Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs Supporting whole families for a flying start at school
10 January 2024
All Australian children deserve access to what they need for their education and the chance to build a bright future. But not every child has an equal chance to achieve all they’re capable of.
By supporting The Smith Family programs like Learning for Life, you’re helping to create greater access to opportunities for students to reach their potential.
As a team member working closely with the students and families we support, Susan is a strong advocate for education and its power to help students learn today so they can change their tomorrow. It’s something she’s always believed, even in childhood. Susan’s parents began work extremely young. They wanted their children to have better educational opportunities than they did – and not to miss out on the careers they wanted.
Across a 30-year career of working in schools and now with The Smith Family, Susan has carried this passion for supporting students to tap into their potential.
“I could look after a child in my class, and make sure they were doing well, not just academically, but emotionally too,” she says. “I especially wanted to empower parents, so they could empower their children.”
I especially wanted to empower parents, so they could empower their children.
I could look after a child in my class, and make sure they were doing well, not just academically, but emotionally too.
With your support, team members like Susan can make a difference to the lives of Australian students and their families every day. Families are supported to fully engage in their child’s learning, so they can help them to get the best out of school.
Sometimes Susan’s role has meant empowering families to strengthen their relationships with the schooling system. Many busy parents can find the schooling system tricky or overwhelming. Susan was there for one mum to help her overcome her worry and confidently support her son at school.
"The mum was a bit unsure what questions she should ask in a meeting with the school. I helped her set up a meeting with people I knew would be best to help us support the family and her son, and we wrote down everything she wanted to know.”
Sometimes Susan’s role has meant empowering families to strengthen their relationships with the schooling system. Many busy parents can find the schooling system tricky or overwhelming. Susan was there for one mum to help her overcome her worry and confidently support her son at school.
"The mum was a bit unsure what questions she should ask in a meeting with the school. I helped her set up a meeting with people I knew would be best to help us support the family and her son, and we wrote down everything she wanted to know.”
Susan noticed that when this school mum understood how the system worked, it had a big impact on her ability to engage with the school and support her child’s education. “Her confidence in herself increased so much and that was extremely rewarding.”
By having an understanding of the barriers to equality, our team on the ground can give meaningful support so students can concentrate on participating fully at school. She’s delighted to watch them be able to take off on their journeys, like one tertiary student she was connected with.
The strength of her connection with this student even now is something both he and Susan value.
“He was going through a difficult patch while he was at university,” she says. “I was a support for him, and he did what he needed to keep going with his education. Now he works for a mining company, and he still comes to have a chat with me when he isn't on shift.”
Today, Susan’s a Team Leader, managing other Coordinators. As someone who has dedicated her life to educational equality, she’s now mentoring others to empower families to thrive.
“From my career as a teacher, to now working at The Smith Family, I've always believed that if we give people wings, they will fly.”
Your support helps to shine a light on the power students and families have within. Thank you for your dedication to giving families wings.
.jpg)
