Our Mission
Our mission is to create meaningful and long-term social change for newly arrived refugees and other migrants who face social isolation and barriers to employment and education. By means of its trading activities, No Sweat will address these problems by creating jobs, providing training, facilitating community engagement promoting social inclusion. We are inspired by the work of The Social Studio in Melbourne and hope to incorporate its best elements into the project.
Figuratively, this venture seeks to remove the white-wash from the windows of established small-scale manufacturing and sewing contracting in Australia. In spite of all of the protections of our democracy, ‘sweatshop’ work practises still exist in the garment industry in Australia. Paradoxically, it is often the home and micro businesses, as opposed to big businesses, that are the culprits when it comes to poor working conditions and illegal wages and provisions in the developed world. These businesses are most likely to hire individuals from non-English speaking backgrounds.
No Sweat Fashions is a great place to work, learn, and create. It is a safe and inclusive community hub for newly arrived refugees in the ACT who want to learn more about the garment industry and improve their overall employability.
Our People
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Cindy Reese Mitchell
Cindy has over 10 years experience in sales, marketing, commercialising technologies and in the management of growth companies. She has worked as a seed fund investment manager and in senior management roles at large corporate organisations in Australia and in the United States. She has an established track record in identifying, growing and managing intellectual property assets at all stages of development and has played a fundamental role in the identification and strategic planning of 100’s of commercial ventures. Through patient mentoring and frank assessment, Cindy has personally assisted in raising substantial sums in government and private funding for her clients.
Cindy has a passion for the scientific method-- having been involved in the execution and presentation of peer-reviewed research from her early teens, including graduate level research in microbiology, chemistry and medical entomology. Despite a love of the laboratory, she found her real passion was working with scientists (and inventors) to better articulate and communicate their ideas. Today, dealing with cutting edge and emergent technologies, she finds an opportunity to apply her unique experience in business development, communication and passion for science.
Whilst her migration to from the USA to Australia hardly compares to the harrowing journeys of the humanitarian migrants she now seeks to serve, she is able to empathize with the challenges of settling in Australia, and in to Canberra specifically. For Cindy, sewing is the language of love—having spent a significant portion of her childhood pouring over pattern books, musing over bolts of exotic fabrics and collecting notions in fabric stores with her mother.
Creative Direction
Penina Huho
Penina graduated from the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) in 2009 with an Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design and Bachelor in Design (Fashion).
Since graduating, she has focussed on the development of her own label, Huho. Small runs from Huho have been sold on consignment through The Department of The Exterior in Canberra, and in Lissom Yarn, Melbourne. Her interest, passion and experiences in the area of cultural expression and collaborative design place her in the best position to lead the design work of the NSF studio.
See images from Penina's graduating collection here.
Non-Executive Directors
Veronica Wensing, Chair
Veronica is currently the Manager of the ACT Office for Women. She is the former Executive Officer of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre where she was for five years. During this time she became the overall winner of the ACT 2009 Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award and winner of the White Pages Community and Government Award.
She is also the former Chair of the ACT Ministerial Advisory Council on Women, Chair of the National Association of Services against Sexual Violence, Executive member of the Australian Women Against Violence Alliance and a current member of the ACT Independent Law Reform Advisory Council.
She has a history of working in women’s services for over 20 years at both local and national levels and is passionately committed to the advancement of women.
Wendy Prowse
Wendy has over 20 years’ experience working in the Not for Profit Sector, predominately in Health and Aged Care and more recently in the Community Services sector. Her roles have included Business Development, Human Resources, Project Management and Marketing. Wendy has a Post Graduate in Business Management.
Michael Doyle
The CIT appointed Mick to the NSF Board. He is currently the Manager of Business & Industry with the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) having joined the Institute in April 2010. Prior to this Mick was the Manager of Student to Industry (SIP) Program, foundation member of the VET in Schools Section of the Department in the late nineties responsible for the development and introduction of the first Australian School based New Apprenticeships (formerly SNAP’s) 1998.
Leanne Gundry
Leanne is the Founder and Managing Director of Learning Adventures, a specialist educational services provider offering unique experiential language and cultural learning to young children and their families. She also runs an award-winning boutique business consulting service.Leanne is a devout feminist and has held a range of positions aimed at empowering women and children, including managing the Women’s Unit in the former Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, and providing voluntary translation, interpreting & media liaison support services at the NGO-auspiced International Women’s War Crimes Tribunal in Tokyo. She is currently working towards a Master’s degree in Education and adores sewing.
Hong Sar Channaibanya
Hong Sar is a former humanitarian entrant from Myanmr / Burma to Australia. He has been serving on the Board of Australia Mon Association Inc for over ten years. He was appointed by at Companion House, where he is currently employed as Community Development Project Officer and serves as honorary secretary of Diversity Health Network (ACT). He is a community volunteer, interpreter, and advocate for migrants in our community.
Nerida Gill
Nerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, the only web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in grass roots community organisations. She was honoured by Women in Information and Communication in 2009, as WICked Woman of the Year has won over seven awards for the contributions made to the community and business.
Governance
No Sweat Fashions Limited board ensures compliance with the organisation’s vision, mission and objectives, and guides the development, execution and modification of the organisation’s strategy.
No Sweat Fashions Limited constitution requires no less than six and no more than 12 Directors, who are Independent Non-Executive Directors. Our Board consists of seven Directors who bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise, particularly with regards to corporate stewardship.
They act voluntarily and receive no fees or remuneration for their services, but are compensated for costs incurred while fulfilling their duties.
The role of the Board is established by the Board Corporate Governance Charter. Our Board provides strategic direction; effective oversight of management; clarity over responsibility and accountability while establishing integrity by ensuring a balance of authority where no single individual has unfettered power.