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City of Sydney Charity Partner

School boy standing in front of school building

Change the Course of a Child's Life this Christmas

The Smith Family is proud to be the official charity partner of the City of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Since The Smith Family was founded in Sydney almost 100 years ago, we have been tackling the problem of poverty one child at a time. And as the eyes of the world turn to this magnificent city on New Year's Eve, we ask you to please make a donation and change the course of a child's life this Christmas.

As Australia’s largest national education charity, we support disadvantaged Australian children to participate fully in their education, giving them the best chance at breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Our out-of-school learning support and mentoring programs help children in need to fit in at school, keep up with their peers, and build aspirations for a better future for themselves.

Boy sitting at desk with teacher

At such a young age, Jai* is already facing challenges way beyond his years.

When Jai’s father was diagnosed with cancer his family was plunged into sudden poverty.  Although his parents do their best to hide it, Jai knows how stressed they are by their financial situation. 

Jai does his best every single day and longs to make his parents proud – but his constant worry makes it hard to concentrate on schoolwork. He wants to be an engineer, just like his father, but he’s falling far behind, especially in maths, which used to be his favourite subject. He’s starting to think his hopes are out of reach.  

All donations of $2 and over are tax deductable
I feel so bad when I get things wrong in class. I get so worried that sometimes my stomach hurts.
Jai, aged 7

The challenges of poverty have shattered Jai’s confidence.

When Jai was 2, his family moved to Australia when his dad was offered a job in a rural area with a severe shortage of skilled engineers.

Then last year his dad fell ill and could no longer work. For a while, the family got by on the income Jai’s mum earned from casual work – but COVID-19 hit and, like many casual workers, she lost her job.  

Boy sitting at kitchen table alone doing homework
Without ongoing and targeted learning support, children like Jai won't be able to get the most out of their education.

Struggling to simply pay their rent and needing to be nearer the hospital, the family has had to relocate twice. Each time, Jai has had to change schools – severely disrupting his learning.  

Always being the ‘new kid’ makes school very daunting. Jai feels anxious every time he walks through the school gates and has become quiet and withdrawn in class.

All donations of $2 and over are tax deductable

Jai was a happy and excited boy and he used to love school, especially maths. But he is a different child now, sad and anxious. His teachers say he barely participates. We are very worried.
Jai’s dad.

A school boy is standing alone in a playground
Jai struggles at school and feels like he doesn't belong.

Children who are living in poverty can be as much as 3 years behind their peers in reading and maths by the age of 151. Falling behind impacts their confidence and makes it even harder to learn. As their self-esteem erodes, there’s a serious risk they’ll lose all motivation and eventually give up on their education altogether.

Unless Jai gets the urgent help he needs, he could face a lifetime trapped in a devastating cycle of poverty.

You can help set Jai on the path to a better future

Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Your kindness today will help provide out-of-school learning support and mentoring programs to help children like Jai catch up on their learning and rebuild their shattered confidence. By intervening early with vital support, you can help change the whole course of a child’s life.

  • You can help Jai attend one of our out-of-school Learning Clubs, Term 1 2022, where he’ll get help to catch up and keep up.
  • Your support will give Jai a greater chance of staying motivated and completing his education in Year 122.
  • This will help Jai reach his full potential and give him the best possible options for this future.

how your donation will help

Passport Program

Passport helps children in Year 6 develop skills, knowledge and confidence so they are prepared for a successful move to high school.

83% of students said that Passport helped them learn skills that would help them in high school.
Wal and Tri working on the computer

iTrack Mentoring Program

iTrack is a mentoring program matching a student in Years 9 to 11 to a trained mentor, who gives them guidance about study options and career paths.

79% of students who participated in iTrack said they are more positive about their future career and study options.
Group of children around a table

Learning Clubs

With the help of a tutor, Learning Clubs provide a supportive out-of-school learning environment for students to develop their numeracy and literacy skills.

88% of students said going to our Learning Club makes them try harder at school.

We need your help to provide our crucial learning support programs to 11,668 disadvantaged children who urgently need it next year. This Christmas, you can help make sure no child has to miss out.
Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith Family
doug-taylor-ceo-the-smith-family
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* Jai's name, location and associated images have been changed to protect their identity.
1Thomson et al, 2011, Challenges for Australian Education: Results from PISA 2009.
2 Attendance Lifts Achievement Report 2018.

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