Background
The Gathering is a multi-day on-Country event which celebrates Indigenous leadership and excellence in emergency management, community recovery, disaster resilience and Caring for Country.
The event takes place from 5-7 May 2026 on the lands of the Gunaikurnai at Lake Tyers, Gippsland. This event aims to build awareness, share knowledge, connect, and support an Indigenous-led conversation on disaster resilience.
Across the three days, you will be invited to join keynote addresses, panel discussions and workshops, and have the option of participating in on-Country activities. This will deepen your understanding of Indigenous-led disaster mitigation, response and recovery work being done within communities in Gippsland, Australia and around the world.
NIDR is delivering this unique event in partnership with Jagun Alliance and local organisations Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust and East Gippsland Shire Council.
The opportunity
The Centre of Excellence: Young People and Disasters is supporting 10 young people to attend the 2026 NIDR Gathering event. There are:
- 5 dedicated scholarships available for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people
- 5 ‘ally’ scholarships available for non-Indigenous young people
What's included
- Ticket to the full 3-day event and ‘Welcome Reception’
- On-site camping accommodation at the Lake Tyres Trust
- Out-of-pocket expenses (meals not provided at the event)
- Travel to and from the event
Eligibility
You must be:
- A young person aged 12-25
- living, working, volunteering or studying in Victoria and working or volunteering in a position that supports and promotes disaster preparedness, recovery, resilience, Emergency Management and or youth and community work.
This opportunity is open to all genders.
We will prioritise young First Nations people working as youth/community workers or in Aboriginal-led (ACCO) organisations.
We will also prioritise those working in ranger or peer roles, and those working part-time or casual roles with limited access to professional development funding.
Ally sponsorship
Priority will be given to young people who identify with any of the following :
- Culturally Diverse, Migrant or Refugee backgrounds
- Disabled
- LGBTIQA+
- Live in regional, rural or remote Victorian locations
- Living in low-income brackets
- Homeless or at risk of insecure housing
- Single parents
Additionally, we will prioritize young women working as community peer based or emergency management sector voluntary roles.
Your commitments
The Gathering runs from Tuesday 5 - Thursday 7 May 2026 and you will need to be available for each day.
You also need to attend two 1-hour meetings with YACVic staff and other scholarship recipients:
- A briefing meeting before the conference on Tuesday 28 April, 5:30 PM.
- A debrief meeting after the conference on Monday 11 May, 5:30 PM.
Child Safety
If you are under the age of 18 you will need parent/guardian consent to be eligible.
YACVic is a Child Safe Organisation. If you are over 18, please read YACVic's Statement of Commitment to Child Safety before submitting your EOI.
Submit your Expression of Interest
You can access the EOI application form to apply.
Alternatively, you can answer the questions in a short (3 min max) video and send this to Derm Ryan (he/him), Head of Rural, at DRyan@YACVic.org.au.
Applications close on Sunday 5 April 2026, or earlier if all spots are filled.
Contact
If you need help filling out the form, please get in touch with Derm Ryan (he/him), Head of Rural, at DRyan@YACVic.org.au.