future pathways

Young people are most at risk of disengaging from their education during high school. Poverty can create additional barriers for young people, causing them to disengage at school. This can then limit their future learning and career opportunities.

However, with the right support a young person can see a clear path to their desired future, keeping them more motivated to stay at school and complete Year 12.

A donation to Future Pathways will ensure that students in their final years of high school can access learning support, mentors and the exposure to the working world before they leave school.

We currently have 4,823 children in Years 9-12 who need urgent support to navigate the unique challenges of these final years of school.

For the 1 in 6 Australian children experiencing financial disadvantage¹, poverty often stands in the way. Many start school already behind in their learning.² And without access to the resources and support that all children need to achieve their best, they can fall even further behind with each passing year.

By the time they reach Year 9, children experiencing disadvantage are on average 2-3 years behind in reading and maths.³ At this point, keeping motivated to stay in school can be very difficult.

The sad reality is that despite their abilities and their own plans for the future, up to 40% of young people growing up in poverty won't complete Year 12.⁵ This can lock them out of opportunities for further study or employment.

After a relationship breakdown James' mum struggled to raise three young children on her own. She was unable to work due to health issues and their financial hardship meant she struggled to afford the essential items James and his siblings needed for school.

When James entered his final years of high school he was excited, but with this new chapter also came new challenges. He didn't know how he would afford the expensive resources essential to high school study - including textbooks, equipment for elective subjects, and excursions. Despite being smart, determined and hard-working, he couldn't join the dots on how his efforts at school might translate into a clear path post school, his mum did her best to advise him on how to plan for future study and employment but found it difficult as she hadn’t completed Year 10 herself. Without a clear plan to work towards, James found it difficult to stay motivated at school.

It is simply not acceptable that any Australian child should miss out on the chance to fulfill their potential because poverty is standing in their way.

That's why it's so crucial that young people like James can access the support and guidance of our tailored programs during these critical years of their education, so they can overcome the hurdles poverty puts in the way of their learning and achieve everything they're capable of.

Future Pathways helps students stay engaged in their education and connects them with mentors and networks to help guide their career pathways - so they can complete Year 12 and go on to further studies and meaningful employment.