Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs A message to our community
As we face the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, we wanted to share with you the actions we are taking to safeguard the health and safety of those in our Smith Family community during the on-going COVID-19 situation.
Like all Australians, we are adapting daily to the information we have before us and making decisions as best we can. We are managing the immediate impacts to enable business continuity, while considering the effects on our staff, volunteers, programs, partners, supporters, suppliers and on the people in our lives we each hold dear.
The children and families we support remain at the heart of everything we do.
We know that for Australian children and families already living in poverty, COVID-19 will have a devastating and enduring impact.
We are currently following the advice of the Australian government, the Chief Medical officer and the World Health Organisation as we continue to provide ongoing help for education to the children living in families who are struggling to make ends meet.
We are very aware that the impact of this crisis will be most keenly felt by those who are most vulnerable, and so keeping our support for them active and focused is top of our minds. The last thing we want is for children who are already facing educational challenges as a result of their disadvantage, to fall further behind as a result of this crisis.
We are working hard to ensure that programs we provide to children through schools can be delivered for as long as possible, although we recognise that at some point this may change. We are actively pursuing alternate delivery methods where feasible, including within the home environment.
We will continue to adapt and work through any implications of COVID-19.
In these uncertain times our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. We are immensely grateful for the extraordinary courage and tireless work of all those delivering health care services during this time.
Around 1 in 5 (19%) of the more than 50,000 students on our flagship Learning for Life program do not having a home computer with reliable internet access.
This is a major concern, as these are both critical for a child’s learning in the 21st century. And even more critical now, with this health crisis forcing more children to learn at home, instead of at school.
We’re deeply worried that young people living in disadvantage will fall even further behind in their studies as a result of this digital divide, between those who have computers and the internet, and those who don’t.
For $55 a month, your sponsorship combined with that of another sponsor, will provide a child with the learning essentials they need such as books, stationery and data, so they don't fall even further behind.
Sponsor now
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
You can access the latest information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis from the Australian Government.