Our learning programs

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.

To improve a young person’s chances to create a better economic future for themselves, research tell us it’s important for children to be engaged in school and stay until Year 12 or equivalent. But sadly not every child has the same opportunities to achieve this. 

Our work focuses on Australian children in families and communities where we know it’s harder for them to fully participate in their education without some help.  

Our Learning for Life program provides emotional, practical and financial support to help disadvantaged children and young people with their education. Our support starts in the early years of learning development and continues through primary and high school. Our programs help build skills, knowledge, motivation, self-belief and a network of positive relationships with parents, peers and significant others. This support increases a young person’s likelihood of remaining engaged with school, completing Year 12 and developing realistic and informed study and career pathways for life beyond the school gate.

We provide targeted support that begins early in a child’s life and continues in a balanced long-term way throughout their first two decades. For the same overall investment, this approach is far more effective than concentrating support on a particular period of young people’s lives. This approach results in increases in high school graduation and university enrollments and decreases in welfare reliance and criminal convictions.

Education is a driver of real and powerful change that can break the cycle of disadvantage. Over the last year, thanks to the support of thousands of generous Australians, and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, we provided education-oriented learning and support programs to more than 209,128 disadvantaged Australian children and their families.

The Smith Family delivers our Learning for Life programs across 90 Australian communities, often out of the local school.

The communities have been identified as having higher concentrations of families living in economic disadvantage and are across all Australian states and territories.

• 89% of early years professionals that participated in our Let's Count program felt that they had increased confidence engaging with parents/carers about their child’s mathematical development.

• 89% of parents who participated in our Let's Read program agreed that they now have more ideas about how to read, talk and sing with their child.

• 94% of students who participated in our student2student reading program improved their reading.

• 80% of students who participated in our iTrack mentoring program agreed that their mentor helped them understand more about how they can reach their career goals. 84% stated that their mentor gave them more ideas about possible plans after leaving school. 

• 88% of Certificate 1 Financial Services participants attained the Certificate 1 qualification.

• 87% of Saver Plus participants were saving the same amount or more, three to seven years after completing the program.

We are grateful for all the contributions we receive and always strive to make sure donations are directed to the area of greatest need, in the most efficient way possible.

Over the five years to June 2020, an average of $3 in every $4 raised from individual supporters, corporate partners and governments has been available for spending on our Community Programs.

For more detailed information please visit our finances.