There are still 4,532 Australian children who need extra learning support by 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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Communities for Children

Facilitating partner

Communities for Children Facilitating Partners (CfC FP) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS). The CfC FP initiative is a sub activity delivered under the Families and Children Activity, which is part of the Families and Communities Program.

The Smith Family is a facilitating partner in 9 CfC FP sites throughout Australia. In 2003 – 2004, we became one of the first NGOs to facilitate the innovative model in Mirrabooka, Western Australia.

Our role as facilitating partner is to work in consultation and collaboration with local stakeholders, to improve systemic linkages and facilitate programs that help children and their families increase their social connections, improve their education and employment outcomes.

For more information about the Department of Social Services's 'Families and Children Activity', Families and Communities Program and the Communities for Children Facilitating Partners initiative, visit www.dss.gov.au.

How we help

Aboriginal girl with face paint in Rockhampton

We facilitate programs for children's physical, emotional and cognitive development including providing support when children are starting primary school and high school.

Programs are also offered to parents, to help them develop positive relationships with their children, that will nurture the development of their learning, social and emotional capacities.

9 CfC FP sites in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

In 2022-2023, the program supported 9,700 children.

Our impact

The Smith Family has a proven track record of adopting an effective place–based approach in the delivery of services, across our 9 CfC FP areas of operation.

This demonstrates our:

capacity for regional and local leadership,
ability to influence community direction in order to achieve program outcomes,
strong governance and monitoring processes for effective program management and ability to leverage a community's unique assets.