news

1 in 10 Australian children live in jobless families. You can help.

The new animated short film series ‘Tales of the ONE IN TEN’ launches this week to draw attention to the struggles of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Produced by The Solid State for children’s charity The Smith Family, the first short film in the series ‘ALICE & THE GIANT EMPTINESS’ premieres across social media platforms as well as the campaign website, where people will be able to view the film, buy the song featured in the film or make a donation to The Smith Family.


A contemporary tale about a young girl living with the burden of disadvantage, Alice & the Giant Emptiness highlights the troubles of the thousands of children living in similar conditions in Australia today.

Creator Danny Lachevre said, “We hope this heartfelt film, and the universal character of Alice, will raise awareness about this issue. The series begins with Alice & the Giant Emptiness and will continue with stories of others who struggle against the effects of disadvantage. Each is a story of hope.”

The Smith Family’s CEO, Dr Lisa O’Brien, said, “These films are a new approach to raising awareness about the severe impact financial disadvantage has on children. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 Australian children live in jobless families. Most people are unaware of this staggering statistic and just how large the group is.”

“These films are a new approach to raising awareness about the severe impact that financial disadvantage has on children. These kids have responsibilities beyond their years and they will have limited engagement at school, struggle with their education and underachieve throughout their lives. Research shows the most effective solution is to provide learning support. Through long-term, holistic learning programs, we can help these kids to develop the vital life skills they need so they can create better futures for themselves, hence The Smith Family’s focus on supporting the education of disadvantaged children.”

The One in Ten campaign that aims to raise awareness for disadvantaged Australian kids. There are over 638,000 in Australian that have to deal with some tough issues due to difficult financial circumstances – this is a large but also unknown group in Australia so we are attempting to shine the spotlight on them to get people thinking how they can make a difference.
The website allows people to watch the film, donate and/or buy the song ‘Find the Light’ with funds going directly to The Smith Family. Visit the One in Ten website here.
Please share this post to share your support for the one in ten, and visit The Smith Family website to learn more about the campaign.