Ready Set
Ready Set is an Australian charity founded in 2011 that provides free clothing, career coaching, and community connections to job seekers experiencing disadvantage, serving clients across Victoria, Tasmania, and NSW through a largely volunteer-based model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSouth Melbourne, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ready Set does
Ready Set is an Australian non-profit charitable organization headquartered in South Melbourne, Victoria, founded in 2011 (originally as Wear for Success). It provides an integrated three-pillar service to job seekers experiencing disadvantage: (1) a Clothing and Styling service offering work-appropriate attire, footwear, and personal care items through one-on-one volunteer-led sessions; (2) a Career Coaching program delivered by HR and recruitment professionals covering resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profile development, and job search strategy; and (3) a Connecting service that links clients with community resources for housing, mental health, and financial barriers. Supporting programs include FutureFIT (a youth-focused workforce readiness initiative for ages 15-24 in partnership with Big Hug Group, delivered at the Tarneit Hub) and integration with IBM SkillsBuild for curated job-readiness learning content.
The business model is donation-driven rather than revenue-generating. Services are provided free of charge to eligible job seekers, with funding sourced from clothing donations, financial contributions (including workplace giving), corporate sponsorships, recurring fundraising events such as Mega Warehouse Sales and Circular Fashion Designer Sales, and a small agency service fee for Workforce Australia-funded referrers. Distribution is omnichannel: face-to-face at the South Melbourne headquarters and warehouse, place-based at the Tarneit Hub, virtual fittings across Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, and through a registered referral network of employment, disability, youth, and welfare agencies. The organization is largely volunteer-based, with 64 employees and 80,000+ cumulative volunteer hours accrued.
Ready Set's customer base is dispersed across individual job seekers, with corporate partner supporters including IBM, AMP, Gandel Foundation, Morris Family Foundation, Henry Bucks, and Dixon Appointments. Since 2011, it has supported over 13,000 individuals, diverted 184,000+ clothing items from landfill, and reports that approximately 40% of those eligible for work and actively seeking employment find work within three months of receiving support. The organization is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and governed by a board of directors.
Ready Set firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ready Set
- Legal name
- Ready Set
- Website
- https://readyset.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Ready Set is an Australian charity founded in 2011 that provides free clothing, career coaching, and community connections to job seekers experiencing disadvantage, serving clients across Victoria, Tasmania, and NSW through a largely volunteer-based model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ready Set industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Employment Support Services
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time) (BPAEANAE)
Keywords
Where Ready Set is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Ready Set business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Clothing Donations: Ready Set accepts donations of quality pre-loved work wear and corporate suits, shirts, skirts and accessories from individuals and businesses. These donations are used to clothe job seekers and are also sold at fundraising events.
- Financial Donations: Ready Set accepts money donations through direct contributions, workplace giving programs (salary packaged donations via accredited platforms), and fundraising events held by individuals and organisations.
- Agency Service Fees: A fee applies for agencies with Workforce Australia funding, arranged directly with Ready Set. All other agencies receive the service free of charge.
- Fundraising Events: Ready Set hosts regular events and fundraising sales of high quality designer donations at their showroom in Eastern Road, South Melbourne. Events include Mega Warehouse Sales, Circular Fashion Designer Sales, and Melbourne Fashion Festival activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free services for eligible job seekers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ready Set product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ready Set is a volunteer-based charitable organization that supports job seekers experiencing disadvantage with three integrated services: work-appropriate clothing and personalised styling, one-on-one career coaching (resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profiles, job search), and connections to community support services. It also delivers specialised workforce readiness programs such as FutureFIT (for 15-24 year olds) and the IBM SkillsBuild learning program, all provided free of charge to eligible individuals.
Product overview
Ready Set is a charitable nonprofit organization offering an integrated support service to help job seekers experiencing disadvantage achieve employment. The core offering consists of three interconnected services: (1) Clothing and Styling Service that provides work-appropriate clothing and personal care items through one-on-one styling sessions; (2) Career Coaching Program delivering personalised one-on-one coaching on resume writing, interview skills, job search, and LinkedIn profile development; and (3) Connecting Service linking clients with community support resources. Additional programs include FutureFIT (a workforce readiness program for young people aged 15-24 delivered in partnership with Big Hug Group) and the IBM SkillsBuild Program providing curated learning content. Supporting resources include Mindset and Wellbeing resources and Industry Insights materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FutureFIT: A workforce readiness program designed to support young people aged 15–24, delivered in partnership with Big Hug Group. Provides free professional styling and interview-appropriate clothing to young people facing financial hardship in Wyndham, Hume, and Hobsons Bay.
Products and services
- Clothing and Styling Service Provides job seekers experiencing disadvantage with work-appropriate clothing, footwear, undergarments, and personal care items for interviews and employment, delivered through one-on-one styling sessions with trained volunteers. Free of charge to eligible clients.
- Career Coaching Program Personalised one-on-one career coaching delivered by HR and recruitment professionals, covering resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profile development, job search strategies, and employment guidance. Free of charge to eligible job seekers.
- Connecting Service Links job seekers with community support services and other resources to help overcome obstacles on their path to employment, addressing challenges such as housing, mental health, and financial barriers.
