Sponsor a Child - The Smith Family
Sponsor a disadvantaged Australian child's education and learning today
Many disadvantaged children won't have had the benefit of early childhood learning experiences prior to starting school. Some will have experienced very little time reading with their parents, and most have fewer than 30 children's books in their home.
When a child attends school without things like a school bag, books, or the right sports gear or uniform, they find it extremely difficult to participate. Worse still, they are often shunned and ridiculed by other students. For some, this sets up a pattern of underachievement and social isolation that will literally last the rest of their lives.
Right now there are 680,000 disadvantaged kids in Australia1. Many will find themselves worse off in this uncertain economic climate. School for these kids brings only anxiety. They already know they'll find it hard to fit in. That they can't contribute. And that they'll struggle to keep up. Sadly, there will also be kids who will learn this lesson for the very first time
You can help break the cycle of disadvantage
Research shows that supporting a child's education is one of the best ways to break the cycle of disadvantage. When a child has the things they need to participate, their confidence and outlook improves, and they are far more likely to reach their full potential.
You can support a child's education for just $27 a month. This sum provides one child with the essential items they need. What's more, they also get access to a critical network of personal support, providing invaluable tutoring, mentoring, coaching and literacy programs - all from a sponsorship that costs less than $1 a day.
By providing direct financial assistance for the essentials, a sponsorship means a child can get the most out of their education. As students progress through their education sponsorships increase in value in order to meet their growing financial needs.
Right now we're in need of the following sponsors:
- Primary school students = $27/month or $324/year
(note: current sponsorships at all levels can be renewed online - just tick the 'I'm renewing my sponsorship' box on the sponsorship and donation form to select your relevant sponsorship level)
Your sponsorship is 100% tax deductible and 100% of your contribution directly benefits your sponsored child. Since 1991, more than 63,500 disadvantaged kids have benefited from our sponsorship program which provides complementary support so they can develop the skills they need for their journey through life including:
- Literacy support that helps children develop their comprehension, numeracy, digital, financial, health and emotional literacy skills.
- Personal support, which includes formally structured mentoring, tutoring and coaching as well as access to social, sporting and cultural activities such as camps to support physical, social and emotional development.
- Financial support to assist families with the purchase of school uniforms, shoes, books and other education related expenses, including extra-curricular activities such as class excursions and outings.
What you receive as a sponsor
When you become a sponsor, you will receive:
- Your New Sponsor Welcome Kit - containing all the necessary information about your sponsorship.
- Your student's Profile - completed by your student to introduce themselves to you. This is updated annually.
- Our newsletter - Real people, real stories. As part of The Smith Family you'll hear about the success of the sponsorship program and the impact your support is having for thousands of disadvantaged Australian families.
You can also write to your student - many sponsors and their students find this an extremely rewarding part of the program. As you are sponsoring an Australian child, surnames, addresses and photographs cannot be shared.
Hear from our students
As a teenager growing up in Sydney's south west, becoming a lawyer wasn't something twenty three year old Karen ever thought too seriously about. In 2004, Karen graduated from the Learning for Life program and is now working at a prestigious Sydney law firm. Read more success stories about Karen and other students like her.
Hear from our staff
At every step along the way, our nationwide network of Learning for Life workers support our children, linking them with opportunities including literacy support, mentoring, tutoring and personal development initiatives, in addition to financial scholarships to assist with essential school supplies. We asked one of our Learning for Life workers to describe a typical day supporting disadvantaged students and their families.
Direct Debit Service Agreement
* References: 1. ABS data available on request. Survey of Income and Housing, 2005-06. 2. A hand up not a hand out: Renewing the fight against poverty, 2004.
