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You can sponsor an Australian child today

The cost of living continues to climb, Australian children experiencing disadvantage need you now more than ever

One in six Australian children and young people are growing up in poverty1, where even the bare necessities are hard to come by. In a family where there is no regular income, money goes on food, rent and bills. Finding money for a school uniform, proper shoes, textbooks or the next school excursion is often impossible.

Right now, 10,000 children are waiting for sponsors. Please help them receive the support they need at this critical time.


The cycle of disadvantage - family challenges lead to reduced educational outcomes for children, difficulty getting a job and overall life outcomes impacted
For $58 a month, your sponsorship combined with that of another sponsor, will provide a child with the learning essentials they need such as books, stationery and data, so they don't fall even further behind.
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Questions

For $58 a month, your sponsorship can provide a child with:

Your child sponsorship support in action

The Learning for Life sponsorship program recognises that disadvantaged children need extra support to stay at school and go on to further studies or employment.

So when a student is sponsored through The Smith Family, as well as financial assistance with purchasing school essentials, the student’s family is also paired with a Learning for Life Coordinator. The Learning for Life Coordinator offers students encouragement and support with their schooling; links students and their families to learning and mentoring programs in their community and helps children and young people to fully participate in their education.

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two students in blue school uniform in a school playground with backpacks

Did you know you can choose the age of the child you wish to sponsor?

Right now, we have 2,876 children in Years 8 and 9 (aged between 13 and 14) who need a sponsor. With a greater emphasis on independent study and more complex subjects to tackle, adjusting to high school can be especially challenging. Please consider sponsoring a Year 8 or 9 child today.
$58 / month Tax deductible
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Read our latest Annual Report for fundraising efficiency and sponsorship program effectiveness.

All of your sponsorship benefits your sponsored child by providing them with the financial and education support to build the strong foundations only an education can provide so they can change their tomorrow.
Annual Report
a school girl in a classroom

On average, children growing up in disadvantaged homes are two to three years behind their more advantaged peers

The impacts of poverty are severe and far reaching. When they start school, many children in disadvantaged families are behind in basic reading and math skills2, lacking the essentials they need to fully participate in their education. Without the skills they need to keep up in class, these students can fall even further behind, making it more difficult for them to stay engaged and motivated at school.

Without early intervention, these children can fall so far behind it is almost impossible to catch up.

As a sponsor you'll receive

As a sponsor you can

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Sponsorship Frequently Asked Questions

drawing of a hand with a heart above it. The heart has red diagonal stripes, and the hand is outlined in blue with a red section on the wrist area
“Sponsorship is a chance for me to say, well, here’s one child that won’t miss out.”
Paul, Child Sponsor
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1 Poverty in Australia, 2020, ACOSS/UNSW Report.
2 Thomson et al, 2011, Challenges for Australian Education: Results from PISA 2009.

* Names, family details and associated images have been changed to protect the family’s identity.