2020 CEO Survey: Lisa O’Brien, Smith Family

Urgent attention is needed around the problem of digital inclusion, says the Smith Family’s Lisa O’Brien.

CEO of the Smith Family, Lisa O'Brien. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

What are the three enduring lessons or changes to flow from COVID-19?

In 2020 we learned how vital it is to be flexible and to move at pace. And 2020 also reinforced how important it is to listen to the voices of those we help and adapt our support accordingly. For example, we moved quickly to trial virtual Learning Clubs to provide additional support with remote learning to our students. We anticipate continuing to provide this digital support going forward.

How would you rate the shape of the Australian economy as we head into the new year?

While Australia is no longer in recession, we are still braced for more hardship ahead. Experience from the GFC suggests that it is young people who will bear the brunt of that hardship with youth unemployment rates likely to be a least the adult rate. Young people who don’t attach firmly to the labour market in their first couple of years seeking employment are more likely to have poorer employment outcomes in the long term.

What three reforms are needed to sustainably grow the economy?

We need to help all young people and particularly our most disadvantaged, to successfully transition into employment or post school study. We must ensure that all young people can make informed choices about the best pathway for them. It starts by building good school/community engagement and providing exposure to a range of career options and role models across the school years.

We need urgent attention around the problem of digital inclusion. Significant numbers of disadvantaged families as well as the elderly, those with a disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders do not have the access, tools, or capabilities to fully participate in an increasingly digital world. If there was one silver lining in the whole COVID-19 crisis from my perspective, it is that it brought the issue of the digital divide into stark relief. We now need to maintain this momentum and develop a co-ordinated national strategy and framework to address digital inclusion.

What are the three best growth opportunities for your company in 2021?

We are expanding our support to students in the area of career support. It’s little understood that many young Australians lack pathways others take for granted. We are determined to provide tangible support that will make a real difference to employment outcomes.

How would you rate business, state and federal government performance this year?

I particularly want to call out the generous support of our corporate partners and donors for going that extra mile. Through their ongoing donations we were able to keep working with our families at a time when they were struggling with a huge array of challenges. Having our supporters stick by us was just incredible and we will be forever grateful.