- FutureFIT A workforce readiness program designed with Big Hug Group to support young people aged 15-24 with free professional styling and interview-appropriate clothing in the cities of Wyndham, Hume, and Hobsons Bay. Referred to Ready Set by professionals in employment, education, health, or welfare services.
- IBM SkillsBuild Program Provides Ready Set job seekers access to curated learning content from the IBM SkillsBuild platform, covering job readiness skills, interpersonal skills, resume creation, collaboration, interview preparation, problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, and social media branding courses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Approximately 40% of those eligible for work and actively seeking a job find work within first three months of receiving support
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ready Set
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ready Set technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ready Set partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Big Hug GroupcoreReady Set and Big Hug Group partnered to launch FutureFIT, a workforce readiness program designed to support young people aged 15-24. The program is delivered from Big Group Hug's Tarneit Hub and offers free professional styling and interview-appropriate clothing to young people facing financial hardship in Wyndham, Hume, and Hobsons Bay.
- IBMcoreIBM SkillsBuild partnership enables Ready Set to offer jobseekers access to curated content from the IBM SkillsBuild platform, providing job readiness skills, interpersonal skills, resume writing, interview preparation, and social media branding courses.
- Henry BucksminorCorporate partner supporting Ready Set's mission through donations or sponsorship
- Armstrong StudiominorDesign/creative studio partner supporting Ready Set
- Dovetail Social EnterprisesminorSocial enterprise partner aligned with Ready Set's mission
- Dixon AppointmentsminorValues-led recruitment company in Melbourne that has shared career resources with Ready Set participants including resume tips and LinkedIn profile guidance
- PinchapoominorSocial enterprise providing toiletries and personal care products, sharing similar mission to support people in need
- Nick & Nora'sminorMelbourne venue partnered with Ready Set for Fizz & Fashion event during Melbourne Fashion Week
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ready Set competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dress for Success Worldwide: Global non-profit founded in the US providing interview attire, career development, and support services to women seeking employment — the international parent model that inspired Australia's Wear for Success (now Ready Set). Most direct mission and operating model comparable.
- Suited to Success (UK): UK charity providing interview clothing and employment preparation to unemployed men and women, with stylists and career coaches supporting clients into work. Closely mirrors Ready Set's three-pillar (clothing, coaching, connections) model outside Australia.
- Workskil Australia: Australian not-for-profit delivering employment services, training, and job-readiness support to disadvantaged job seekers across multiple states — including Workforce Australia contracts that overlap Ready Set's referral base. Most direct Australian operational peer.
- Big Group Hug (Big Hug Group): Australian not-for-profit providing clothing, toiletries, and essentials to children and families in need — Ready Set's strategic partner on the FutureFIT youth program. Directly comparable in the "clothing for disadvantage" niche, with overlapping donor pool.
- Pinchapoo: Australian social enterprise providing free toiletries and personal care items to people in need — listed as a Ready Set partner. Comparable mission and donor base, complementary product categories.
Regional players
- Jobs Australia: Australian peak body representing not-for-profit employment services, including members who deliver Workforce Australia programs that frequently refer into Ready Set. Comparable as the sector-association layer adjacent to Ready Set's referral network.
Broad incumbents
- The Smith Family: Australian charity focused on children's education and young people's employment pathways, including career mentoring and learning support. Shares Ready Set's FutureFIT youth employment angle but operates at national scale across a broader mission.
- Mission Australia: Large Australian non-profit delivering employment services, homelessness support, and community programs at national scale. Overlaps with Ready Set's job-readiness mission as part of a much broader social services portfolio.
- The Salvation Army Australia (Employment Plus): Major Australian charity operating Employment Plus, a national Workforce Australia provider delivering job-readiness and placement services. Much larger and broader than Ready Set, but directly competes for the same disadvantaged job-seeker cohort and referrals.
Emerging players
- Dovetail Social Enterprises: Melbourne-based social enterprise supporting disadvantaged communities through training, employment pathways, and community enterprise. Listed Ready Set partner with overlapping values-based donor and volunteer audience in Victoria.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ready Set social profiles
Digital presenceReady Set financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ready Set leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Ready Set funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ready Set M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ready Set
What does Ready Set do?
Ready Set is a volunteer-based charitable organization that supports job seekers experiencing disadvantage with three integrated services: work-appropriate clothing and personalised styling, one-on-one career coaching (resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn profiles, job search), and connections to community support services. It also delivers specialised workforce readiness programs such as FutureFIT (for 15-24 year olds) and the IBM SkillsBuild learning program, all provided free of charge to eligible individuals.
Is Ready Set a public or private company?
Ready Set is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ready Set founded?
Ready Set was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ready Set based?
Ready Set is headquartered in South Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Ready Set make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Clothing Donations are the primary driver. The others are financial Donations, agency Service Fees and fundraising Events.
Who are Ready Set's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dress for Success Worldwide, Suited to Success (UK), Workskil Australia, Big Group Hug (Big Hug Group) and Pinchapoo. Jobs Australia is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are The Smith Family, Mission Australia and The Salvation Army Australia (Employment Plus). Dovetail Social Enterprises is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ready Set have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ready Set.
What industry is Ready Set in?
Ready Set's product category is Charitable Employment Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAJ, Employment & Job Readiness Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAEANAE, Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time). Its NAICS code is 6243 and its SIC code is 7361.