Help provide vital educational support to 11,705 Australian children 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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Melissa has the confidence to achieve her dreams

Sponsored students

19 April 2016

Melissa Learning Club volunteer — Melissa, sponsored student

"I loved being able to communicate with my sponsor. It's hard to describe but just knowing that someone is willing to communicate with you and willing to help you, it really is just a great feeling."

Access to our mentoring program, iTrack, was another crucial element of sponsorship support for Melissa. Like many students from disadvantaged backgrounds, she had no-one to turn to for advice about university and career pathways.

"I talked to my iTrack mentor about what I needed to do to become a teacher and go to uni. She provided extra resources that my parents couldn't because they hadn't completed school or gone to university."

Targeted support through sponsorship helps disadvantaged students make a smooth transition from school to work or higher education and training, creating a lasting impact on their future and increasing their chances of improved employment, health and overall life outcomes.

School became easier because I knew there was someone else supporting me outside my family.

Melissa, sponsored student

For a long time, Melissa struggled at school. She remembers other kids bullying her because her family was poor. Her dad worked as a night security guard and that meant he had to sleep during the day. She didn't get to see him as much as she would have liked. Before she joined Learning for Life, Melissa found it hard to cope and lacked the confidence to stand up for herself.

"After I started being sponsored, school became easier because I knew there was someone else supporting me outside my family. Just knowing someone was there offering support gave me confidence.

My proudest moment was when I got my acceptance letter into uni because it just made it seem all worth it. Everything that I had gone through, everything was finally falling into place.

Melissa, sponsored student

"I am not sure if I would have gone to uni without the sponsorship help. I probably would have given up on my dream. Having a sponsor makes a huge difference. It wasn't until someone I didn't know helped me that I started believing I could go to uni."

Melissa is currently studying a Masters of Teaching. She volunteers with a Smith Family Learning Club and is passionate about helping disadvantaged students get through school.

84.2% of Learning for Life students who left in Years 10–12 were engaged in work and/or study 12 months after leaving the program.

Hear from more of our sponsored students.