Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs Writing to your sponsored student
Writing to your sponsored student can be a very rewarding part of your sponsorship journey, and students often tell us that hearing from their sponsors gives them added inspiration and motivation to succeed.
Each year you will receive a student profile from your sponsored student, who will share with you more information about their family, their interest and favourite subjects at school.
You can write to your student at any time of the year and at key milestones we will also send reminders to correspond with your student if you choose, such as their birthday
We understand and respect that you may wish not to write to your student. Choosing to correspond with your student is entirely optional.
Hearing from your student
While our students and their families appreciate hearing from you, due to a range of extenuating circumstances, they may not always be able to respond. Some students may feel embarrassed about their circumstances or inadequate writing skills, they may not know how to respond appropriately or may have a disability. Parents may also struggle to communicate with you as they may be juggling many demands such as working multiple jobs to make ends meet or caring for an ill or disabled family member. Some students, particularly younger students, may not fully understand the concept of sponsorship.
Parents often protect their children from the worry of financial stress and in some cases students don’t fully become aware of having a sponsor until their senior years of schooling. Please don’t take this as a lack of appreciation on their part.
Parents often protect their children from the worry of financial stress and in some cases students don’t fully become aware of having a sponsor until their senior years of schooling. Please don’t take this as a lack of appreciation on their part.
Getting started
We know it can sometimes be hard to know what to write about, so we’ve created some conversation starters to help you get started.
Asking questions is another great way to start a conversation with your sponsored student. You can ask them things like ‘What are your hobbies?’, ‘Do you have any pets?’, ‘Do you have a favourite sport or book?’Privacy and safety
The Smith Family is committed to acting in the best interest of students. We will only forward correspondence between sponsors and students that complies with our correspondence guidelines.
The Smith Family will exercise complete discretion when handling any correspondence that does not meet our guidelines and reserves the right to withhold any correspondence deemed inappropriate.
All correspondence between students and sponsors is checked by our team of volunteers before we forward it on. This keeps yours and your student's personal information safe. If you receive a piece of correspondence that contains personal information, like a last name or contact details, please let us know.
As a child-safe organisation, we prioritise the safety and well-being of all students. For more information on our commitment to Child Protection, please visit our website at thesmithfamily.com.au/child-protection.
The Smith Family will exercise complete discretion when handling any correspondence that does not meet our guidelines and reserves the right to withhold any correspondence deemed inappropriate.
All correspondence between students and sponsors is checked by our team of volunteers before we forward it on. This keeps yours and your student's personal information safe. If you receive a piece of correspondence that contains personal information, like a last name or contact details, please let us know.
As a child-safe organisation, we prioritise the safety and well-being of all students. For more information on our commitment to Child Protection, please visit our website at thesmithfamily.com.au/child-protection.
Sending your correspondence
All correspondence between students and sponsors is checked by our team of volunteers before we forward it on.
If you choose to send correspondence to your student, you can send it in the followings ways:
• Online
• Email
• Mail
For more information on sending correspondence to your student please visit our Sponsorship Correspondence Guidelines.
Online
The easiest way to send a message to your sponsored student is to use our online portal My Smith Family.
You can use our online portal My Smith Family.
Simply create your own account at thesmithfamily.com.au/register
Email
You can email your correspondence to sponsorship@thesmithfamily.com.au and we will send it on to your student.
Please include your Smith Family ID and your student’s name and student ID in the email.
Mail
Send your card or letter to:
Learning for Life student correspondence
The Smith Family
GPO Box 10500
Sydney NSW 2001
Attn: Your student’s first name, your student’s ID and your Smith Family ID.
If you send a physical gift card, we ask that you avoid those that show the purchase location when checking the balance online.
