A new pop up shop is offering job seekers free professional clothing donated by the community.

WorkBC has teamed up with the Vancouver Island Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VIVRS), for a campaign providing clothing for individuals looking for jobs. It’s also giving the community an opportunity to help others through donations. WorkBC, is a government funded employment service designated to help individuals find the right jobs, plan careers, and improve their skills. VIVRS, founded in 1993 is an independent agency seeking to deliver professional and creative employment services to individuals in Nanaimo and Courtenay.

Together, they have organized a new employment aid campaign, Renewed 4 You. They are encouraging the community to donate professional clothing to the project before they open their doors to the public on June 16. The pop up shop will be staffed by participants from VIVRS, as they gain real life experience.

CHLY spoke with Caitlin Bradley, one of the participants in the job creation program and the Renewed 4 You campaign.

“It is a dignified shopping-like experience. So you can come in and you will be greeted with open arms. We offer personalized styling and confidence boost, and we will make sure that you have something interview ready for your interview,” said Bradley.

VIVRS and WorkBC plan to hold this pop up shop for the next 10 months so community members and job seekers can donate and grab the necessary clothing for their desired jobs. The pop up shop will allow individuals to keep the clothes indefinitely providing a sustainable support system for job seekers for the foreseeable future. Bradley opens up on the experience of the ongoing donations in the past month.

“So far, the community has been so supportive, and it's been super exciting for us. We've already obtained a lot of donations from our community partners and from some very generous individuals in the community. It's going to be an ongoing thing because we are going to need donations for the rest of the year,” said Bradley.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada’s unemployment rate reached up to 6.9% as of April 2026, with more people searching for work while employment remained weak. Additionally, the unemployment rate in British Columbia recorded a rate of 6.8% in April 2026, demonstrating the continued uncertainty in the job market.

CHLY also spoke with Natasja Bucknall, VIVRS’s Manager of Programs regarding the thought that went behind the campaign.

Organizers Natasja Bucknall (Left) and Caitlin Bradley (Right), are prepping for the grand opening of the pop up shop next month. (Luis Zablah/CHLY 101.7 FM)

“So this one [Renewed 4 You] came about when the Government of Canada and province of British Columbia was sponsoring more job creation partnerships through WorkBC, and that gave us an opportunity to do something really special with this and that's how we came to gather our group of eight participants to work on this project that not only provides them with a great learning experience and skills enhancement, but also is a project that makes a difference in the community,” said Bucknall.

The campaign is looking to accept a variety of garments such as suits, blouses, dress shirts, dress pants, jeans, skirts, dresses, shoes, ties and bags/belts.

Organizers are prepping for the grand opening of the pop up shop next month. The shop is designed to be an experience made to encourage individuals to come in, pick their outfit and walk out.

WorkBC and VIVRS have reached out to the community through flyers and social media and are hoping to have as much clothing as possible before the grand opening. Bradley commented on the whole idea behind the Renewed 4 You campaign and the importance behind it.

“We thought this was a very good project, because there has been increasing barriers for unemployed peoples in the community, and part of that can be access to professional clothing,” said Bradley. She emphasizes how important first impressions are in an interview. “It can really make or break you. You might have the same qualifications as somebody else, but if you don't have access to personal business clothing or professional business clothing, it could create a barrier, and it might be the reason why you don't get the job and someone else does.”

The movement also gained support across the community, with local organizations contributing to Renewed 4 You ahead of the opening next month.

“We've been getting amazing support from some other thrift stores, for example, who are helping us with some of those clothing donations throughout this project that includes the Yours & Mine Consignment store, Just Thrift, Big Brothers and Sisters, Value Village has been providing clothing donations,” said Bucknall.

The Renewed 4 You campaign is helping the community through the clothing shop. Natasja Bucknall adds the experience will also help the staff organizing the movement and working in the shop.

“Our participants are getting opportunities to network and get to be involved in the community and work with other agencies, including the Chamber of Commerce, Literacy Central Vancouver Island, Habitat for Humanity Resource and Salvation Army and the Disability Resource Center, among others,” said Bucknall.

The VIVRS associate explained the Renewed 4 You staff would get opportunities to network with other employers in Nanaimo.

“It's this amazing opportunity for this Renewed 4 You crew to get that real hands on experience with project management and retail experience and all of that, and networking and getting involved in the community and encouraging service providers in the community to support job seekers,” said Bucknall.

VIVRS’s Manager of Programs, Natasja Bucknall hopes that this experience will lead to employment for the crew behind the campaign. She encourages other agencies and people in the community to be open minded and think of other creative ways to support people with barriers in employment.

The Renewed 4 You campaign is already accepting donations. It will open its doors on June 16 up until February 2027, from Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 4 PM, located in the WorkBC building in downtown Nanaimo at 155 Skinner Street on the second floor.

More information is available on the official Renewed 4 You Instagram page.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.