There are still 4,532 Australian children who need extra learning support by this Christmas.

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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University partnerships

Our partnerships with universities and industry are vital in helping us to achieve our vision of a better future for young Australians in need by supporting their participation in education.

Our reach into disadvantaged communities and work with diverse equity groups offer opportunities for universities to work with us to deliver targeted and effective educational programs and scholarships to children and young people in need.

Our actions count

Our strategy

Our strategy is effective in achieving transformational change. We can demonstrate, through the tracking of our 42,841 Learning for Life students, that participation in our programs helps students achieve better outcomes in school attendance, higher rates of advancement from Year 10 to 12, and improved engagement in work and study after school.

We are connected to 91 communities across Australia

The Smith Family is a well known and trusted charity, with strong links into schools and communities in every State. We can help universities increase their exposure to specific equity groups, and provide opportunities for universities to develop or expand their engagement with new communities.

Delivered Learning for Life programs in 91 communities

We help link staff and students with a broader community

University students are a vital support as tutors in our Learning Clubs, and as mentors to secondary school students. Workplace giving that supports young peoples’ path to education and a better future can help improve employee engagement.

How we can work together

Partnerships with universities enable us to deliver a range of educational participation supports to children and young people in need. It means we can give young people a chance to participate in creative arts program such as SmArts that build self–confidence, or help encourage students’ aspirations for tertiary study through university campus visits.

Partnership with The Smith Family can mean:

Opportunities for universities to expand the range and breadth of their community engagement activities within their local areas, or to access new communities
Opportunities for universities to increase their exposure to specific equity groups
Collaborative research projects in The Smith Family’s areas of interest, such as in social policy, social equity and education through our Research and Advocacy unit
Volunteering and engagement activities open to your students and staff through tutoring or mentoring programs, supporting fundraising campaigns such as Around the Bay, or contributing to our Christmas Toy & Book appeal
Most importantly, contributing to improved educational outcomes among disadvantaged young people in Australia
To discuss a partnership with The Smith Family, fill in the form below and our partnerships team will be in touch.