

“A lot of our service users already struggle with accessing essentials such as clothing, food and toiletries, so the scheme is a really amazing opportunity for anyone who would otherwise not be able to obtain and maintain items such as suits, shoes and jackets. 

“Having access to smart clothing will allow our service users to look and feel their best when attending job interviews whilst giving them that extra boost of confidence they may need. 

“Not having the skills to write a CV or being able to afford smart clothing can be a huge barrier for anyone who is unemployed, so when the team first approached us, it was really heart-warming to hear that they understood how important this was to us as an organisation.”

Helena Siebenrock, co-student director, commented: “Research suggests that it only takes a few seconds for an employer to form an impression about an interviewee. It’s not always fair but having access to the right clothes can be the difference between making a good impression or a bad one. We hope OutFit Like will change that and help service users get back into the workplace.” 

Ethan Wood, project lead, added: “OutFit Like has a lot of room to grow and that’s really exciting. As the scheme becomes more established, we hope to partner with local barbers and hairdressers to provide free haircuts for service users. There are endless opportunities to expand the scheme so that we can help community members secure the job they need, and I can’t wait to see where we can take this idea.”