HCF ANDTHE SMITH FAMILY

HCF has a social mission to build healthier communities by helping address important social issues, impacting health outcomes. We know education is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty^* and improving long-term health outcomes^{^}, which is why we’ve established a major 3-year partnership with The Smith Family, a national children’s education charity.

Our financial commitment will enable 1,500 young students across Australia to be part of the Learning for Life program, providing them with long-term financial, personal and practical educational support to reach their full potential.

Through the partnership, HCF and The Smith Family aim to make a lasting difference in the lives of young Australians in need, reinforcing the importance of education in building healthier, more equitable communities.

The Smith Family believes every child should have the opportunity to change their future and are committed to working with young people and their families and carers to help them overcome educational inequality caused by poverty.

We’re proud to support Learning for Life, The Smith Family’s flagship program. In 2023, with support from individuals and partners like HCF, The Smith Family reported that they provided nearly 63,000 young Australians in need with long-term educational assistance in 3 ways:

• financial support for school essentials, like uniforms and textbooks
• personal support for the child and their family to problem-solve any barriers to education
• practical support through a variety of learning and mentoring programs.

This proven combination of financial, personal and practical support helps children at school to stay motivated and complete Year 12. Graduating from high school is linked to increased employment opportunities, higher income and better health outcomes, as well as greater social participation and the ability to be self-reliant in the future⁺.

COMMUNITY

The Smith Family is on the ground in 91 communities that have higher concentrations of families living in economic disadvantage^#.

SCHOOLS

The Smith Family works with 799 partner schools across every state and territory^#.

LEARNING

162,534 students participate in The Smith Family’s full suite of programs^#.

SUPPORT

Our partnership with The Smith Family means an additional 1,500 students will be supported by Learning for Life^#.

Our overall approach to sustainability is an extension of our purpose – to bring our human touch to healthcare, now and for generations to come. We’re focused on delivering real value through improved health and social outcomes, while reducing our environmental impact.

^* The Smith Family Research Report 2016

^{^} Hahn & Truman (2015). Education Improves Public Health and Promotes Health Equity. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (Article: PMC4691207)

⁺The Smith Family Learning for Life program

^# The Smith Family Annual Report 2022-23