Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs Sponsorship helps Ava overcome barriers to her education.
Ava’s missing her chance to achieve her best.
Children across Australia will soon be heading back to school – a time that should be full of hope and promise for every child. But 8-year-old Ava is missing out on the school essentials she needs to make the most of her education in the school year ahead.
Ava’s family has been under financial pressure for the last few years and the rising cost of living has impacted them more then ever before. This means there’s no money to buy the right uniform, shoes and backpack that Ava will need, putting her at a disadvantage as soon as she walks through the school gates this year.
Just like any other child, Ava deserves to get off to a good start when school goes back.
Ava’s family has been under financial pressure for the last few years and the rising cost of living has impacted them more then ever before. This means there’s no money to buy the right uniform, shoes and backpack that Ava will need, putting her at a disadvantage as soon as she walks through the school gates this year.
Just like any other child, Ava deserves to get off to a good start when school goes back.
Back-to-school costs are so expensive – with uniforms and shoes and stationery,
Through no fault of her own, Ava is at risk of falling behind before the year even starts.
Back when Ava’s mum Rachel was with her husband, they used to just make ends meet. But since they’ve separated, things are even worse, with Rachel having to move to a more affordable area to support the family. Since then, Rachel has been finding it hard to cover living expenses for herself, Ava and 5-year-old Noah on her own.
Rachel is doing everything she can to improve the family’s situation, working full time in a café and studying part-time to become a teacher.
She knows this will give them all a better future even though it hasn’t left much time to help Ava and Noah with their school work. Last year, Ava began falling behind in her school work despite trying her hardest, and she’s worried about falling further behind this year.
Like any parent, Rachel wants to give her children everything they deserve to thrive, and it hurts to see her little girl falling behind no matter how hard she tries.
Rachel is doing everything she can to improve the family’s situation, working full time in a café and studying part-time to become a teacher.
She knows this will give them all a better future even though it hasn’t left much time to help Ava and Noah with their school work. Last year, Ava began falling behind in her school work despite trying her hardest, and she’s worried about falling further behind this year.
Like any parent, Rachel wants to give her children everything they deserve to thrive, and it hurts to see her little girl falling behind no matter how hard she tries.
How your sponsorship helps
School essentials
Financial support to pay for uniforms, stationery and excursions to help a child fit in and feel confident.
Local, personalised support
Community-based Learning for Life Coordinators who provide help and guidance to a family to support their child’s schooling.
Access to additional learning support
Access to out-of-school learning and mentoring programs to help students thrive at school and beyond.
We certainly couldn’t afford anything like sports or school excursions, even though I know how much they enrich the kids’ lives.
Give a child like Ava the chance to make this year count.
Ava’s story reflects a reality many Australian families are facing today, with 59% of parents and caregivers we support telling us they found it harder to afford all the things their children needed for school in 2024 than ever before.
We know that education is one of the most powerful change agents.
By sponsoring a child like Ava, you can help given them access to the financial, practical and emotional support they need to make the most of their education and build a better tomorrow.
We know that education is one of the most powerful change agents.
By sponsoring a child like Ava, you can help given them access to the financial, practical and emotional support they need to make the most of their education and build a better tomorrow.
Right now, Ava and over 15,000 children in Australia like her are in urgent need of a sponsor to stop poverty from taking another year of learning from them.
Sponsor now Find out more
*Ava's name, family details and associated images have been changed to protect her family’s identity.
1 Poverty in Australia 2023: Who is affected? UNSW/ACOSS2 Cunha F & Heckman J (2007) ‘The technology of skill formation’, American Economic Review, American Economic Association, Vol. 97, No. 2, p. 44.
3,4 & 5 The Smith Family’s Learning Clubs Program Outcomes Summary, 2021