As one of New South Wales's longest-running educational support charities, A Start in Life has been walking alongside students since 1923. We provide personalised financial assistance, tutoring, mentoring, and career guidance to young people aged 4 to 24 across NSW and the ACT — with every student receiving a tailored support plan reviewed regularly with their family and school.

What makes A Start in Life different is the depth of our commitment. We don't just provide one-off grants. We stay. Each student we support is assigned a dedicated support worker who gets to know them, their family, and their school. We review their needs every year. We adjust as life changes. And we stay with them, often for the entirety of their education — from their first year of school to the completion of a university degree or trade qualification.

Our educational support covers everything from school uniforms, textbooks, and excursions, to tutoring fees, university application support, and the quiet, consistent encouragement that helps a young person believe their future is worth fighting for.

For a child facing financial hardship in New South Wales, the right support at the right time can change the entire course of their life. That is what A Start in Life exists to provide — and has existed to provide for over a century.

If your family needs support, or if you would like to help us support more students across NSW, we would love to hear from you.