Right now 15,000 children are urgently waiting for sponsors.

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Our Programs
- Literacy programs
  Providing resources and support to help children living with disadvantage achieve the required reading standard.
- Technology programs
  Providing children and young people living with disadvantage with the critical skills, access, and equipment they need.
- Numeracy programs
  We support early years educators and community professionals in building foundational math skills in children under their care.
- Learning for Life
  Providing holistic, long-term support for disadvantaged young Australians throughout their education.
- Mentoring programs
  Mentoring programs for students living with disadvantage that provide the encouragement they need to build aspirations for their future.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs
  Our work engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in learning through education, life skills and role models, promoting culturally responsive practice.
Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs
Get Involved
- Ways to fundraise
  Learn about fundraising and give back to the community with The Smith Family.
- Volunteer with us
  Share your skills to help Australian children in need transform their lives through education.
- Partnerships
  Learn how your organisation can partner with The Smith Family and help build a better future for Australian children in need.
- Careers
  We aim to provide a working environment where staff and volunteers have the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
- Events
  Participate in events and activities that support young Australians experiencing disadvantage.
- VIEW clubs of Australia
  Learn about VIEW, a leading women’s volunteer organisation and support network with over 16,000 members, across Australia.
Ways to Give
- Sponsor a child
  Through child sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
- A gift in your will
  Ensure that future generations of Australian children have the support they need to make the most of their education.
- Monthly donation
  Become a monthly donor and provide continual support throughout all stages of a child’s education.
- Philanthropic giving
  Through your philanthropy, you can ensure that young Australians impacted by poverty get the education that all children deserve.
- Single donation
  Your donation will help young Australians in need by providing access to our Learning for Life education support programs.
- Workplace giving
  Making small, regular donations to The Smith Family through Workplace Giving is an easy way to help change the lives of young Australians living in poverty.
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Child Sponsorship
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FAQs

General

Can I choose what communications I receive from The Smith Family?

Does disadvantage exist in Australia?

How can I fundraise for The Smith Family?

How do I contact The Smith Family?

How do I get involved with The Smith Family's events?

How do I know that a communication from The Smith Family is genuine and not a scam?

How do I report or verify a scam?

How do I make a bequest?

How do I obtain a donation receipt?

How many students and families do you assist?

What are the methods I can use to donate?

What are VIEW Clubs?

What does a Learning for Life Coordinator do?

What does The Smith Family do?

What is the Learning for Life sponsorship program?

What ways can I give to The Smith Family?

One off donation:
We welcome and appreciate every donation we receive. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Your donation will ensure disadvantaged Australian children receive critical, out-of-school learning support through our life-changing programs. Make a donation today.

Monthly giving:
Our monthly donors provide Australian children in need with access to important learning and mentoring programs to help them get the most out of their education. We know that providing continual support throughout all stages of a child’s education, is the best way to help a disadvantaged child create a better future for themselves.

The ongoing funds provided by monthly donations mean we can plan ahead, improve the effectiveness of programs, and significantly increase our reach to help even more disadvantaged Australian children.

Monthly giving is simple, easy and efficient. You nominate the amount you would like to give and this will be debited from your bank account or credit card every month. All donations $2 and over are tax-deductible and we'll send your annual tax receipt to you in July. It's easy - sign up for a monthly donation here.

Sponsorships:
As a Learning for Life sponsor, you will be matched with a disadvantaged Australian child. Your donations of $55 a month, combined with that of another sponsor, provides a combination of three vital areas of support for your sponsored child:

financial support to pay for school essentials such as a school uniform, proper school shoes, text books, and school excursions;
targeted support from a Learning for Life Coordinator who really gets to know the family and understand their unique circumstances. They can link the student to local learning opportunities that help them to fully participate in their education;
access to a range of educational opportunities. This includes our out-of-school learning and mentoring programs which help boost their confidence and improve vital skills such as reading so they can keep up with their peers at school.

There's also the emotional support that you provide simply by being their sponsor. Students often tell us how motivated they feel just knowing that someone out there (whom they will never meet) cares about them enough to invest in their future. Find out more about our sponsorship program.

Workplace giving:
Workplace giving or payroll giving enables you to make regular contributions from your pay to The Smith Family, either in the form of sponsorship or a donation. Pre-tax giving results in an immediate tax deduction, without the need to get receipts and claim with your annual tax return. If you’re an employer or employee you can find out more about The Smith Family’s by contacting us.

Volunteering:
By donating your time, talent and expertise to The Smith Family you can help ensure disadvantaged children are getting the opportunities they need to fully participate in their education. Each year we rely on the generosity of more than 8,323 volunteers who partner with us to achieve this goal. To find out more about volunteering, please visit the volunteering page.

When was The Smith Family established?

Where does my money go?

Who is eligible to receive a Learning for Life sponsorship?

Why does The Smith Family no longer provide welfare support?

Why does The Smith Family offer literacy programs?

Why doesn't The Smith Family operate in my community?

Sponsorship

Can a child and sponsor write to each other?

Can I be the sole sponsor for my student/s?

Each year I give my student a birthday card. What about the other sponsor of my student?

How are the funds allocated to support each student?

Students on our Learning for Life sponsorship program receive a combination of three vital areas of support; financial support, guidance from a Learning for Life Coordinator and access to The Smith Family’s learning and mentoring programs. The funds are allocated across these areas as follows.

Education Level	Yearly payment for education essentials	Support of a Learning for Life Coordinator	Access to learning and mentoring programs
School Student	$502	$428	$487
Senior School Student	$811	$553	$629
Tertiary Student	$3,074	$420	$478

How do I know if my sponsorship is making a difference?

What are the sponsorship amounts?

Many of our sponsors choose a shared sponsorship at $58 / month for a student in Kindergarten to Year 10. This option is made available to you online.

