Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs VIEW Clubs of Australia
Making connections, makes a difference
VIEW (Voice, Interests and Education of Women) is a national women’s organisation and support network bringing women together in local communities to enjoy social activities, develop skills, make connections and participate in networking events while supporting and advocating for the education of young Australians in need.
VIEW’s 13,264 members share the common purpose of exclusively supporting the children’s education charity, The Smith Family.
Founded by The Smith Family in 1960, VIEW women are empowered by the positive difference they make to the lives of disadvantaged Australian children and young people.
VIEW Clubs’ long-standing connection with The Smith Family helps it support the education of Australian children in need, enabling them to create better futures for themselves. For 100 years, The Smith Family has been working to improve the lives of children in need. For over 60 years VIEW has connected with others in the community enabling The Smith Family to reach more families in need. For the last 30 years, it has supported children living with disadvantage to make the most of their education and create positive lives for themselves.
VIEW Clubs has supported the good work of The Smith Family, providing an important source of volunteers, fundraising and connection in local communities.
Today VIEW is proudly the largest community sponsor of the Learning for Life program supporting over 1,530 students.
Over six decades, VIEW members have:
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raised over $40 million for the children’s charity The Smith Family.
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volunteered well in excess of 3 million hours to The Smith Family.
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raised awareness of and advocated for disadvantaged Australian children.
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supported The Smith Family’s work with disadvantaged children, including sponsoring 1,500+ students on the Learning for Life program today.
About VIEW
- VIEW is a women's volunteer organisation with over 13,264 members across Australia exclusively supporting The Smith Family's work to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged Australian children and young people.
- Through its supportive network, VIEW women build lasting friendships, empowered and connected by the common purpose to support The Smith Family and make a difference to Australian children in need.
- A priority for VIEW is to effect positive change within the Australian community, by helping disadvantaged children succeed at school which has a lasting impact on their lives and potential for generations to come.
- VIEW raises awareness about and advocates for disadvantaged Australian children. The collective power of the organisation's more than 14,000-strong national voice helps more Australians to learn about The Smith Family's work.
VIEW is always looking for women of all backgrounds and ages to join them.
For more information about VIEW Cubs visit the VIEW website or email: view@thesmithfamily.com.au call 1800 805 366. To find your nearest VIEW Club or contact your local VIEW National Councillor.
Join VIEW
"In 1960 my mother, Norma, joined VIEW Clubs of Australia – it changed her life forever and mine as well. Mum was an active member of VIEW supporting The Smith Family for over 55 years volunteering and fundraising for Australian families in need within every community in which she lived. I joined VIEW in the mid 80’s when The Smith Family created The Learning for Life program, providing long-term educational support and making a difference to the lives of Australian children and young people in need.
Over the years Mum worked on various committee positions in VIEW and I saw firsthand how she loved meeting other VIEW members who became lifelong friends. I have been President of VIEW Clubs in NSW and the ACT. Other rewarding roles that I have held are Zone Councillor, National Councillor and then I became VIEW National President in 2018–19. In January 2021, I moved to Mackay, QLD which did not have a VIEW Clubs.
After being heavily involved with VIEW Clubs all around Australia, meeting fantastic women who have so much fun and thoroughly enjoying fundraising for The Smith Family Learning for Life students, I realised just how much I missed VIEW in my life!
I set about making connections with others in the Mackay community. I realised that there was a Smith Family office and realised very quickly that there was keen interest in starting up a new VIEW Club in Mackay.
I am enormously proud to say that the Mackay VIEW Club now has over 30 new members to VIEW and will be officially opened in June 2022. We are proudly working towards sponsoring our first Learning for Life student followed by other students in the near future."
- Jan Roberts, Past National President 2018-19
Satisfaction and friendship through helping others.
VIEW offers a network for women to connect with each other in the community, while supporting the work of The Smith Family in providing long-term educational support for Australian children and young people in need.
Every week, VIEW Club members across Australia come together as friends to hear from a guest speaker, exchange interesting ideas and socialise with like-minded women, while also raising important funds to help support The Smith Family.
Enrich your life by joining your local VIEW Club to help support Australian children in need to get the most from their education.
