Article by: Lauren Langston

In Australia today one in every six children and young individuals grow up in poverty resulting in an educational hardship. Educational disadvantage refers to setbacks caused by social or economic disadvantage that hinder students from maximising their educational education, which can have an immense impact on future opportunities. In turn these young individuals may never be able to break the cycle of disadvantage and establish a brighter future for themselves if they do not receive further assistance.

2ser’s Willy Russo was joined by Yasmin Arkinstall, a young vocalist who discussed her story of being sponsored by the Smith family, an education-focused charity, and the stigma of asking for help.

Yasmin states that, “my mum heard from a friend about the Learning for Life program and I had crippling obsessive compulsive disorder and had a financial strain on the family. I got on the program when I was eight years and was supported until I finished my Bachelor of Music; it helped me so much”.

Support can come in all forms ranging from things such as school fees, textbooks, transport, a lunch box and backpacks. “In terms of when I went to university, they helped me with weekly voice lessons and diction lessons for different languages we had to study learning opera, and a laptop which was really important at the time”.

Not only can it be amazing regrading resources, “it has also been beneficial in my confidence too and I didn’t feel segregated from my peers as a result of my inability to obtain the resources I need”.

Reaching out for assistance or making changes to better yourself is not a sign of weakness, it’s also not about failing. Reaching out for assistance, no matter how humble it may feel, is an act of bravery. The stigma and shame element associated with that of asking for financial or mental help for that matter needs to be destigmatised. If you can take one thing away from Yasmin’s story it is that “we all need help at times in certain situations”.

For more, listen to the interview from 2ser Breakfast here.

Links if you are interested in sponsoring a child or donating:

https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/sponsor-a-child

https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/donate

https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au