The Smith Family is a national independent children's charity committed to helping disadvantaged Australian children by unlocking opportunities through education and learning.


Established in 1922, The Smith Family has a proven track record in making sustained change. Operating in WA since 2001, this year they will work with over 3,000 children in both metro and rural and regional WA.

In West Australia, The Smith Family has identified a number of communities where families encounter financial and social disadvantage. In WA, these include Midland, Maddington, Kwinana, Mirrabooka, Collie, Karratha, and Port Hedland.

The Smith Family helps disadvantaged students in two ways: Financial Scholarships and via our Learning for Life Programs:

• Direct financial scholarships assists disadvantaged youth with the purchase of school uniforms, shoes, books, and other education related expenses. Disadvantage needs to be proven, and attendance at school is monitored. These scholarships are funded by individuals, families and small businesses.
• Learning for Life programs directly compliment the financial support, and are structured to provide formally structured mentoring, tutoring and coaching at key transition points in the students' journey. Our support from charitable foundations and corporate partners- with components of fiscal support and volunteer input- make these programs possible.

One example of these is our Student to Student program.

Student-2-Student is a telephone peer support reading program offered to students in Years 3, who have been identified as being two years behind in their reading development. Each student has a mentor or ?buddy' who has high literacy skills and is in Year 6 at another school. The student reads to the mentor for at least 20 minutes during two to three telephone sessions per week for approximately 18 weeks a year, usually between April and September.

Mentors keep a simple record of each phone contact and report progress to a mentor supervisor fortnightly. Mentors receive training and are supported by the Mentor Supervisors (volunteers) who help to resolve any problems and ensure that the mentors are following the process that works best with the student.

The SMCFWA is proud to support the Smith Family and the Student to Student program. If you and your family are interested in
supporting a student via a scholarship, please telephone 1800 996 677 or if you are keen to become involved as a volunteer, please
call 1300 397 730. Alternatively please visit www.smithfamily.com.au