‘I know how hard it is’: Eleni Psillakis on rehabilitating female ex-offenders

·

Eleni Psillakis has not only defied the odds of a sobering statistic but dedicated her career to lowering it. 

The first generation Symi-Australian says it all began at her first full-time job post-release when her draft of a four-day program for ex-offenders caught the eye of the founder of a global non-for-profit organisation. 

“[The founder] asked, ‘What is your interest in people with a record trying to get employment?’, and I replied, ‘I am one of those and I know how hard it is’,” Psillakis tells the Greek Herald

“She said, ‘Right! I want someone with that lived experience working on this program.” 

“I’m just glad she saw me for my skills and experience rather than the record.” 

Eleni Psillakis runs the Success Works program from Marrickville in Sydney’s inner-west.(Photos: Supplied/Dress for Success)

Psillakis has run the Success Works program within Dress for Success for two and a half years from an office in Marrickville in Sydney’s inner-west.

Success Works helps female ex-offenders regain financial independence by offering professional and personal workshops. 

In 2018, Dress for Success helped over 15,000 women in Sydney re-enter the workforce in less than a decade. 

Psillakis knows all too well that the effort this took was no walk in the park. 

“I’ve had women say to me, ‘This is too hard, at least in jail I get a roof over my head’,” she says. 

“900 women in 2019 were released into homelessness from prison. It costs the government more money to keep someone in prison than to support them into employment.” 

Eleni Psillakis (second from right) says criminal record checks are a ‘big stumbling block’ (Lenore Taylor Editor Guardian Australia, Sam Mostyn Chair ANROWS, Eleni Psillakis, Peer Support Coordinator – Success Works, Dress for Success, Jane Jose CEO Sydney Community Foundation image: Susan Papazian)

Psillakis says employers’ criminal record checks are a “big stumbling block” and are “automatically excluding” candidates who have come in contact with the legal system. 

“I understand why it’s there, but don’t just have a tick box where there’s no further assessment process,” she says. 

“Instead, how about asking the person the context about what happened.”

“The offence might have nothing to do with the role that you’re offering.” 

Eleni Psillakis has recently co-authored a joint USYD-Dress for Success report on discrimination in the workplace (Left: via Conscious Conversations) (Right: Screenshot)

Psillakis recently co-authored a joint University of Sydney-Dress for Success research report on discrimination against female ex-offenders in the workplace and the role of the Success Works initiative. 

“We found that the ones that disengaged from the program were ones who we having housing troubles,” she says. 

“Employment and housing are the two biggest factors for re-offending.”

On the flip-side, the report found that 46 per cent of the women who reached out to Success Works were supported into employment. 

“We also found that having women with lived experiences working on the projects – so myself and [a] peer support coordinator two days a week – was a really strong point for the women coming into the program because they felt that they weren’t judged and that they were working with someone that could relate to their experience,” she says. 

“The hardest thing to overcome every single day is to not define yourself by what has happened to you.” 

“I always say to the women that come onto the program, ‘This is something that happened. It is not you’.” 

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Eleni Petinos MP slams ‘inappropriate’ bum-pinching claim in Latham sexting scandal

NSW Liberal MP Eleni Petinos has strongly denied a claim by Mark Latham that he pinched her on the bottom, calling it an “absolute fantasy.”

Stuart MacGill admits ‘fatal mistake’ introducing drug dealer to Marino Sotiropoulos

Former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill has admitted a “lapse of judgement” in introducing his drug dealer to his partner’s brother.

Kalamata and Australia reaffirm historic bond through Steve Georganas MP’s visit

The Mayor of Kalamata, Thanasis Vasilopoulos, recently met with Australian Federal MP Steve Georganas this week.

Five detained in Athens over murder of US professor amid custody dispute

Greek authorities have detained five individuals, including the ex-wife of professor Przemyslaw Jeziorski in connection with his murder.

Greece braces for economic impact from Trump’s proposed tariffs

Greece is among the European countries most exposed to US President Donald Trump’s proposed 30% tariffs on imports.

You May Also Like

‘Poor Things’ film sweeps four awards at 2024 Oscars

The winners have officially been revealed for the 2024 Oscars, with Yorgos Lanthimos’ film sweeping several major award titles.

Greek wax museum celebrates reopening with new Tom Hanks sculpture

The Wax Museum Theodoros Kokkinidis will welcome their 31st wax model to friends and visitors, who from today took his place in the main living room of the museum.

Sifis Tsourdalakis: Music rooted in Cretan tradition

Born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1975, Sifis Tsourdalakis was raised in a household steeped in the melodies and rhythms of Crete.