CHILDREN’S education charity, The Smith Family, has helped over 600 students in Gladstone and marked its relocation to Philips Street with an official opening event this week.
The Smith Family recently relocated to Gladstone’s Philip Street Families and Communities Precinct and celebrated with a public event on Tuesday, May 30.
The charity is thrilled to work with its long-term partner Orica, which has renewed its partnership for another three years to ensure even more young people in the community can receive
support with their education, and gain access to The Smith Family’s tailored out-of-school learning and mentoring programs.
The Smith Family has operated in Gladstone since 2018, thanks to Orica’s generous support.
Children on the Learning for Life program receive long-term financial, practical, and personal support, so they can get the most out of their education.
Since 2018, the Gladstone community has gone from strength to strength, growing from 50 students supported on the program in 2018, to over 600 students today.
It has also seen the expansion of programs delivered in the area, including after-school Learning Clubs, an online reading program student2student, and careers program Work Inspiration – with over 800 student participants.
Digital inclusion has also been a priority, with The Smith Family providing Digital Inclusion packs to ensure students can fully participate in their education.
Orica’s Group Executive and President of Australia Pacific, Germán Morales said the company is thrilled to renew such a successful partnership.
“We have loved being a part of The Smith Family’s work here in Gladstone, and many of our Orica employees have taken a hands-on approach to getting involved,” Mr Morales said.
“Our team have volunteered in mentoring roles, and we have hosted Work Inspiration sessions to encourage students to think about their future careers,” he said.
The Smith Family’s General Manager in Queensland, Alan LeMay, said the partnership renewal and the move to the Philip Street precinct is a fantastic opportunity and shows how far the charity has come in Gladstone over the past five years.
“I’m extremely proud of the work our team has done in our Gladstone community, and of the growth we’ve achieved,” Mr LeMay said.
“I’d especially like to thank Orica for their continued support and engagement with our work.
“We are looking forward to working closely with other businesses and organisations in this new precinct, and with their support we can continue to make a difference to the lives of children and young people in Gladstone.”
The event featured guest speakers, including Mayor Matt Burnett and Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher, as well as panel discussions featuring students, parents, school and university representatives, and members of the business community.
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• 958 students supported through the Learning for Life program since the program began in 2018
• 600 active Learning for Life students
• 10 partner schools
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