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About us
A Start in Life is an Australian charity dedicated to supporting young people facing financial disadvantage to stay engaged in education. Founded in 1923, we have walked alongside more than 7,000 students across our 100-year history, providing tutoring, mentoring, financial assistance, and practical support — all tailored to each student's individual needs.
We offer the Learning Essentials program — a single, staged program that supports students aged 4 to 24 from their first year of school through to the completion of university or TAFE study.
Support grows with the student across four stages:
Early Years to Primary (K–4) Growing Into Themselves (Yr 5–8) Building Skills, Exploring Futures (Yr 9–12) Tertiary Program (University and TAFE)
Each stage combines financial assistance with mentoring, career guidance, and wrap-around support tailored to where the student is in their journey. Visit our programs page to learn more.
We support students across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, from their first year of school through to the completion of university or TAFE study.
Historically, A Start in Life has not received government funding. We are supported primarily by the Australian community — through individual donors, corporate partners, philanthropic foundations, trusts, workplace giving programs, and gifts in wills. Every dollar we receive comes from someone who chose to give.
Yes. Beyond financial assistance, our support may include:
  • One-on-one tutoring and academic coaching
  • Individualised support plans reviewed regularly with families and schools
  • Mentoring, workshops, and career-exploration activities including industry visits and work experience
  • Regular wellbeing check-ins to monitor motivation, confidence, and resilience
  • Access to professional volunteers and partner organisations
Our online learning resources are available at learning.astartinlife.au.
Our current corporate partners are listed on our Other Ways to Give page.
Support for students
We support young people aged 4 to 24 across NSW and ACT — from Kindergarten through to university and TAFE — who face financial hardship or other disadvantages that affect their ability to engage with education. If you're unsure whether a student qualifies, please contact us. We're happy to talk it through.
Applications can be submitted by parents or carers, teachers and school welfare staff, social workers, community workers, or the students themselves. You don't need to know every detail of a student's situation to refer them — simply point them our way and we'll take it from there.
Teachers and referrers: visit our referral page for a quick way to connect a student with us.
Yes. All support provided to students through A Start in Life is completely free of charge. Our programs are funded entirely by donors and partners who believe every young person deserves a fair start.
Support is tailored to each student's individual needs and may include school fees, books and stationery, uniforms, school camps and excursions, home computer and internet access, one-on-one tutoring, mentoring, assistance with vocational training, health and medical support, and connection to additional community resources.
Once we receive an application, our team reviews the student's circumstances and needs. We aim to respond to all applications promptly — if we need more information, we'll be in touch. Support is confirmed once our team has assessed the application and identified the most appropriate assistance for that student.
Yes. While our programs align with the school calendar, our team is available year-round to receive applications and provide ongoing support to students already in our programs.
No. A Start in Life is not a registered NDIS provider and does not deliver NDIS-funded services.
We may use photos, video, or audio of students for fundraising and marketing purposes. We will always advise families how we propose to use these materials and seek prior written consent. Students and families also have the option of using a pseudonym. Our full approach to privacy is available in our Privacy Policy.
Educational disadvantage describes the barriers that stop a student from participating fully in schooling for reasons connected to family income, housing, health, or circumstance, rather than ability. In Australia, it is measured across several markers: the cost of uniforms, textbooks, and technology; unstable housing; family financial stress; and geographic isolation from services.
The scale is significant. Research from the Australian Council of Social Service and UNSW Sydney found that roughly 750,000 Australian children live in poverty. Poverty and educational disadvantage are closely linked but not identical. A family can sit above the poverty line and still be unable to absorb the cost of a school laptop or a week-long excursion without going into debt, a pattern Futurity's 2026 survey of Australian parents found affected a third of respondents.
Disadvantage compounds over the course of a student's schooling. Research led by Lamb and colleagues in 2015 found that only around 60 per cent of young people who grow up in poverty complete Year 12, against 90 per cent of students from higher socio-economic backgrounds. By age 15, students experiencing disadvantage are typically two to three years behind their peers in reading and mathematics, according to Clarke and Thévenon's 2022 research. Each missed excursion, each unaffordable device, each unpaid uniform bill adds to a gap that widens rather than narrows without intervention.
Financial assistance is one part of the response. On its own, it is not enough. The Smith Family's most recent Pulse Survey found that nine in ten families it supports remain worried about affording school costs even with assistance in place, which is why organisations working in this space, A Start in Life included, pair direct financial support with mentoring and career development rather than a one-off payment.
A Start in Life has supported students facing educational disadvantage across New South Wales and the ACT since 1923, from the first years of school through to university. Our Support Program page sets out what that support looks like in practice, and our Apply for Support page is the starting point for a parent, carer, or school referring a student in need.