For our shared sponsorship model, where two sponsors contributions are combined to sponsor one child:

Education Level	Sponsorship cost (Per Month)	Sponsorship cost (Per Year)
School Level Student (K – Year 10)	$58	$696
Senior School Student (Year 11 - Year 12)	$82	$984
Tertiary Student (Tafe or University)*	$116	$1,392

Or, where a sponsor prefers to be the sole sponsor of a child and takes up the full cost of sponsorship:

Education Level	Sponsorship cost (Per Month)	Sponsorship cost (Per Year)
School Level Student (K – Year 10)	$116	$1,392
Senior School Student (Year 11 - Year 12)	$164	$1,968
Tertiary Student (Tafe or University)*	$328	$3,936

*The full cost of sponsorship for a tertiary student is $3,936 per year. When you sponsor a tertiary level student, your sponsorship is shared with a Smith Family corporate partner to help cover this cost.

If you are considering sponsoring a senior school student or would prefer to become a sole sponsor where you cover the full cost of a child’s sponsorship, our Supporter Care Team will be able to assist you. Contact them on 1800 024 069 or via email at sponsorship@thesmithfamily.com.au.

How does The Smith Family know that the financial support is used appropriately by the family?

If I can't afford to keep sponsoring my child, what happens to my student?

How do I cancel the Sponsorship of my Learning for Life child?

If the other sponsor in a shared sponsorship happens to drop out, will that leave the child without support?

If two sponsors share a child, won’t it reduce the number of children The Smith Family helps?

Is my sponsorship tax deductible?

Is there another way I can contribute to Learning for Life or The Smith Family without sponsoring a child?

My student/s is/are about to move up to the next level of schooling. Does this mean the cost of my sponsorship is going to go up?

We are very proud of our students when they successfully progress to the next level of their education and would like to thank you for your support, which has helped them to reach this milestone.

When sponsored students move up to Senior School or Tertiary education, the sponsorship amount they receive is increased. This helps disadvantaged students meet the greater needs of higher education, such as expensive textbooks, equipment or transportation costs.

We will always contact you directly before any increase to your sponsorship. Sponsors who have a student moving up to a new education level will be invited to continue supporting their student at the new amount or alternatively be matched to a new student at the same rate they are currently paying.

Sponsorship is based on three levels, which are outlined below.

For our shared sponsorship model, where two sponsors contributions are combined to sponsor one child:

Education Level	Sponsorship cost (Per Month)	Sponsorship cost (Per Year)
School Level Student (K – Year 10)	$58	$696
Senior School Student (Year 11 - Year 12)	$82	$984
Tertiary Student (Tafe or University)	$116	$1,392

Or, where a sponsor prefers to be the sole sponsor of a child and takes up the full cost of sponsorship:

Education Level	Sponsorship cost (Per Month)	Sponsorship cost (Per Year)
School Level Student (K – Year 10)	$116	$1,392
Senior School Student (Year 11 - Year 12)	$164	$1,968
Tertiary Student (Tafe or University)	$328	$3,936

FAQs

Frequently asked questions:

General

Can I choose what communications I receive from The Smith Family?

Does disadvantage exist in Australia?

How can I fundraise for The Smith Family?

How do I contact The Smith Family?

How do I get involved with The Smith Family's events?

How do I know that a communication from The Smith Family is genuine and not a scam?

How do I report or verify a scam?

How do I make a bequest?

How do I obtain a donation receipt?

How many students and families do you assist?

What are the methods I can use to donate?

What are VIEW Clubs?

What does a Learning for Life Coordinator do?

What does The Smith Family do?

What is the Learning for Life sponsorship program?

What ways can I give to The Smith Family?

When was The Smith Family established?

Where does my money go?

Who is eligible to receive a Learning for Life sponsorship?

Why does The Smith Family no longer provide welfare support?

Why does The Smith Family offer literacy programs?

Why doesn't The Smith Family operate in my community?

Sponsorship

Can a child and sponsor write to each other?

Can I be the sole sponsor for my student/s?

Each year I give my student a birthday card. What about the other sponsor of my student?

How are the funds allocated to support each student?

How do I know if my sponsorship is making a difference?

What are the sponsorship amounts?

How does The Smith Family know that the financial support is used appropriately by the family?

If I can't afford to keep sponsoring my child, what happens to my student?

How do I cancel the Sponsorship of my Learning for Life child?

If the other sponsor in a shared sponsorship happens to drop out, will that leave the child without support?

If two sponsors share a child, won’t it reduce the number of children The Smith Family helps?

Is my sponsorship tax deductible?

Is there another way I can contribute to Learning for Life or The Smith Family without sponsoring a child?

My student/s is/are about to move up to the next level of schooling. Does this mean the cost of my sponsorship is going to go up?

What are these learning and mentoring programs you talk about?

What do the Learning for Life Coordinators do exactly that makes such a contribution to each student?

What does my sponsorship actually cover?

What information do I receive as a sponsor?

What is the difference between shared sponsorship and full sponsorship?

What is the Learning for Life sponsorship program?

Who do I contact for more information?

Who is eligible to receive a Learning for Life sponsorship?

Why do students leave Learning for Life?

Why does The Smith Family offer literacy programs? I thought schools did that?

Will it be overwhelming for my student if two sponsors communicate with them?

Volunteering

Are there short-term volunteer opportunities?

Do I need to pass a test or other requirements?

Do I need training?

Do you have corporate or group volunteering opportunities?

Do you have opportunities for work experience and internships?

How do I become a volunteer?

What current opportunities are available?

What is the time commitment?

What kind of support will I get?

What kind of work can volunteers do?

Who can volunteer?

Why volunteer?

Will I need to be interviewed?