We must provide learning support for 18,922 children by 30 June.

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- Literacy programs
  Providing resources and support to help children living with disadvantage achieve the required reading standard.
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  Learning for Life is an innovative, evidence-based program that supports students throughout their education to achieve positive long-term outcomes for young people experiencing disadvantage.
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  Mentoring programs for students living with disadvantage that provide the encouragement they need to build aspirations for their future.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs
  Our work engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in learning through education, life skills and role models, promoting culturally responsive practice.
Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
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  Making small, regular donations to The Smith Family through Workplace Giving is an easy way to help change the lives of young Australians living in poverty.
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Steve Biddulph: What children really need to thrive

An image of doug taylor ceo of the smith family with an image of steve biddulph for conversations with the smith family

If you think about the qualities that are going to make a kid's life go well, they're things like patience or kindness or perseverance, good sense of humour ... If you have those, your life goes well. If you don't, you have an awful life.

Steve Biddulph, family psychologist, parenting educator and author

When children feel seen, supported and valued, they’re more likely to thrive – in the classroom and beyond.

In this episode, we're joined by family psychologist Steve Biddulph AM, one of the world’s best-known parenting educators and authors. He talks to Doug Taylor, our CEO, about the importance of role models in a child’s development and education journey, and how small moments of connection can have a lifelong impact.

They also discuss the mental health and wellbeing issues affecting so many students right now, which can lead young people to disengage from their education.

“Anxiety has become, I call it, the second-biggest problem on the planet,” Steve says. “Climate change is the biggest, but anxiety comes a close second ... it's hammering this generation and it wasn't so a generation ago.”

Conversation highlights

Steve talks to Doug about:

[1:43] His most memorable education moment
[4:20] The traits that help a young person’s life go well and how these are shaped by those around them
[9:19] Three key stages in young people's relationships with adults as they grow up
[12:07] How anxiety is impacting this generation and what we’re getting wrong
[15:24] What the latest brain science tells us and the most helpful thing we can say to a child experiencing anxiety
[20:44] What worries him about the future and where he finds hope in an uncertain world

Watch the full conversation below via YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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