Sources: Australian Council of Social Service and UNSW Sydney poverty research; Futurity, Cost of Education in Australia 2026; Lamb, S. et al., 2015; Clarke, C. and Thévenon, O., 2022; The Smith Family, Pulse Survey 2024–25.
Families supporting a student through educational disadvantage in Australia can access help through three broad channels: government payments, school-based programmes, and charitable education support organisations. Each covers a different part of the gap.
Government support includes payments such as the Family Tax Benefit and the Assistance for Isolated Children scheme, along with state-based subsidies for uniforms, excursions, and camps that vary by school and sector. These payments are broad by design and rarely cover the full cost of schooling. The Smith Family's Pulse Survey 2024–25 found that even among families already receiving support, 54.8 per cent remained concerned about affording digital devices and 42.1 per cent about uniforms or shoes.
Schools themselves often hold discretionary hardship funds, though access and amounts differ significantly between schools and are rarely publicised.
Charitable organisations fill the remaining gap, typically through a combination of direct financial assistance and non-financial support: mentoring, career guidance, and connections to opportunity a student might not otherwise encounter. A Start in Life has operated in this space since 1923, providing financial assistance for the practical costs of staying in school (uniforms, technology, excursions, transport) alongside ongoing mentoring from Kindergarten through to tertiary study, for students across New South Wales and the ACT.
What support with A Start in Life involves depends on a student's stage of education. The K-12 Program covers primary and secondary students, addressing the costs and disengagement risks above at the age they first appear. The Tertiary Program continues that support into university and vocational study, when the financial pressure of independent living compounds the same disadvantage in a new form.
A parent, carer, school counsellor, or the student themselves can start an application on the Apply for Support page. Referrals from schools and support services can also be made directly through the Make a Referral page.
Source: The Smith Family, Pulse Survey 2024–25.
We work with disadvantaged students aged 4 to 24 across New South Wales and the ACT, combining financial assistance with tutoring and mentoring tailored to each young person's circumstances. Support might mean covering the cost of a uniform, connecting a student with a tutor, or simply checking in when things get hard at home. Referrals come from parents, carers, teachers and social workers, not only from families applying on their own behalf.
If you know a student who needs support, our Apply for Support page is the place to start.
Financial assistance for students through A Start in Life covers the everyday costs that can otherwise stand between a young person and their education: school fees, uniforms, textbooks, camps and excursions, and technology such as a laptop or reliable internet access. The amount and type of assistance is decided case by case, based on what each student actually needs, rather than a fixed grant.
Financial assistance is always paired with mentoring and regular check-ins, not handed over as a one-off payment. Apply or refer a student through our Apply for Support page.
Education support at A Start in Life runs from a student's first year of school through to the completion of university or TAFE, combining financial assistance with tutoring, mentoring and career guidance. A student might receive one-on-one tutoring in Year 3, career mentoring in Year 11, and help with textbooks at university, all under the same relationship rather than as separate one-off services.
Our Support Program page sets out what that looks like at each stage.
Donating
Your donation goes directly toward supporting students — covering tutoring sessions, school materials, uniforms, excursion fees, and the staffing that connects young people with the right resources. We keep administration costs low so your gift makes the greatest possible impact.
Yes. A Start in Life holds DGR1 status, so all donations of $2 or more are fully tax-deductible for Australian taxpayers. You'll receive a receipt by email for your records. Donations made before 30 June can be claimed in that financial year's tax return.
Absolutely. Regular giving is one of the most powerful ways to support us — it allows us to plan ahead and provide consistent, reliable support to the students in our programs. You can set up a monthly or annual contribution through our donation page.
Possibly. Workplace giving allows employees to donate from their pre-tax income, increasing the value of your contribution at no extra cost to you. Check with your HR or Payroll team to find out if your employer already participates. If they don't, your employer can contact us at [email protected] to set it up.
Yes to both. A donation in someone's honour is a meaningful gift for weddings, birthdays, and new beginnings — we'll send you a certificate to share. For in-memory gifts, we send a thank you receipt to everyone who contributes and a letter of acknowledgement to the family noting the final amount given. Contact us at [email protected] to arrange either.
Yes, and we'd love your support. Whether you're running a workplace fundraiser, hosting a community event, or taking on a personal challenge like a fun run, we can help you get set up. Visit our Fundraise for Us page or get in touch to talk through ideas.
A bequest to A Start in Life is a meaningful way to create a lasting impact for young Australians. We'd be honoured to speak with you about how a gift in your will can help future generations. Please contact us for a confidential conversation, or visit our bequest page to learn more.