As a valued member you will benefit from:
- The satisfaction which comes through providing essential support to disadvantaged Australia children, enabling them to make the most of their educational and learning opportunities.
- Participating in volunteering and fundraising activities in support of The Smith Family.
- Taking part in regular events, including galas, theatre nights, travel tours, social gatherings, conferences and the biennial VIEW National Convention, where members hear inspiring guest speakers, receive updates from The Smith Family; learn more about the changing world and network with other members.
- Developing skills such as leadership, public speaking, digital literacy and event management.
- Regular newsletters to keep you up-to-date on community issues, topical matters affecting women and program outcomes from VIEW and The Smith Family.
Find a VIEW club
To find your nearest VIEW Club location please go to find a club or contact the VIEW Councillor/Advisor in your local area below.
For more information visit the VIEW Clubs website or contact VIEW clubs at view@thesmithfamily.com.au.
ACT
Area AA – Canberra and surrounding areas
June Weise: 0412 617 085*
NSW
Area NA – Hunter/Central Coast Region
Anne-Louise O’Connor: 0410 600 264*
NA01 Angela Carol: 0414 449 914
NA02 Dianne Whitten: 0428 473 508
NA04 Robyn Clarke: 02 4390 2527
Area NB - Macarthur, Southern Highlands & Illawarra region including Wollongong
Sandra Jankovskis: 0459 157 448
Area NC - Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Franci Morsink: 0402 094 563*
NC01/02 Pam Evans: 0412 043 634
Area ND - Central and Southern Sydney
Kay Underwood: 0480 259 114*
ND02 Elizabeth Terry: 0410 692 670
Area NE – Western Sydney Region
NE01 Gloria Walter: 0416 225 690*
NE02 Toni Thomas: 02 4751 7134*
Area NG - NSW South Coast Berry to Eden
Lyn Gerstenberg: 0439 990 430*
NG03 Anne Comery: 0412 242 851
Area NH - NSW Central Tablelands, Central and Western Slopes and Western Plains
Anne-Louise O’Connor: 0410 600 264*
Area NI - New England and North Central NSW
Sally Cronberger: 0410 609 583*
NI01 Aletia Norman: 0427 461 095
Area NJ - NSW Northern Rivers
Brenda Caligeros: 0419 629 680
NJ02 Jill Mason: 07 5523 2579
Area NK - Lower Mid North Coast of NSW and Inland
Judith Hemmingway: 0423 119 036*
NK01 Dianne Fiddes: 0417 211 525
NK02 Barbara Gaylard: 0421 014 250
Area NL - Riverina, MIA, Snowy Mountain Foothills and South to Victorian border
Anne-Louise O’Connor: 0410 600 264*
NL02 Margaret Sedgwick: 0428 106 746
NL02 Jennifer Currie: 0412 328 211
Area NM - Upper Mid North Coast of NSW and Inland
Cynthia Guyenette: 0414 234 557*
NM02 Kay Backman: 0418 486 187
QLD
Area QA – Brisbane and surrounds
Robyn Garard: 0417 242 930
QA01 Lyall Aldridge: 0403 353 865
QA02 Lorna Daddow: 0416 207 422
Area QB - The Sunshine and Fraser Coast
Jean Jennings: 0425 253 064
QB01 Vonda Cannock: 0400 408 833
QB02 Lainie Sanders: 0411 740 430
Area QC - Gold Coast and Darling Downs
Lorraine Thomson: 0417 262 627
SA
Area SA - Metropolitan Adelaide and Surrounds including Sunraysia
Pauline Glover: 0408 410 010
Joan Coleman: 0418 660 396
TAS
Area TA – Hobart
Jane Kerin 0407 522 110
VIC
Area VA - Central & Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne
Jennie Wynd: 0400 988 119*
VA02 Hazel Austin: 0407 845 292
Area VB - South Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula & Gippsland
Lyn Geer: 0409 145 073*
VB03 Wendy Walker: 0414 227 141
Area VC - North and Western Metropolitan Melbourne & North and Western Country
Bev Orgill: 0459 324 455
VC01/02 Judith McPherson: 0401 735 103
VC03 Janet Park: 0459 509 520
WA
Area WA – Perth and surrounds
Kris Behets: 0407 372 894
* Area Advisors