A newly established Women's Justice Network is calling on the corporate sector to throw a lifeline to women prisoners and support mentoring programs that reduce reoffending.

The programs, run by the Women in Prison Advocacy Network since 2008, which match prisoners with volunteer mentors, have reduced recidivism by 93 per cent among those who complete a mentoring course.

Ally Colquitt, 33, a first time offender, has just been released from prison after serving 14 months on a drug supply charge.

"It felt like I was never going to see the other side of the fence," she said of her year long-wait to enter a plea.

Ally Colquitt with her mentor, social work student Courtney Moon.

"I was an out-of-control alcoholic with non-existent coping mechanisms. I just woke up one morning in a cell and realised it had all gone very wrong."

Six months into her time in jail she was matched with a mentor, 23-year-old social work student Courtney Moon.

For the next eight months Ms Moon wrote to Ms Colquitt in prison.

"When I'd receive a letter from Courtney it would brighten up my day, sometimes my whole week. You can never underestimate what those letters meant to me while I was in custody," she said.

"She came to visit me, she came to my court hearing, we text each other, she's a friend."

Ms Moon says Ms Colquitt taught her a lot about herself.

"Just seeing her grow — she's always been so determined and motivated."

Female prisons at capacity

The female prison population in New South Wales has doubled over the past decade.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research in December 2016 recorded there were 1,014 in the state's prisons. A third of women in jail are Indigenous.

According to the Women's Justice Network's fundraising prospectus, 61 per cent of women who are incarcerated are mothers, two-thirds are in jail for minor offences and many spend long periods waiting for their day in court.

"Right now I have a waiting list of 190 waiting to be placed on the program," Jennifer Lonji Lubwa, the network's mentoring co-ordinator, said.

"When they come out of custody they're not getting enough support, they're having a lot of problems with substance abuse disorder, mental health, a lot have been victims of domestic violence and when they get out, services are just full to capacity."

Need help for the 'lost and broken-hearted'

On Thursday night, at a Sydney law firm, Ms Colquitt addressed 100 people in a fundraising drive to provide more women prisoners with mentoring support.

"We desperately need to help more women like me, that are still in custody, who are just lost, they're broken-hearted and they don't have anyone to talk to. They've got potential but everyone has turned their back on them."

NSW Government funding helps provide assistance for a pilot prevention program for teenage girls and mentorships for 50 adult women in the prison service.

The Women's Justice Network prospectus states that one woman can be helped to stay out of jail for $4,500 a year, compared to almost $69,000 a year to be in prison.

NSW CORRECTIONAL CENTRE (Direct individual costs only) WOMEN'S JUSTICE NETWORK (Costs of mentoring only) Per woman per day $189 $12 Per woman per annum $68,985 $4,500 50 women per day $5,670 $616 50 women per annum $2,069,550 $225,000

Women's Justice Network research

"Our message today is support and empowerment is crucial for women leaving prison because these woman are capable, they're strong and determined and they just need to be given the opportunity," Ms Lonji Lubwa said.