In this episode, we visit a school that's setting its students up to dream big, work hard and become ‘all they can be’, with the support of their teachers and the community around them.

Principal Alison Forthuber is determined to ensure every child feels seen and valued, sharing why high expectations, early intervention and holistic support matter. Meanwhile, Kate, a mother of three, opens up about how wider community support ensures her children can shine at school – and the programs that make a big difference to their education.

CREDITS 

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald  

Audio production: Mylk Media  

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a nine-year-old, George was facing expulsion from primary school. Now he's a university leader, opening doors for students of all backgrounds.

Distinguished Professor George Williams AO shares his journey from "juvenile delinquent" to Vice-Chancellor, starting with one teacher who changed his life trajectory.

Plus, demographer Dr Liz Allen returns to talk about the educators and moments that transformed her path – from homeless at 16 to completing a PhD.

Together, they make the case for why Australia needs a fairer education system and better support for students, no matter their life circumstances.

CREDITS

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald

Audio production: Mylk Media

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 12, Josh was told he was “the man of the house”. His life began amid instability – frequent moves, a turbulent home life and adult responsibilities thrust on him far too young.

Josh reveals how grit, courage and the right support helped him escape disadvantage and create a life and career he never could have imagined. We also hear from Robyn, the Smith Family support worker who backed him for more than a decade, and from his parents and partner – underscoring the crucial need to have people in your corner. 

CREDITS 

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald  

Audio production: Mylk Media  

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Tabitha, it was hard to see a better future when she was a child. She found escape in the library shelves, when life outside felt impossibly heavy.

Now a young mum and successful business owner, she talks about what it took to rise above the challenges and how she's become the strong person she is today. And demographer Dr Liz Allen, who knows poverty firsthand, speaks powerfully about her own experiences and how we can help more young people like Tabitha to not just survive, but thrive.

CREDITS 

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald  

Audio production: Mylk Media  

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faith is a talented singer-songwriter who spent much of her childhood juggling school, work and caring for her mum. Music became her lifeline – and her launchpad.

In this episode, Faith takes us inside her world as a young carer, the struggles that go unseen and how one person believing in you can change everything. Plus, journalist and TV presenter Sarah Harris – ​who, like Faith, was raised in a home where money was tight – ​reflects on the tough times in her childhood and the teachers who saw a spark in her and nurtured it.

CREDITS

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald

Audio production: Mylk Media

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing All I Can Be... a six-part series about big dreams, hidden struggles and the moments that make all the difference in a young person's life.

Through raw and heartfelt storytelling, you'll meet Australians who've had tough starts in life, but went on to thrive, achieving goals and dreams that once felt impossible.

These are stories of grit, courage and determination, and support when it mattered most, to strive towards a better future – proving where you begin doesn't have to define where you go.

The series starts on Monday 2 February. Follow now to catch the first episodes.

CREDITS

Narrator: Sarah Macdonald

Audio production: Mylk Media

Series producers: Jacqui Ooi, Carla Horton, Kim Batchelor, Kristina Warne

Theme music written and performed by Faith Kayrooz

To learn how you can help young Australians realise their potential, visit thesmithfamily.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.