Clubs and Learning Links Helping Kids Succeed

In that time, clubs have contributed almost $9 million, supporting more than 12,000 children and families across NSW. In the past year alone, Learning Links worked with more than 7000 children across 142 schools and communities.

Support is delivered directly in schools by qualified speech pathologists, psychologists and education specialists, who work alongside teachers. The focus is practical and evidence-based — building children’s confidence and learning skills, while strengthening the capability of teachers and families for the long term.

Through the long-standing partnership with Learning Links, clubs have funded evidence-based education and allied health programs for children experiencing learning and developmental difficulties.

By working with schools and families, this community-led investment addresses challenges early, improving outcomes for children while easing long-term pressure on education and social systems.

The scale of the challenge is significant. The Australian Early Development Census shows almost one in four children starts school developmentally vulnerable in areas such as communication, emotional regulation or social skills. Just 52.9 per cent of children begin school fully on track.

That means more than 150,000 children start school each year without the foundation skills they need to thrive. Without timely support, learning gaps widen, confidence drops and classrooms feel the strain.

Many of these children fall into the “missing middle” — their needs are clear, but they do not meet eligibility thresholds for long-term funded government support.

For families, this often means long waits and rising stress. For schools, it means absorbing unmet need with limited resources — often missing the critical window where early intervention can make the greatest difference.

Rather than waiting, many clubs have chosen to invest early in their local communities through school-based programs delivered by Learning Links.

A significant part of this work is underpinned by Learning Links’ Charity Housie operations, delivered in partnership with registered clubs.

Housie provides reliable, sustainable funding that allows Learning Links to plan and deliver support over time — not as short-term fixes, but as lasting solutions. It also funds a dedicated Customer Support team and resources that help families navigate education and allied health pathways earlier.

The outcomes reflect what research has long shown. Across Learning Links programs:

• 79 per cent of children are better equipped to succeed academically
• 80 per cent improve their communication
• 82 per cent experience improved emotional wellbeing
• 86 per cent show greater confidence

These gains strengthen not only individual children, but classrooms, schools and communities.

After more than a decade, the partnership between registered clubs and Learning Links shows what sustained, community-led investment can achieve: stronger schools, better learning outcomes and a more resilient future.

For clubs, it is clear — backing children early is not just the right thing to do. It is one of the smartest investments a community can make.