Poverty in Australia
- What is Poverty? The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines the poverty line as half the median household income of the total population.
- Breaking Poverty Podcast Investigates the role of education in breaking poverty in these unprecedented times and safeguarding the future of the next generation.
Our Programs
- Literacy programs Providing resources and support to help disadvantaged children achieve the required reading standard.
- Numeracy programs We support parents and early years educators in developing the maths skills of the children in their care so that they can establish the necessary foundation skills.
- Mentoring programs Mentoring programs for disadvantaged students that give the encouragement they need to build aspirations for their future.
- Technology programs Providing disadvantaged children and young people with the critical skills, access and equipment they need.
- Learning for Life Providing holistic, long-term support for disadvantaged young Australians throughout their education.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students face additional challenges in their journey through and beyond school.
- > View all programs
Get Involved
- Sponsor a child Through sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
- Volunteer with us Share your skills to help Australian children in need transform their lives through education.
- Careers We aim to provide a working environment where staff and volunteers have the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
- Ways to Fundraise Learn about fundraising and give back to the community with The Smith Family.
- Partnerships Learn how your organisation can partner with The Smith Family and help build a better future for Australian children in need.
- VIEW Clubs of Australia Learn about VIEW, a leading women’s volunteer organisation and support network with over 16,000 members, across Australia.
Ways to Give
- Sponsor a child Through sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
- Monthly Donor Become a monthly donor and provide continual support throughout all stages of a child’s education.
- Single Donation Your donation will help young Australians in need by providing access to our Learning for Life education support programs.
- A gift in your will Ensure that future generations of Australian children have the support they need to make the most of their education.
- Philanthropic Giving Through your philanthropy, you can ensure that young Australians growing up in poverty get the education they deserve.
- Give toys or books The Toy & Book Appeal is your opportunity to help bring a smile to a child's face this Christmas.
Shop for Gifts
- Joyspreader Charity Gifts Purchase a virtual Charity Gift and support learning and mentoring programs.
- Charity Christmas cards Order your Christmas cards, corporate Christmas cards or e-cards and support The Smith Family.

SAP

SAP'S PURPOSE IS TO HELP THE WORLD RUN BETTER AND IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND IT'S PROUD TO BRING THIS TO LIFE THROUGH ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SMITH FAMILY.

SAP Australia has worked closely with The Smith Family since 2013, following a vote in which SAP employees in Australia chose to work with us. SAP is committed to inspiring young people about the technology industry, specifically supporting our digital skills and career mentoring programs. These are designed to narrow the digital divide between young people experiencing disadvantage and their more advantaged peers.

SAP and The Smith Family’s multi-faceted partnership continues to evolve, with SAP now helping to power our innovation strategy. We also work together on the Young ICT Explorers (YICTE) competition. The program provides teachers with professional development, mentoring and technology hardware so they can encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to explore Information Communication Technology (ICT). The competition gives children in grades 3 to 12 the chance to showcase their IT projects to a panel of representatives from IT companies, government and academia, improving the digital literacy of participating children and young people across Australia. The winning projects are then selected at a national final.

We launched our Young ICT Explorers Accelerator Program in 2016 to help students from Smith Family partner schools in disadvantaged communities enter the YICTE competition. The program equips teachers at these schools with the necessary digital know-how, and provides financial support so that schools can purchase computers and learning materials.

Together SAP and The Smith Family are joining forces to help to break the cycle of disadvantage through the power of education.

Find out more about SAP.