A gift in your will to A Start in Life can take one of three forms. A residual gift leaves a percentage of whatever remains in your estate once your other wishes are met. A percentage gift sets aside a fixed share of your estate, which adjusts automatically as its value changes over time. A specific gift is a set amount, or a particular item such as property or shares.
Which form suits you best is usually a conversation with your family and your solicitor, not something to decide alone. Visit our bequest page for more detail, or contact us to talk it through.
We can provide suggested wording covering an entire estate, a percentage of your estate, a specific monetary amount, or particular items, available on our bequest page. Because wording needs to be correct for your own circumstances, we recommend having a solicitor review it, or using a free service such as Gathered Here to draft or update your will.
Email [email protected] and we'll send the suggested clause along with our ABN, 21 871 881 074, for your solicitor's records.
The Seeds of Learning Circle recognises everyone who has told us they've included A Start in Life in their will. Members receive exclusive updates on the impact their future gift will have, and stay connected to the students their generosity will support.
Letting us know isn't required to leave a gift, but it means we can thank you properly and welcome you into the Circle. Join the Seeds of Learning Circle or contact us to find out more.
No, and your gift will be gratefully received either way. Letting us know is entirely optional, but it means we can welcome you into the Seeds of Learning Circle and make sure your wishes are understood ahead of time. Conversations about a gift in your will are always confidential, and you're welcome to change your mind at any time.
Yes. We partner with businesses of all sizes — from workplace giving programs through to naming partnerships and cause-related campaigns. Corporate support directly funds the students in our programs and offers meaningful team engagement opportunities. Contact us at [email protected] to find out more.
One-off gifts are unpredictable by nature, which makes it difficult to plan ahead for the year's applications. A regular monthly gift lets us know in advance how many tutors we can provide, and whether we can say yes to the next student who reaches out needing support — a laptop to finish an assignment, or a place in a mentoring program. When more supporters commit to giving monthly, we can plan further ahead and support more students throughout the year.
See our monthly giving page to get started.
Yes. You choose the amount when you set up your monthly gift, and you can change it or pause it at any time if circumstances change. There's no locked-in commitment. Setting up a monthly gift takes about two minutes through our monthly giving page.
A Start in Life holds DGR1 status, so any tax deductible donation of $2 or more is fully deductible for Australian taxpayers. Donate through our donation page and a receipt is emailed to you automatically for your records.
A donation made before 30 June counts toward that financial year's tax return. Anything given on or after 1 July counts toward the next one.
You can donate to A Start in Life, an Australian education charity supporting students facing financial hardship across NSW and the ACT, through our donation page. Give once, set up a monthly gift, donate through your workplace, or leave a gift in your will: every option is set out on our Other Ways to Give page.
Every dollar goes toward keeping a student in school, whether that's a uniform, a tutor, or a laptop for assignments.
Volunteering
We're always looking for dedicated tutors and mentors to work with our students. If you have skills in a subject area or simply care about supporting young people, we'd love to hear from you. To express your interest, please email us at [email protected] and our team will be in touch.
No formal teaching qualification is required. We look for patience, reliability, and a genuine commitment to helping young people. All volunteers receive an induction and ongoing support from our team.
Yes. Because our work involves direct contact with young people, all volunteers who work with students are required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) in NSW, or the equivalent Working with Vulnerable People registration in the ACT. In NSW, the WWCC is free for volunteers and can be applied for through the Office of the Children's Guardian. We'll guide you through the process when you come on board.
Time commitments vary depending on the role and the student's needs. We understand that our volunteers have busy lives, and we work with you to find an arrangement that fits. Email us at [email protected] to talk through what's possible.
Yes. We welcome corporate volunteering and workplace engagement as part of our broader partnership programs. Whether it's skills-based volunteering or team activities, we'd love to explore what's possible. Email us at [email protected] to start the conversation.
Communications
You can opt out at any time by:
Email us at [email protected] with your updated details and we'll take care of it promptly.
Yes. Email us at [email protected] to set or update your preference and we'll update your record.
Yes. You can reach us through our Contact Us page, by emailing [email protected], or by calling us on (02) 9264 3017. We aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days.
Governance and accreditation
Yes. A Start in Life is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) under ABN 21 871 881 074. You can view our charity profile on the ACNC register.
Yes. A Start in Life holds DGR1 endorsement, meaning all donations of $2 or more are fully tax-deductible for Australian taxpayers. You can verify our status on the Australian Business Register.
Yes. Everyone at A Start in Life involved in fundraising completes the FIA Code Course — the Fundraising Institute of Australia's professional standard for ethical fundraising practice.
Our annual reports are available on our Insights and Updates page. As an ACNC-registered charity, our financial information is also publicly available through the ACNC charity register.
Our full Privacy Policy is available at /about-us/policy/privacy-policy/.