Learning program helps students succeed

A program providing highly-disadvantaged children targeted education assistance throughout their schooling, is having a significantly positive impact on the educational outcomes of its Pilbara students, according to new research by The Smith Family.

The report released earlier this month highlighted the success of The Smith Family’s national scholarship program, Learning for Life, and found that seven out of ten students on the program were completing Year 12.

The Smith Family’s head of research and advocacy Anne Hampshire said this compared favourably with six out of ten young Australians from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds nationally completing Year 12 or its equivalent.

“Our research is showing that our highly targeted Learning for Life program is having a very encouraging beneficial impact,” she said.

“The program has been tested at scale and, importantly, it’s also cost-effective, at around just $1000 per student per annum.”

The Learning for Life program provides a range of short programs including literacy and numeracy, learning clubs, mentoring and career activities, as well as digital and financial literacy initiatives for parents, like Hedland mother Jodie Dale.

Ms Dale said the Learning for Life scholarship had helped to support six of her children through their studies at Hedland Senior High School, including her eldest son, Hamish, who had recently completed school and gained employment.

“I use the money for books and pencils and whatever they need for school,” she said.

“Without my kids now doing so well and the sponsorship support, we would be doing it really hard and struggling.”

Since 2012, The Smith Family’s support has enabled over 6500 disadvantaged young Australians to finish Year 12.

Significantly, between 2012 and 2015, The Smith Family has increased the number of scholarship students completing Year 12 by 22 per cent.

More than four-in-five students who left the program in Years 10-12 are still engaged in employment, education or training, a year after leaving the program.

Ms Hampshire said the data gathered over the last four years demonstrated the program’s approach of early intervention and long term educational support for disadvantaged students was making a difference in many young people’s lives.

“It is delivering outcomes beneficial to the long-term economic and social wellbeing of young people and for national productivity and social cohesion,” she said.

“With further support, including from governments, business, philanthropy and individual Australians, it could be expanded easily, enabling the kind of lasting change and positive outcomes we all want for our children and our nation."

For more information about the Learning for Life program, visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au.