Community Leadership Program
Youth Disability Advocacy Service or YDAS runs the Neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ Youth Community Leadership Program in Victoria.
Community Leadership Program (CLP)
We are running a program with Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA).
It is called Neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ Youth Community Leadership Program. We call it Community Leaders Program or CLP for short.
The program is for neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ young people. The goal of the program is to improve your leadership and advocacy skills for you and your community.
Our free leadership program is for Victorians who are:
- Aged 18 – 25
- Live in Victoria
- Identify as neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+
Apply to join the YDAS Community Leadership program today!
Applications close on Thursday 4 June 2026 at 5pm.
Download an Easy English version of the information on this webpage.
ApplyIs this program for me?
The Community Leadership Program is for neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ young people aged 18 to 25.
Neurodivergent is a non-medical, self-identifying, umbrella term. Neurodivergent may be used to describe someone who thinks and processes information in a way that is not standard in their culture. It can include Autistic people, and people who have ADHD, dyslexia, or other neurological differences.
LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and/or Aromantic, with the + representing other identities that don’t quite fit other labels, or identities that we don’t quite have the language to describe yet.
Leadership can mean organising, advocating, speaking up, or generally working with a group of people to achieve something. People tend to look to leaders for guidance, advice, decisions or support. You can naturally slip into leadership roles or seek them out. This article describes what a past Young Leader learned about leadership.
- You do not need ‘evidence’ of disability or being Neurodivergent. You can be self-diagnosed.
- You do not have to be an NDIS participant.
- You do have to identify as a leader, Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ in your own way.
What will I learn?
The Community Leadership Program will help participants develop their leadership skills and learn practical strategies to take the next step in their community leadership journey.
- Grow your leadership and advocacy skills.
- Gain confidence working in a team.
- Get ongoing opportunities, including jobs, study and volunteer roles.
Topics include:
- Building leadership foundations
- Leadership in context
- Leadership challenges
- Our Community Ecosystem
- Tools for Leaders
“I was able to meet people who wouldn’t judge me and I was able to become more confident.” – Jasmine
“I was able to focus on the skills, traits, and lived experience I currently have and how I can incorporate that into my own leadership journey. It was inherently accessible; I didn’t have to ask for things.” – Mac
“Fun, great people and the opportunity to understand more about myself and those who also experience challenges of disability.” – Natasha
Read or listen to what past graduates of our leadership programs say about YDAS’s workshops:
What will I be doing?
- The program is free. You don’t need to pay to join.
- You will attend workshops with a small group of 12 people.
- The workshops will be run by 2x facilitators who are disabled people.
- Everyone who completes the workshops will help create and run a Community Summit in 2027.
- The Community Summit will have discussion and activity with your community to discuss issues important to them.
When:
- There are 20 workshops.
- You must attend at least 10 workshops to graduate the program.
- The workshops will run from July to December 2026.
- The workshops will be once per week on Thursdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
- There will be a one week break every 5 weeks.
Where:
- Most workshops will be online only.
- Some workshops will be hybrid, which means you can choose to attend in-person or online.
- The in-person location is at the YDAS office in the city: level 14, 242 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.
- If you live in regional or rural Victoria, we can pay for your travel and accommodation.
These workshops will support you to:
- develop your leadership, teamwork, communication and project skills
- improve your understanding of access, inclusion and advocacy
- learn from and work with other leaders with disability.
Read or listen to how we have made our past workshops accessible for disabled young people.
Apply nowBlock 1
Thu, 02 Jul 2026
Thu, 09 Jul 2026
Thu, 16 Jul 2026
Thu, 23 Jul 2026
Thu, 30 Jul 2026
Block 2
Thu, 13 Aug 2026
Thu, 20 Aug 2026
Thu, 27 Aug 2026
Thu, 03 Sep 2026
Thu, 10 Sep 2026
Block 3
Thu, 24 Sep 2026
Thu, 01 Oct 2026
Thu, 08 Oct 2026
Thu, 15 Oct 2026
Thu, 22 Oct 2026
Block 4
Thu, 05 Nov 2026
Thu, 12 Nov 2026
Thu, 19 Nov 2026
Thu, 26 Nov 2026
Thu, 03 Dec 2026
Applications are open for 2026
Applications for the 2026 YDAS Community Leadership Program are open now! They close on Thursday 4 June 2026 at 5pm.
Fill out the application form.
We can help you fill out the form! Contact us for any support or questions.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone or text: 0472 635 607 or 0447 678 653
If you cannot attend this year’s program, please sign up to our waitlist to find out about any future leadership workshops or leadership opportunities for young people.
CYDA’s Community Leadership Program
While YDAS is running a Victorian program, CYDA is running a national online one!
Are you a graduate of our Young Leaders Program or looking to take part in a national-based leadership program? CYDA’s Young Leaders Program is for you!
This program is completely online and is designed for Neurodivergent LGBTIQA+ people anywhere in Australia, aged 18-25. They are looking for young people outside of Victoria who have aspirations and goals to become future leaders. No matter what your background or experience is with leadership, this program is for you!
Go to their website to learn more and sign up!
With the support of:
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CYDA