8/14/2019 SMI0047 Winter Appeal DM Brochure

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Please donate to The Smith Family Winter Appeal today.Complete the orm enclosed, call 1800 024 069 or visit thesmith amily.com.au

Barry breaks a tenyear drought.

I grew up in a amily o sevenkids in Kwinana in WA. Both mymother and ather had missedout on educational opportunitiesand were determined or meto be di erent. While primaryschool was okay, as anAboriginal student, high schoolproved troublesome, becausestrong racism made it hardto concentrate on study.

On the verge o giving up oneducation altogether in year nine,my teacher introduced me to aSmith Family Learning for Life worker. Her guidance helped mebelieve I had the ability to fnishschool. The confdence I gainedthrough the program also helpedme become a peer mentor andschool counsellor in my fnalyear. Im proud to say Im the

frst Aboriginal kid to graduaterom Kwinana High in ten years.

Im proud to say Im thefrst Aboriginal kid tograduate rom KwinanaHigh in ten years.

Barry has since become amember o the Youth AdvisoryCommittee and AboriginalEducation Board in his area,giving his time generously tokids just like him. Currentlyworking as a compliance analystor the Department o Waterin Perth, the next challengeis uni to study management.

Young girl makes a callon better reading skills.

The Smith Family readingsupport program is designed tohelp younger kids improve theirreading skills by reading to an

older student over the phone.One amily (whod like to remainanonymous), were so keen ortheir daughter to take part inthe program, they had a phoneconnected especially. Initiallytheir daughter was nervous,but by the end o the frst callshe was swinging her legs o

the side o a stool, smiling.

Now when thetelephone rings, sheraces to answer it.

Now when the telephone rings,she races to answer it, says theyoung girls mother, believingThe Smith Family readingmentor has single handedlychanged her daughtersperspective on reading. Shenow reads in class with greatconfdence and her sel esteemis at an all time high.

Good news or a change.Nothing inspires us more than success. Last year, your support helped touch the li veso 128,000 young Australians. The best part is, many o the kids you helpgrow up wanting to share their positive experience by helping others like them.Here are some Smith Family success stories you can eel a part o .

May 2009

N A TI ON A L RE VIE W

The upside what your help hasalready achieved.

85% of kids believed ourreading programs gavethem more confdencewith their school work.

600 students and mentorsparticipated in our onlinementoring programs in2008; a 50% increaseon 2007.

In 2007, over 47% of ouryear 12 students progressedto tertiary studies (anincrease from 21% in 2005 and 34% in 2006).

1650 people took partin digital literacy coursesin 2007/08.

Early childhoodlearning and parentingskills programs wereestablished or parentsand children in Tasmaniaor the frst time.

To donate to The Smith Family Winter Appeal , please complete the form enclosed, call 1800 024 069 or visit thesmithfamily.com.au

8/14/2019 SMI0047 Winter Appeal DM Brochure

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ITS ALLYOUVE BEEN

READINGABOUT.ITS ALL

SHES EVERKNOWN.

While we can turn the page on the doom andgloom headlines, a generation o Aussie kids are

experiencing a downturn they cant ignore.Seven year old Katie is missinganother day o school.Shes not sick. Its just thatits reezing outside againand with very little householdincome, her parents cant a ordto buy her a school jumper.

Just wear my old one, hermum o ers. Katie shakesher head. The last time she

tried that the kids at schoollaughed, then asked i shewas poor. I you had a choicebetween ridicule or reezingin the playground, you mightwant to miss school as well.

For 680,000 Australian kids 1 like Katie, the headlines weread every day fnancialhardship, recession andcrisis are the story o theirlives. And as the economicdownturn deepens, peoplewho are already strugglingare the frst to su er more.

Were receiving atleast 150 calls a weekrom amilies in need.

Many rom areas wevenever dealt with be ore.

At The Smith Family, werereceiving at least 150 calls aweek rom amilies in need.Many rom areas weve neverdealt with be ore. Its hard toturn them away. Un ortunately,our help or them extends only

as ar as the support you cangive. This winter we urgently

need your continued generosityto help raise $4 million.

As you know, an education isproven to be one o the moste ective ways to break thecycle o disadvantage. At everyli e stage disadvantaged kidsace barriers to stay engagedin education. The truth is, theyneed ongoing support. Andits not just or uni orms orschool books even thoughthey help a great deal. Its yourconstant support that helpsto keep these kids on track.

At every li e stage they(disadvantaged kids)ace barriers to stay

engaged in education.

Take pre-school or instance.Your parents probably readyou stories when you werelittle. And talked about theworld around you, be ore you

could even talk back. Manydisadvantaged children growup with only a ew books andno reading culture at home.So they start school behind,making it tough to catch up.

Even i they can master theacademic side o things, theyhave to deal with other kids.And kids can be cruel. Withoutmoney or the complete uni orm,bag and books, the poor kido ten becomes the ocus oridicule. Its not about havingthe coolest sports shoes. Its

about actually having sportsshoes in the frst place.

By the time these kids hit highschool, theyll have a very highchance o dropping out. In act,28% of Australian teenagersaged 15-19 will leave schoolwith no transition into ull timework, study or a combinationo both 2. Sadly, thats almosta third o a generation withnothing to do. And no money tolive on. Its not hard to imagine

where these kids will end up.

We urgently need to keep these

kids interested in education.Not so easy when 37% of lowincome households * do nothave access to a computer athome 3. And many kids will

miss out on school camp eachyear. While their classmatesare busy making lastingriendships, older students are

o ten doing an extra shi t tohelp pay their parents rent.

Sadly, thats almost athird o a generation withnothing to do. And nomoney to live on. Its nothard to imagine wherethese kids will end up.

Can you blame these kids

or continually questioningtheir chance o success?Help us reach them be orethey give up altogether.

Every initiative rom The Smith

Family aims to restore andretain a childs sense o worth,

1 ABS data available on request, Survey

of Income and Housing 2005 20062 ABS 4102.0 Australian Social Trends

Education and Training 2007* Equivalised household income

of less then $40,000.3 ABS (2008) Household Use

o In ormation Technology,Australia 2007-08. ABS ACT.

1 in 7 Aussiekids ace barriersto education.

A lack of early childhoodlearning opportunitiesmean they startschool behind.

Incomplete schooluni orm, books and bagmake it hard to ft in.

No school excursionsmean theyre always theone to miss out.

No home computer orinternet access makesit di fcult to keep upat school.

Older students have notime or study becausetheyre working to supporttheir amily.

whatever their age. We know

times are tough or everyone,but your generous donation can

greatly a ect the person a childgrows up to be. No matter whatsum you donate, it tells a child

that someone else believes intheir education. Its a chance to

change their story or good.To read about the many ways youve

already helped children changetheir story, please turn over.

To donate to The Smith Family Winter Appeal , please complete the form enclosed, call 1800 024 069 or visit thesmithfamily.com.au