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View all programs Shelby’s sponsor turned on a light switch in his mind
14-year-old Shelby is an energetic child excited about his future, and with a clear vision of where his education might lead him. But Shelby and his mum, Sandy, have certainly faced some challenges together over the years.
Life got especially difficult when Sandy had to cut down her work hours. It was while she was studying to get a better job. “We were living week to week,” Sandy says. “We were watching what we were paying, whether it was petrol in the car or swimming fees. It was always something that we had to keep an eye on.”
All young people need guidance and encouragement to achieve their potential. But this hardship and stress made it much harder for Sandy to support Shelby’s education as much as she wanted to. Shelby had so many strengths but he was struggling to reach his goals.
That’s why Sandy was thrilled that Shelby could access sponsorship from someone like you - someone who knows that every child needs the right support to do well in life.
Financial support through sponsorship brought immediate relief for Sandy, especially during remote learning. “It was expected that we had pens and paper and rulers and glue at home,” she remembers. “But we had to go out and purchase all that ourselves.
“Support from Shelby’s sponsor made things like that a lot easier. Having Shelby’s uniforms and shoes paid for has also been such a fantastic thing.”
Shelby had noticed he was behind compared to his peers. “It was really hard,” says Shelby. “I’d want to go home and do simple maths homework, but I just couldn’t do it. It did make me mad and sad because I had no idea what to do.”
Sponsorship then gave Shelby access to The Smith Family program called Catch-Up Learning. He began receiving one-on-one literacy and numeracy tutoring, with qualified teachers.
Shelby was now grasping tough maths concepts with his tutor’s help. What happened next was phenomenal. Shelby’s overall learning and mindset began to transform! Sandy noticed her son now seemed excited to go to school. He was finally ‘getting it’.
It’s like a light switch just changed for him, you could see his mood changed. He was more confident with what he was doing at school. He caught up to where he needed to be.
Shelby is now in Year 9 and knows maths is important in all aspects of life. He is channelling his new skills and confidence gained from the Catch-Up Learning program into practical subjects, like woodwork. Shelby is even exploring a new and exciting pathway for his future.
“I feel like I’m getting better at maths. It’s helping me with understanding the calculations and the measurements in woodwork. You need math to learn other things in life, like woodwork.
“I do like working with my hands, because I can see things come to life,” says Shelby. “When I finish school, I want to be a carpenter and I want to run my own business. I want to build my mum a house – it’s a dream goal for me.”
Shelby feels proud of how far he’s come with his sponsor’s support. It feels amazing that he can do things now that he couldn’t do before.
“By sponsoring a student, you are showing that you care about someone out there,” he says. “Thank you for supporting students like me.”
Read more student and family stories in our Autumn 2024 edition of Real People, Real Stories.
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