By Luke Voogt
Nothing is more important for Norlane’s David Irvine than giving his four children the best future he can.
“I want them to have an equal education to everyone else,” the full-time dad told the Indy this week.
“It’s what drives my day-to-day life.”
His family is one of 340 in Geelong which The Smith Family sponsors through its Learning for Life program.
David has been a single dad since 2013 and said he didn’t want his children to grow up disadvantaged like he did.
“(The Smith Family) are trying to break the cycle,” he said.
The 33-year-old said he would struggle to buy his eldest daughter Kimberley’s uniform and textbooks without the charity’s support.
According Smith Family figures it costs more than $2400 a year for school essentials, and that’s just for a primary school student.
“It’s getting more expensive – especially now that the government has dropped the school kid bonus,” David said.
“It’s quite hard for me as a single dad to get a job during school hours as it’s not the social norm.”
But David said raising his four children was no challenge, despite the financial pressure.
“They’re such bright kids and they’re well-behaved.”
His children were brimming with excitement as they spoke to the Indy about returning to school while at the park with their dad.
“I just can’t until I start grade five,” Katelyn (10) said.
Gordon (11) and Laura (8) were keen to get stuck into reading and writing, while Kimberley couldn’t wait to learn German.
The Smith Family sponsors Geelong 600 children in primary, secondary and tertiary education, said family partnership co-ordinator Mara Clarke.
“But it’s not just financial support,” she said.
“It’s making sure they’re on target with their numeracy and literacy.”
The charity runs programs to support education, like its student2student reading program, which matches primary school children falling behind with older “reading buddies”.
Smith Family Victorian general manager Anton Leschen said the rising cost for schooling was “a big ask for families who are struggling”.
