Conversations with The Smith Family

In our final conversation for 2024, Kelly, a parent with two children on our Learning for Life program, reflects on the year that’s been, as cost-of-living pressures continue to take a heavy toll on families and impact children’s education.    Her story highlights the difficulties many families on lower incomes are facing. In a recent survey of nearly 2,500 families supported by The Smith Family, almost 60% of parents and carers said they struggled to afford essential school items for their children this year.    Despite the challenges, Kelly is doing all she can to ensure her children don’t miss out on vital learning opportunities. Reflecting on her own schooling years, she emphasises the importance of creating a memorable and positive school experience for her children.    CREDITS Host: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith Family Guest: Kelly, Learning for Life parent Audio production: Mylk Media   GET IN TOUCH Learn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au   Connect with us on: Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustralia Instagram @thesmithfamilyaus LinkedIn @the-smith-family   The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

In this episode, we dive into Pay What It Takes, an initiative within the not-for-profit sector to address misconceptions around admin costs and why these shouldn’t be seen as a measure of a ‘good’ or 'bad' charity.The campaign aims to increase understanding of the true cost of running effective charities and creating a positive and lasting impact in our communities. Doug speaks with two of the co-founders of the campaign, Jo Taylor, CEO of the Siddle Family Foundation, and Lisa Allan, Head of Fundraising at The Smith Family, to explore why these admin costs – such as IT, HR, finance, fundraising and measuring impact – are essential for organisations to operate safely and efficiently, build strong and sustainable foundations, and deliver on their purpose. CREDITSHost: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith FamilyGuests: Jo Taylor & Lisa Allan, Co-founders, Pay What It TakesAudio production: Mylk Media GET IN TOUCHLearn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au Connect with us on:Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustraliaInstagram @thesmithfamilyausLinkedIn @the-smith-family The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of building trusted partnerships with families to support their child’s education. The conversation draws on the experiences of Ben Blowers, who has worked directly with families on The Smith Family's Learning for Life program over the past five years. Ben shares insights into how The Smith Family engages with parents, offering not just financial and program support, but the personal support needed to help children thrive at school. He also highlights the challenges families are facing right now and their resilience in overcoming barriers. CREDITSHost: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith FamilyGuest: Ben Blowers, Learning for Life Team Leader, The Smith FamilyAudio production: Mylk Media GET IN TOUCHLearn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au Connect with us on:Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustraliaInstagram @thesmithfamilyausLinkedIn @the-smith-family The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In this important episode for Anti-Poverty Week, we meet James Manton, an alumni of The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program, who shares his deeply personal story of growing up in disadvantage, the impact it had on his education and how the right support at the right time helped him turn his life around.James also offers valuable insights into how our society can better support young people experiencing poverty and how he's now giving back as a volunteer mentor to make a difference in another young person's life.  CREDITSHost: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith FamilyGuest: James Manton, Learning for Life AlumniAudio production: Mylk Media GET IN TOUCHLearn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au Connect with us on:Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustraliaInstagram @thesmithfamilyausLinkedIn @the-smith-family The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In the lead-up to Anti-Poverty Week, this conversation explores what poverty looks like in modern Australia and how digital poverty is leaving young people experiencing disadvantage further behind in education and employment opportunities.  Caroline McDaid, CEO of WorkVentures, shares insights into what can be done to bridge this digital divide and how organisations are working to ensure every young person has the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. Caroline is also the NSW co-chair of Anti-Poverty Week, alongside The Smith Family CEO Doug Taylor. Actions you can take this Anti-Poverty Week to help young Australians in need:  Support the call to end child poverty in AustraliaSupport The Smith Family’s Digital Learning Essentials programLearn how your organisation can donate technology through WorkVenturesCREDITS Host: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith Family Guest: Caroline McDaid, CEO, WorkVentures Audio production: Mylk Media   GET IN TOUCH Learn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au   Connect with us on: Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustralia Instagram @thesmithfamilyaus LinkedIn @the-smith-family   The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Volunteers play a vital role in shaping our communities, yet volunteering rates in Australia are in decline.In this conversation, we hear from Mark Pearce, CEO of Volunteering Australia, about the changing nature of volunteering and efforts to revitalise volunteering for the future. CREDITSHost: Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith FamilyGuest: Mark Pearce, CEO, Volunteering AustraliaAudio production: Mylk Media GET IN TOUCHLearn more about The Smith Family: thesmithfamily.com.au Connect with us on:Facebook @TheSmithFamilyAustraliaInstagram @thesmithfamilyausLinkedIn @the-smith-family The Smith Family acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which this podcast is made and their continuing connection to Culture and Country. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.