Smith Family program coordinator Sonia Strachan says 600 students in Learning for Life program

As well as providing financial support, the Smith Family's Learning for Life program also involves access to support from a Smith Family team member, who works with the student's family, as well as access to extra out-of-school learning and mentoring programs.

Program coordinator Sonia Strachan said it was always incredible to hear the stories from local families about how Learning for Life was helping their children and young people to thrive in their education.

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"When a child doesn't have the basics they need for school, they can feel like they don't fit in - and without the tools and resources they need, they can potentially become disengaged from school over time," Ms Strachan said.

"It's crucial that students experiencing disadvantage have everything they need to succeed in their education and stay motivated at school."

Ms Strachan said according to the Australian Council of Social Services Poverty in Australia 2020 report. 1.2 million Australia children were currently experiencing disadvantage.

"Families often stretch themselves financially to make sure their children don't go without," she said.

"The last two years has also seen a shift to more online learning, and parents are now also having to factor in the costs of technology for their children's education. Digital devices and internet access are even more important this year due to uncertainty created by the pandemic, and for some families these are unaffordable."

While the Smith Family helps 600 students in the Dubbo area, Ms Strachan said there were still thousands who didn't have the essentials they needed for school.

"That's why our Back to School Appeal is so important. We want to support as many children and young people as we can, and we need to find almost 1600 new sponsors in NSW, to help children in communities like Dubbo," she said.

To learn more about the impact of the Smith Family's Learning for Life program or to donate, go to thesmithfamily.com.au/sponsor.

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