Toshiba’s Partnership with Kids First Australia

In our last newsletter, we shared how Toshiba supports two wonderful causes – the Yalari Foundation, through which we sponsor a secondary student, and Variety – the Children’s Charity, whose cross-country “Bash” we’ve proudly supported for 25 years.

This time, we’re shining a light on another inspiring partner: Kids First Australia – an organisation that’s transforming the lives of children, young people and families across the country.

A History of Care

Kids First Australia’s story goes back almost as far as Toshiba’s. Founded in 1896 (just two decades after Toshiba came into being in 1875), the organisation has spent more than a century helping children and families thrive in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Kids First Australia has a simple but powerful vision:

“Every child and young person is thriving in resilient, strong and safe families and communities.”

They deliver on that vision through child, youth and family support services and early education programs. Working in partnership with the Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services systems, Kids First Australia runs initiatives that:

• Help young people stay engaged with education
• Develop strong parenting skills
• Build the resilience to cope with challenging life circumstances
• Mentor young people to reduce the risk of offending or reoffending
• Provide counselling, recovery and prevention for those who have experienced trauma

Scope and Scale

Kids First Australia’s impact is both broad and profound. Here’s a snapshot of their work in numbers:

• 2,270 young people supported across 4 states
• 1,059 children enrolled in early years services
• 11,109 hours of coaching and mentoring
• 31,758 hours of family support services
• 9,670 hours of sexual abuse counselling and prevention
• 317 staff
• 195 volunteers

How Toshiba Helps

Toshiba supports Kids First Australia not only through financial donations, but also by providing essential equipment to keep their operations running smoothly.

Running an organisation with this scope takes a lot of resources – including reliable IT equipment for printing, scanning and copying. Toshiba donates printers and ink cartridges to help the team work efficiently, ensuring more funds can go directly to programs that change children’s lives.

We also contribute financially to Kids First Australia events, including purchasing a table each year for their annual fundraising dinner.

“At Toshiba Australia, we know that real change happens through strong partnerships—and that’s why we’re proud to stand alongside Kids First Australia.

Over the years, we’ve supported their incredible work with donations of printers, cartridges, and by getting behind their fundraising events. It’s our way of helping make sure their teams have the tools they need to keep doing what they do best—supporting kids, young people, and families across the country. Together, we’re helping build a brighter future where every child gets the chance to thrive.”

— Bret Davies, Managing Director, Toshiba ANZ

Changing Lives

The impact of Kids First’s programs can be seen in real stories of transformation:

Kyle

An Aboriginal young person, Kyle was struggling with school attendance, committing minor offences and was at risk of more serious behaviour. With Kids First Australia’s support, Kyle reconnected with his cultural roots and family, re-engaged with school, and went on to vocational training.

Selina

A single mother of five, including a son with special needs, Selina felt overwhelmed when she couldn’t access the NDIS support her family required. When Child Protection became involved, she turned to Kids First Australia. With the help of mentoring and advocacy, she secured the right supports, eliminated the need for Child Protection involvement, and gained the confidence to be “the best mother she can be.”

Micha

At 14, Micha – who lives with cerebral palsy and autism – faced social anxiety and school disengagement. With help from Kids First Australia, he returned to full-time school, earned vocational certificates, and grew in confidence. Today, Micha is working toward his dream of becoming a barista.

At Toshiba, we’re proud to play a small part in stories like these – and to support an organisation that’s creating lasting change for children and families across Australia. Together, we’re helping to build brighter futures.