LEARNING PROGRAMS
Children cannot choose their circumstances
For one in six Australian children and young people growing up in poverty, it can limit their choices, opportunities and outcomes in life.
Investing in the education of a disadvantaged child delivers long-term positive benefits for them, their family and potentially generations to come.
We support disadvantaged Australian children
As Australia’s largest national education-oriented charity, we support disadvantaged Australian children to participate fully in their education, giving them the best chance at breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Our learning support and mentoring programs help children in need to fit in at school, keep up with their peers, and build aspirations for a better future for themselves.
OUR WORK
Education has the power to change lives and break the cycle of disadvantage.
To improve a young person’s chances to create a better economic future for themselves, research tell us it’s important for children to be engaged in school and stay until Year 12 or equivalent. But sadly not every child has the same opportunities to achieve this.
Our work focuses on Australian children in families and communities where we know it’s harder for them to fully participate in their education without some help.
Our Learning for Life program provides emotional, practical and financial support to help disadvantaged children and young people with their education. Our support starts in the early years of learning development and continues through primary and high school. Our programs help build skills, knowledge, motivation, self-belief and a network of positive relationships with parents, peers and significant others. This support increases a young person’s likelihood of remaining engaged with school, completing Year 12 and developing realistic and informed study and career pathways for life beyond the school gate.
Intervention begins early and continues throughout a child's education.
We provide targeted support that begins early in a child’s life and continues in a balanced long-term way throughout their first two decades. For the same overall investment, this approach is far more effective than concentrating support on a particular period of young people’s lives. This approach results in increases in high school graduation and university enrollments and decreases in welfare reliance and criminal convictions.
