By Casey Neill
“With your support, we can stop poor children becoming poor adults.”
That was the message from The Smith Family CEO Dr Lisa O’Brien as she launched the national children’s education charity’s winter appeal.
“Students from low-income backgrounds are often up to three years behind their more advantaged peers in the crucial areas of reading, maths and science,” she said.
“The further behind they fall, the more likely they are to disengage altogether.”
Dr O’Brien said The Smith Family needed to raise $4.1 million by 30 June to deliver education support programs for nearly 10,000 disadvantaged children this year.
The Smith Family’s Dandenong program co-ordinator Rosalind Leong said the charity provided 1200 children and young people in the area with a Learning for Life program sponsorship.
Ms Leong said the program worked in three ways to support participants, who were all from low-income, disadvantaged backgrounds.
It provides children with funds to pay for school expenses, access to a family partnerships co-ordinator who helps them stay motivated, and access to learning support programs.
“The Smith Family runs a range of learning support programs in partnership with four secondary schools and eight primary schools,” Ms Leong said.
She said Student2student was one of the longest-running and matched children in Years 3 to 8 and up to two years behind in their reading level with trained, older students.
“The younger students read to their buddy over the phone up to three times a week, over an 18-week period,” she said.
“The program has been very successful in improving students’ confidence and attitudes towards reading thereby improving their reading skills as well.”
Ms Leong said there was high demand for services in the Dandenong area “and there are many more families we could support, if we were able to”.
“Our focus is always on helping children to achieve their best at school, and working with parents and teachers to support the child,” she said.
Call 1800 024 069 or visit thesmithfamily.com.au to donate.
