SMITH FAMILY: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR A CHARITABLE ORGANISATION IN CONTEMPORARY VICTORIA?

EDWIN GILL

5 FEBRUARY 2020

Ed Gill, a volunteer with the Smith Family spoke at the first of our Saturday seminars for 2020.

His talk was fascinating, covering a range of issues faced by the broader charitable sector and the challenges that not for profit charitable organisations face.

He spoke about the size of the charitable sector, the dimensions of need across our community, the benefit to the overall economy, and the value of the volunteer work that goes into the sector.

He spoke clearly about sources of funding, from the public, individual benefactors, corporations or government and that the costs of running such organisations must come from the donations or grants received.

His major focus however was the work of the Smith Family. His description of how the Smith Family charity started and how it has changed with the times was very enlightening. He indicated that it is now Australia’s largest national education-oriented charity which supports disadvantaged Australian children to participate fully in their education, giving them the best chance at breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.

With the support of success stories, he outlined the range of learning support, mentoring programs, and scholarships provided to help children in need to fit in at school, keep up with their peers, and build aspirations for a better future for themselves.

It was an inspirational start to the U3APP 2020 Saturday seminar series

 

Report by Pam Caven & Photos by Barry MacIntosh

How to Enrol

On-line: after bookings have opened

On-line enrolments are preferred as this significantly reduces the amount of back-office work for our volunteers.

  • Login to the U3APP.org.au website.
  • Go to the Courses & Enrolling page.
  • Scroll down to find the course that you are interested in.
  • Does the course have spaces available?
    • Click on the course name to go to the booking page.
    • Click on “Book for this course or event”.
    • You will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
  • OR is the course shown as FULL?
    • Click on WAITLIST.

Paper Enrolment Form: before bookings open for First Semester

  • Obtain a paper Enrolment Form either from the Office or by printing an online copy available here.
  • Complete the paper Enrolment Form and submit it to the Office.

The start date for acceptance of paper Enrolment Forms for first semester is published on the U3APP website and in the e-Bulletin. Enrolment Forms received before this date are treated as though they had been received on the start date (ie there is no advantage to be gained by submitting early). On the start date and thereafter, paper Enrolment Forms are numbered in order of receipt.  Paper Enrolment forms are processed by U3APP volunteers on the same day as on-line bookings.

If your enrolment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.

If your enrolment is unsuccessful,  you will receive an email telling you that you have been waitlisted.

Via the Office: after bookings have opened

  • Contact the office in person, or by email or phone.