Tuesday, 18 March 2025

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:42): I had the pleasure of attending a local VIEW club. VIEW clubs, for those of us that do not know, in Australia are a national women’s volunteer organisation with clubs right across the nation. They are non-political and have no religious affiliation. They were founded in 1960 by the Smith Family, and there are approximately 14,000-plus members across 300 clubs Australia wide. VIEW club women are connected by the common purpose of improving the lives of Australian students experiencing disadvantage by supporting their education. Membership is open to women of all ages from across Australia and from all walks of life, and friendship is a valuable part of the club. The VIEW club support ‘learning for life’ students by raising vital funds through local and national activities. Their aim is to empower children to change their lives by breaking the cycle of poverty. There are currently 1785 primary, secondary and tertiary students being sponsored by VIEW clubs.