Help provide vital educational support to 11,705 Australian children this Christmas.

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Little Aussie heroes need help this Christmas

Media releases

05 December 2012

For most of us the Christmas season brings joy, but sadly for some kids, it draws attention to their disadvantage. These little Aussie heroes deserve the gift of education this Christmas.

This week, The Smith Family launches its Christmas Appeal which aims to raise $4.65 million by 31 December. This will help provide 11,500 disadvantaged Aussie children and young people with the assistance they need to keep up at school and stay engaged in their education.

In a recent writing competition entered by more than 2,000 students supported by The Smith Family, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds revealed that they are determined to do their best despite the odds. When asked "What are you most proud of?" - over half the students claimed to be most proud of their own educational accomplishments with family following closely behind.

At just 15, Kirsten* has had more than her fair share of life's knocks to deal with. She writes that she is most proud of herself, because she takes care of her mum and still goes to school.

"Before I go to school each morning, I have to shower, wash and dress my mum and make her breakfast because she is too sick to do it for herself. Sometimes I am late for school but I try hard to make it on time. It's hard doing both each morning, but my mum is very strong and she wants to be there for me as long as she can, so I am proud of my mum for all the pain she puts up with for me.

I have a lot on my mind and I worry about my mum so it gets hard some days trying to focus on school work. I'm happy that I have made lots of new friends at this school and that I can still manage to keep going to school."

Commenting on the story Dr Lisa O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer of The Smith Family said, "Some kids are heroes but you'll never hear about them. Through my work I get to meet many children dealing with circumstances beyond their control. I am inspired by how they consider it just part of life and they are getting on with it. They show such bravery and resilience from such a young age and such strength in overcoming the odds to achieve."

"I believe that every child deserves a chance and we know that given the right support these little heroes will thrive and break the cycle of disadvantage. At The Smith Family we help kids in need to get the opportunities they require to achieve the futures they deserve and to feel proud of themselves," Dr O'Brien said.

Research shows that supporting a child's education is one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of disadvantage. It empowers them to create a better future for themselves. The Smith Family strives to give disadvantaged Aussie children access to the same learning opportunities as every other child.

In Australia today, there are around 606,000 dependent children and young people living in jobless families. For these children, the effects of their family's financial disadvantage go beyond the pressures of not having enough money for the basics in life. Their disadvantage holds them back from accessing the same educational and life opportunities as their peers. The Smith Family's work touches the lives of over 106,000 disadvantaged children and their families in 97 communities across Australia each year.

Please help these little heroes get the futures they deserve by donating to The Smith Family Christmas Appeal today.

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au