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VIEW commemorates International Women's Day

Media releases

04 March 2013

Up to 300 women from VIEW Clubs of Australia will be joined by the Hon Shelley Hancock MP, Speaker of NSW Legislative Assembly and Ms Natasha Maclaren-Jones MLC, to commemorate International Women's Day at a luncheon on Friday 8th March at NSW Parliament House in Sydney.

VIEW stands for the Voice, Interests and Education of Women and is a leading woman's volunteer organisation and support network established in 1960 to give women a voice, confidence to take on leadership roles and advance the role of women in society. VIEW is a valued part of children's charity The Smith Family with 19,600 members across more than 350 clubs nationally.

VIEW continues to hold a unique place in society by being the only national women's organisation that is solely focused on supporting, advocating and helping young disadvantaged Australians in need.

VIEW members contribute significant fundraising and volunteering support to The Smith Family. Last year, VIEW members raised more than $1 million and supported more than 985 disadvantaged children through The Smith Family's Learning for Life program.

"With the theme of International Women's Day incorporating The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum, we thought it paramount to highlight the unfavourable educational outcomes for all children born into disadvantage in Australia," said VIEW National Vice President Chris Newell.

"We believe that all children should have equal opportunities to reach their potential through education. It's important to seize on the opportunity International Women's Day provides to bring women together from across New South Wales to stand up and have their voices heard and empower each other to achieve our goals," she said.

Apart from raising awareness, fundraising and sponsoring children, VIEW members volunteer over 50,000 hours each year of their time and talents in a number of ways. Members read with local children to advance their literacy skills; help children with homework after school at Smith Family Learning Clubs; act as mentors for students; make library bags; donate school stationery packs for use at home and school and donate funds for toys and books for children in need at Christmas time.

For 53 years VIEW has been a driving force behind its support of disadvantaged Australian children through its support of The Smith Family. VIEW currently sponsors 985 Australian children in need through the Learning for Life program, ensuring they may develop vital life skills and stay engaged in their education.

In NSW there are 10,716 VIEW members in 215 Clubs/communities covering the eastern seaboard from the Queensland border to the Victorian border and as far west as Cobar. Membership of VIEW is suited to all women interested in meeting regularly, establishing friendships and contributing to the community.

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