Mental Health Program with Nic Maher and Nioka Dupond

2026 has been declared the International Year for Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026) and now is the time to shape its legacy. Join Volunteering Australia for an open dialogue as part of a global Call to Action led by the International Association of Volunteer Effort (IAVE). This is a powerful opportunity to focus attention on the potential of volunteering and increase the impact of volunteers and volunteer involving organisations around the world. If you're passionate about volunteering - whether you're a volunteer, Leader of Volunteers, researcher, advocate, or another stakeholder in the volunteering ecosystem - we want to hear from you! This 60-minute session will explore: what needs to change to better recognise and support volunteering, who has the power to make it happen, and what is Australia's role. Your insights will help shape the global agenda launching in December 2025 in the lead-up to IVY 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard.

This ARI seminar looks at the recent Western Victoria bushfires with a biodiversity lens. Using case studies of threatened species, we will explore how biodiversity values are identified, monitored, and addressed during a bushfire event. Rather than providing a full overview of the Western fires, it offers insights from three individuals involved in the biodiversity response.   For this seminar, we are lucky to have: Dr Sarah Garnick (DEECA Biodiversity) sharing aspects of DEECA’s rapid risk assessment and her role in leading a small mammal prioritization workshop. Dr David Cantrill (Royal Botanic Gardens) discussing the complex process of flora recovery from planning, response to recovery through the case study of the Mt Cole Grevillea. Marcello Bold (Parks Victoria) enlightening us on the onground actions Parks Victoria led to support threatened species including supplementary habitat and monitoring programs.