Cedar Woods partners with The Smith Family to support young Australians

3 March 2021

Cedar Woods Properties Limited has announced a national partnership with The Smith Family – Australia’s leading children’s education charity — to support disadvantaged young Australians through education.

The new partnership will help leave a lasting impact on the next generation of young Australians, with Cedar Woods committing to directly supporting 100 students through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program. 

The Learning for Life program is delivered across 91 communities around Australia. It provides students and families with a combination of financial assistance for education essentials such as uniforms, school supplies and school excursions; tailored personal support from a Smith Family team member; and access to extra out-of-school learning and mentoring programs – all of which Cedar Woods will contribute to supporting.

Research has shown early intervention is the key to preventing entrenched disadvantage, highlighting a direct correlation between external support and the rates of high school graduation and university enrolment. The partnership will provide support for young Australians from disadvantaged backgrounds through primary, secondary and tertiary education in the hopes of combatting this.

Cedar Woods Managing Director, Nathan Blackburne said The Smith Family is a natural fit for the organisation and it is an initiative welcomed by all staff. 

“Children cannot choose their circumstances. It is heartbreaking to know one in six children across Australia  are living in poverty, which has a direct impact on their education and implications later in life. We as an organisation are stepping in to help tackle this problem.

“We’re particularly excited about getting our staff involved. We see great benefit and value in the hands on experience this partnership will provide for both our team and the students. Our team will be running work experience opportunities in various areas of the business to help set the students up for their future careers. 

“We are delighted to give back to the community and align ourselves and our values with The Smith Family. We’re looking forward to a strong, long-lasting and beneficial partnership,” says Blackburne. 

The Smith Family CEO, Dr Lisa O’Brien said, “We have been urgently calling on Australians to help children in need, by supporting their education to provide them with the resources they need to fit in and keep up at school, achieve educationally and go on to lead better futures. This is particularly important against a backdrop of COVID. 

“Working together, we can address the critical issue of children and young people living in disadvantage and support them to reach their full potential. We’re extremely grateful to Cedar Woods for their support helping us to do this,” said Dr O’Brien. 

With an extensive portfolio across Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria, Cedar Woods’ footprint aligns cohesively with that of The Smith Family and its national programs. The shared values of The Smith Family and Cedar Woods in developing and creating a better tomorrow, whilst providing opportunities for young people to thrive, will secure a prosperous partnership over the next few years. 
 

Visit thesmithfamily.com.au