Digital inequality is locking children out of learning.

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  Providing resources and support to help children living with disadvantage achieve the required reading standard.
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  Providing children and young people living with disadvantage with the critical skills, access, and equipment they need.
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- Learning for Life
  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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Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
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- Sponsor a child
  Through child sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
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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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Child Sponsorship
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How sponsorship helped Declan soar

school boy holding his certificate in class

We’ve been following Learning for Life student Declan’s progress for some years now. You may remember him from previous updates.

Now 13, he’s settled in well at high school. And if you ask him what subject he likes doing best, he’ll struggle to choose.

Science. Indonesian. Art. Sports. English. He’s a confident all-rounder.

But turn the clock back five years…

In 2020, everything was different. Declan, who has dyslexia, “struggled to read even basic words,” says his mum, Cassie. “He was in Year 3 but only reading at Grade 1 level. He was very low in confidence.”

Then Covid-19 sent schools into lockdown, and learning got even harder. “I was struggling to even cover groceries and petrol, so we couldn’t afford an internet connection,” says Cassie.

a school boy in the playground on his laptop smiling

It’s amazing to see how far he’s come.

Cassie, Declan’s mum

The turning point

Then someone amazing, just like you, became Declan’s sponsor. “Our lives changed dramatically,” says Cassie. “Through his sponsorship, Declan got free wi-fi, which made a massive difference. And the financial support really helped with shoes and uniforms.”

But it was access to extra learning support that made the most difference. Thanks to his sponsor, Declan joined our innovative student2student program. He was paired with a reading buddy, who called him twice a week to listen to him read and help him sound out hard words.

Declan fell in love with reading – and saw all his hard work pay off.

“I went from D to A in English”, he beams. “I’m so proud of that.” “It’s amazing to see how far he’s come,” says Cassie. “He’s gone up six reading grades since he started student2student, and it’s helped him do better in all his subjects.”

Declan now has his sights set on a career in construction. (Or better yet, professional footy!)

Thanks to a sponsor like you, nothing stands in his way.

Read more student and family stories in our Spring 2025 edition of Your Support, Real Impact.