Education is a pathway out of poverty

Through no fault of their own, and despite their parents’ best efforts, children growing up in disadvantage face daily challenges that can prevent them achieving all they’re capable of.

Parents do all they can to support their children’s education. But because of their financial circumstances, they often don’t have the resources to help their children get what they need for their learning.

This means children can miss out on important learning opportunities, like school excursions due to financial constraints. They can also have less access to the essentials they need to thrive at school, such as learning resources and digital devices, a quiet place to study, and support with their homework.

The Smith Family provides a proven range of practical, personal, and financial support that empowers young people to harness their education and reach their full potential. We offer targeted support to children at every stage of their learning, from pre-school level right through to tertiary studies. Our core Learning for Life program currently provides more than 58,000 young Australians with extra support for their education in three distinct ways. Every student on the program receives:

• financial support for school essentials, like books and uniforms
• personal support for the child and their family, and
• practical support, with access to additional learning programs – tailored to each child’s needs.

We continually evaluate our programs to make sure they are smart, innovative, and highly effective at meeting the evolving needs of our students in today’s rapidly changing world.

Our learning and mentoring support programs are proven to boost a child’s confidence, build core academic skills and help them attend school more regularly.³

Our crucial, ongoing support, provided outside of school, complements what’s going on in the classroom. It helps children to stay motivated and engaged with their learning at home and at school. This gives them a greater chance of completing their education to Year 12, so they can access greater opportunities for employment or further study and achieve their dreams beyond the school gates.³

Learn today, change tomorrow.

We all want children to have a ‘fair go’ at school - and the chance to achieve their best.

It’s only through the generous support of our amazing community of supporters, sponsors, volunteers, and partners that we can reach more than 179,000 children and young people each year with the resources and support they need to see their hard work pay off.

Together, we make sure children can learn today, so they can change tomorrow.