How single Bendigo mum Willa Webb found her new career as a lawyer while raising six kids

As a victim of family violence before being left to raise six young kids alone, this Aussie mum chased down a law degree to change her family’s life forever.

Willa Webb had the deck stacked against her, but at 50-years-old she’s about to embark on a new life as a lawyer.

The single mum of six has recently graduated with honours from her law degree and expects to be admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in April.

It hasn’t been easy for the Bendigo-based mum. She studied and worked part-time since 2013 to make it happen and also battled breast cancer in 2016.

Webb had experienced family violence before her husband left, but being a single mum meant she had to find a way to support her children, who were aged two to 15 at the time.

Bendigo's Willa Webb is a single mum of six about to finish her law degree. Employment charity Fitted for Work is helping her ready for the job hunt with clothes and accessories for job interviews and a new role. Picture: Rob Leeson

“Once I was safe, I thought about what I was going to do,” she said. “This was my only chance to go to university. I worked alongside my degree. It started as a university internship in communications, then I started my own business doing grant writing and spent the last three years working in the women’s services network.

“Now I’m looking for a job as a junior lawyer.”

Working, studying and raising young children meant the older kids pitched in and sometimes dinner was baked beans on toast rather than a cooked meal.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved,” Webb said. “My children are accomplished, kind, community-minded and my 18-year old just started at La Trobe. I think I put university on the map for them.

“Now I need a junior lawyer role to make that degree worthwhile and bring home the dollars. I want to show my kids that all those late nights, when I wanted to snuggle on the couch with them but had to do assignments, that was all worthwhile.”

To help make it happen, Webb turned to Fitted for Work. The charity helps disadvantaged women find work.

As well as supplying her with high-quality corporate clothes to wear to a job interview and to her new role, it helped with her resume and gave her a confidence boost.

Fitted for Work supports disadvantaged women by helping them with the right wardrobe for job interviews and new roles. Picture: Rob Leeson

“I had a styling session over Zoom and they sent me hundreds of dollars’ worth of beautiful clothes, jewellery and makeup,” she said. “A lot of it was new and I wouldn’t have been able to afford it.

“It makes me feel a lot more confident when applying for jobs. I’m looking for a supervising lawyer who will give me a go. I’ll be pretty good value, I have broad experience and I’m very keen to work.”

A Fitted for Work spokesperson said its mission was to help disadvantaged women find meaningful employment.

“We support women from a wide range of backgrounds, with various levels of educational and employment history,” the spokesperson said. “We support women who have never finished high school and others that have PhDs. Disadvantage can affect any woman at any time for so many reasons.”

You can support Fitted for Work’s mission with a financial donation via cash or card at Coles check-outs. Clothing donations should go directly to Fitted for Work.

Towards a Better Future, in conjunction with Coles’ Better Together strategy, shares stories on farming, local communities, health & wellbeing, and sustainability/food waste to shine a light on the people, charities and organisations that are helping make our country a better place.